It was a real pleasure to be on the front bench today for the Report Stage and 3rd Reading of the Identity Documents Bill. Good riddance!
Labour thrashed around with the same amendments more or less that they laid at the Bill Committee Stage – same arguments as before. So I just refer you to my last blog post here as the same arguments were rehearsed.
The part I covered today was again the transgender issue of whether there should be two identity documents to allow those who use both genders during the journey to transition as the Labour opposition had tabled a New Clause on this issue. ID cards were not the answer. There only ever was one issue of dual cards – and the equality impact assessment found no equality issues in the abolition at all as services can still be accessed etc.
The whole issue of how to better a whole range of things to improve things for the trans community is on the coalition agenda – including how to address the issue of maybe needing dual identities – and I am taking forward the preparation of an action plan for trangender equality personally.
It was a great shame that when I raised the issue on the floor of the House to say that members of the trans community posted last time on my blog about not necessarily wanting to be identified – Meg Hillier, MP who leads for the Labour opposition dissed blog comments as not worthy of note compared with a formal government consultation.
Now a government consultation is undoubtedly a good thing (a coalition one – obviously) but to dismiss the comments on the last trans blog I posted when you are claiming to care about trans rights says it all.
Personally, I am indebted to members of the trans community who take the time and trouble to comment on my blog and who inform and educate me on gender identity issues each and every time. Please continue to do so!
And so ID cards finish their passage in the Commons. It was an historic day – and full credit to Liberty and the NO2ID card campaigns who along with Liberal Democrats and Conservatives stood up for civil liberty and freedom.
Funnily enough – on the road to the Labour leadership two of the five leadership contenders have now publicly stated that ID cards were a mistake!
Lynne Featherstone 
RT @lfeatherstone: New post: Id cards finish passage through the Commons http://tinyurl.com/29znq4c
HOORAY! RT @lfeatherstone: New post: Id cards finish passage through the Commons http://tinyurl.com/29znq4c
RT @lfeatherstone: New post: Id cards finish passage through the Commons http://tinyurl.com/29znq4c
RT @lfeatherstone: New post: Id cards finish passage through the Commons http://tinyurl.com/29znq4c
RT @lfeatherstone: New post: Id cards finish passage through the Commons http://tinyurl.com/29znq4c
This is really good news and exactly the solution I wanted.
As for the trans community, it is really good to see you are taking their issues forward. As to the anonymity – I suspect that if there was true equality, then anonymity would not be necessary, and not just for the trans community.
Instead, despite the work you have attempted to do, we still face a highly bigoted society, and the larger part of this coalition have failed to demonstrate that they have moved on from their bigotry.
We live in a society so full of discrimination that equality is generations away.
Interesting to hear the equality impact assessment cleared this: could you tell us what the equality impact assessment said about your Government’s budget?
RT @lfeatherstone: New post: Id cards finish passage through the Commons http://tinyurl.com/29znq4c
@ Ben C
She only needs ask Theresa her new, biggest and now lifelong buddy. Defender of gay rights and all matters of equality. After all she wrote to the Chancellor saying she was concerned about the lack of an EIA. How ironic is it that Theresa May is more in tune with the law than our very own snore bore blogger?
Unfortunately for Lynne though the Times poll from yesterday reflects the mood of the country in relation to the pace of and depth of her government’s cuts. Not agreed by the vast majority, not wanted by most.
And the largest group against those government’s policies are…women.
Good Evening Lynne,
I, for one, am happy to try and educate you gender identity issues, at least as they affect me.
Recently, I have been appointed as a Vice-President of Press for Change (an organisation of which I am sure you are aware) in the voluntary position of Fundraiser. As my role develops I expect to be meeting with senior Police officers, council officials, councillors and business people as well as representing Pfc at exhibitions and other events. Who knows, I might even come to meet you at the House of Commons!
