Sex
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What’s wrong with WPATH version 8?
Guest post by James Esses, of Thoughtful Therapists On 6th September 2022, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) published its updated Standards of Care: Version 8. WPATH was founded in 1979 as a self-regulated membership body. Its stated purpose is to “promote evidence-based care, education, research, advocacy,...
20th September 2022
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LGB Alliance
Registered charity set up in 2019 to advocate for the rights of gay, lesbian and bisexual people. Founded by two lesbians, Bev Jackson (who in 1970 was a founding member of the UK Gay Liberation Front) and Kate Harris (who was formerly an active supporter of, and fundraiser for,...
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Male and female in the Equality Act
Last week Old Square Chambers hosted a seminar about single-sex services and the law. Barristers Nicola Newbegin and Robin Moira White argued that biological sex is something that “popped up” recently in relation to the Equality Act. The meaning of the protected characteristic of “sex”, they said, is ambiguous and...
21st June 2022
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Sex self-ID in Scotland and transgender unemployment
The Gender Recognition Act 2004 was an extraordinary piece of legislation intended for an extraordinary group of people. It was passed to allow people who had transitioned under medical supervision to change the legal sex recorded on their birth certificate “for all purposes”. Now the Scottish Government is...
14th June 2022
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Sex Matters briefing for conversion therapy debate
On Monday 13th June there will be a Westminster Hall debate on introducing “gender identity” into the planned government bill to ban gay conversion therapy. This is a debate following a public petition. It is not a government motion, but a government Minister will respond. This is Sex Matters’...
11th June 2022
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Reading University VC speaks up for academic freedom
On 25 April 2022 Dr Holly Lawford-Smith, of the University of Melbourne, gave a seminar at Reading University’s school of law. She analysed Australia’s recent legislation banning conversion therapy, and questioned the rationale for including gender identity alongside sexual orientation. “We champion freedom of expression but…” When local LGBTQ+ organisations learnt...
23rd May 2022
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Is Scotland going to turn the UK into an identity-laundering haven?
As part of Sex Matters’ response to the Scottish Parliament consultation on GRA reform we raised security concerns. This has been reported in the Telegraph and the Times, and Maya Forstater had a Thunderer piece in the Times. Identity matters The involvement of the state with an individual’s identity...
18th May 2022
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Has your MP fallen for a simple slogan?
Was your MP one of the ones who posed with a sign about banning conversion therapy? It is worth writing to them urgently. Make sure they hear the other side. Use our form to send them Dr Hilary Cass’s interim report and Sex Matters’ report on the “Ban Conversion...
16th May 2022
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Self-ID: tell the Scottish Parliament your views!
When the Gender Recognition Act came into force in 2004, it was a single regime for the UK. The Scottish Executive at the time considered whether Scotland should have separate legislation, but rejected this approach due to “cross-border anomalies”. In 2019 the UK government stepped back from its plan...
3rd May 2022
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Sex Matters’ statement on conversion therapy law
Sex Matter praises decision to abandon fatally flawed “Conversion Therapy Bill”.
31st March 2022
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Responses to the government consultation on banning conversion therapy
The government's consultation on conversion therapy has now closed, and the responses are being analysed. More than a thousand people used the form on our website to send the government their own responses to the consultation.
11th February 2022
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The EHRC steps up
Sex Matters welcomes its statements on Gender Recognition Act reform and conversion therapy.
26th January 2022
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Conversion therapy: take action
The government’s plan to “ban gender identity conversion therapy” is ill-considered. It will: threaten parents, teachers, therapists and youth workers with prosecution if they do not affirm that a child is “born in the wrong body” make it harder for children experiencing gender issues to access supportive, exploratory mental health...
5th January 2022
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Conversion therapy consultation extended!
We asked you to tell your MP to #presspause on the conversion therapy consultation. Thousands of you did, they listened, and we’ve got what was needed: an extension of eight weeks. The next step is to get as many people as possible to respond to the consultation and we...
9th December 2021
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Where is the easy reading version of the conversion therapy consultation?
With just three days to go on the consultation on banning “conversion therapy” there is still no sign of the promised “easy reading” version of the consultation document which was promised to “follow shortly” six weeks ago. This is a consultation which is particularly relevant to people with learning...
7th December 2021
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Conversion therapy: calling for legislation without evidence
Last week at an event at Middle Temple, Sex Matters Chair Naomi Cunningham highlighted the lack of evidence for harm from “gender identity conversion therapy” (a broad and undefined term being used to promote rushed legislation). Jayne Ozanne, the chief promoter of this proposed legislation, called this “offensive and...
22nd November 2021