Theresa May: Being transgender is not an illness
2 min read
Theresa May has backed plans to let people officially change gender without medical checks.
The Prime Minister told guests at the Pink News awards dinner last night: “Being trans is not an illness and it should not be treated as such.”
Equalities Minister Justine Greening announced on Sunday that the Government would end medical testing for gender changes, but last night was the first time Mrs May had given the proposals her public backing.
She also set out the Government’s wider ambitions for the gay and transgender community, and admitted that there was “much more to do” to stamp out discrimination.
She declared: “We are determined to eradicate homophobic and transphobic bullying.
“We have laid out plans to reform the gender recognition act, streamlining and de-medicalising the process for changing gender, because being trans is not an illness and it should not be treated as such.
“I am proud to be a member of one of the most diverse parliaments in the world and of the long way we have come as a country on LGBT+ issues – from the Sexual Offences Act 50 years ago to the Same Sex Marriage Act, which I was proud to sponsor as home secretary.
“But there is still much more to do and I am committed to seeing that work through – for instance, eradicating homophobic and transphobic bullying in schools, and reforming the Gender Recognition Act – so that we can build a better future for everyone in our society.”
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