But, and here is the problem; I have no intention of transitioning as it is simply not appropriate for me. I identify as Bi-gendered – I am happy with my sex but happily switch gender presentation between male and female. This is not something I do as a “lifestyle choice” but is a part of my genetic makeup.
So it’s obvious to me that from time to time I might, quiet reasonably, be asked for identification. Do I, when presenting as female, use male documents or visa-versa? I could, of course, simply present myself as male all the time whist conducting my duties but that would, I feel, not be true to myself or those I represent.
Lynne, the coalition is causing me a lot of anguish particularly in relation to the slashing of public spending but you have proved to be a true friend of the Trans community,
Best Wishes,
Astrid Walker
Here’s a few paragraphs from the blog of Tom Harris MP (Glasgow South, Labour) which explains very well why Lynne’s Government has no mandate whatsoever.
Tom says: “Not every policy promoted by a party can be implemented in office – I understand the realities of government. But this is exactly why I’m opposed to coalition government: their programmes are constructed after the polls close, without any reference to the voters. Instead of being obliged to implement a policy or at least to defend their failure to implement it, they actually boast that the coalition agreement trumps all: “No need to complain – it’s in the coalition agreement, after all.”
How can that possibly be democratic? At least a single party government can be held to account for its broken promises – and rightly so. But the position of the coalition is that a cynical statement of the intent, contrived to get two different parties to support each other, is given more democratic weight than the manifestos on which those two parties stood for election.”
How much irony can we bear?
Lynne who says she can’t say much due to collective responsibility pointing out that at least two labour leadership contenders now say ID cards were a bad idea. Ok then for her to hide behind it but not others.
I see she also now has all sorts of nutters hijacking the wheel clamp blog so she can introduce moderation onto this site. And Rome burns.
Lynne, I, for one, am happy to try and educate you on gender identity issues, at least as they affect me.
Recently, I have been appointed as a Vice-President of Press for Change (an organisation of which I am sure you are aware) in the voluntary position of Fundraiser. As my role develops I expect to be meeting with senior Police officers, council officials, councillors and business people as well as representing Pfc at exhibitions and other events. Who knows, I might even come to meet you at the House of Commons!
But, and here is the problem; I have no intention of transitioning as it is simply not appropriate for me. I identify as Bi-gendered – I am happy with my sex but happily switch gender presentation between male and female. This is not something I do as a “lifestyle choice” but is a part of my genetic makeup.
So it’s obvious to me that from time to time I might, quiet reasonably, be asked for identification. Do I, when presenting as female, use male documents or visa-versa? I could, of course, simply present myself as male all the time whist conducting my duties but that would, I feel, not be true to myself or those I represent.
Lynne, the coalition is causing me a lot of anguish particularly in relation to the slashing of public spending but you have proved to be a true friend of the Trans community,
Best Wishes,
Astrid Walker
Lynne said
It was a great shame that when I raised the issue on the floor of the House to say that members of the trans community posted last time on my blog about not necessarily wanting to be identified – Meg Hillier, MP who leads for the Labour opposition dissed blog comments as not worthy of note compared with a formal government consultation.
Yikes!
The trans community’s experience at government consultation is do lots of it and act on none!
The Triennial Review is a good example of this – lots of detailed consultation and no sign of any of it in the draft report.
Consultation has to change from a process to an activity that delivers progress.
(Lynne, I do hope that you are able to share the trans action plan with the trans community before it is published.)
I expect that Lynne has understood a lot more about trans issues from comments left on her blog that from the ‘filtered’ information provided by government subordinates.
And there is another ID issue that should be addressed.
If you are a trans person who does not qualify for a GRC as you are married, you are properly issued a passport in your ‘acquired’ sex. However, this contradicts your legal sex.
This can be a problem in places such as the US where finger prints could have been taken and recorded against your former ID and then match up against your new ID.
You then can get probing questions as to what your legal sex actually is. One feels very unsafe.
