Joint statement by MBM, Keep Prisons Single Sex, LGB Alliance and For Women Scotland

Gender reconition reform: evidence to the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, 31st May 2022

We were pleased to have the opportunity to give evidence to the EHRCJ Committee this morning and are grateful that they saw fit to extend the session by half an hour. Having sought to cover a range of policy areas in a single session, it is clear that more time is needed to explore the breadth of critical perspectives on the Bill. For example, the session did not touch on: proposals to widen the scope of overseas gender recognition, the complex cross-border effects (beyond prison policy), spousal exit clause, provision for detransitioners to reverse legal sex change, a false declaration as a criminal deterrent, and the Scottish Government’s Equality Impact assessment. We hope that the Committee will now seek oral evidence from a range of experts on these and other relevant topics as they relate to the draft legislation. We would be also willing to provide futher oral evidence to the Committee.