In my case, it could be construed that I am travelling on a passport with false information. It is not a good idea to be travelling with non-solid ID!
I have brought this matter up with IPS who ignore this issue on the basis of too difficult to deal with (I suppose….).
I am one of the few who actually has an ID card in my acquired gender and I am very grateful for that. It cost me significantly more that the £30 fee since I had to get the services of a chartered psychologist and a solicitor, plus the travel costs including travel to the Identity and Passport Service in London.
The ID card has been useful so far and I will continue using it as long as I am breaking no law and I hope that will be clarified when the inevitable scrapping of the system occurs. I was disappointed that the card issued would not allow travel outside the UK.
I would have applied for a second passport if that option had been available since that would have been much more use as an identification document. For example, when applying for a bank current account, I was asked for a passport or driving licence when I showed the ID card (what happens if people don’t drive or travel abroad?) This of course was no good since both documents are in my birth name and gender.
I do hope that the second passport will become a reality. I understand that Lynne has been briefed by one of our community on how relatively simple it could be and indeed shadow minister Meg Hillier and Labour MP Julie Hilling have pointed out that second passports for other circumstances can be issued.
I don’t believe there is a great deal of difference in the views of the 2 labour MPs and Lynne (other that the national ID card). Please can we move on to get a solution workable for the WHOLE Transgender community and not just for those who have permanently changed gender. Thank you ladies for taking our views on board.
Gillian
I wonder if IPS/MoJ/GEO (or whoever is responsible) has a listing of the trans categories that have specific identity needs?
Before ID solutions can be determined, as Gillian suggested, the ‘problem’ categories must be defined.
As a basis, I offer:
a. Those starting to explore gender issues by presenting as non birth sex from time to time.
b. Bi-gendered, switching from one to the other and back again etc
c. No gender identity whatsoever!
d. Undergoing RLE (having changed legal ID)
e. Undergoing RLE (having not changed legal name – yes, I can confirm this is possible!).
f. Qualified for gender recognition but in a legal relationship and hence legal sex differs from actual/presented sex on a long-term basis.
I am sure that there are other categories and I am also sure that there will be common solutions.
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In response to Paula’s suggestion of identifying trans categories, I would suggest that the system devised by IPS, for transgendered ID applicants, be grafted onto the passport application system. It was produced after wide consultation and input from Trans groups. It was made perfectly clear that applicants could choose to have one or both ID cards and I believe it would cover all the categories except those with no gender identity. I am not sufficiently knowledgeable to say whether a passport without gender makers would be accepted internationally.
The important aspect of the ID cards was that it was sufficiently flexibly to cover those who were not changing gender permanently (at least in the short term) and this is an important principle to withhold. Otherwise, (as with the Gender Recognition Certificate and drafts of the Equalities Bill), it is restricted to the minority of Trans persons who are Transsexual. There was an underlying requirement to have the T status validated by a health professional such as a chartered psychologist. I suggest this is an area to re-visit. From a practical viewpoint, it can be difficult to locate someone who is qualified to do this and not be simply thinking in terms of gender re-assignment.
Finally, having got the ID card, wouldn’t it make sense if the applicant could simply get it upgraded to a passport without having to revisit the forms, referees and supporting paperwork, before the ID data is destroyed. I was informed that currently, I would risk a fairly heavy penalty and possible custodial sentence if I applied for a passport using my ID card in support of my identity.
Lynne said
“The part I covered today was again the transgender issue of whether there should be two identity documents to allow those who use both genders during the journey to transition as the Labour opposition had tabled a New Clause on this issue. ID cards were not the answer. There only ever was one issue of dual cards – and the equality impact assessment found no equality issues in the abolition at all as services can still be accessed etc.”
I question the scope of the equality impact assessment. I enquired yesterday to the IPS and they confirmed that the policy of the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) is that individuals can only have a passport in the name by which they are known and normally use on a day to day basis. If a person changes their name (for whatever reason), then all passports in the previous name would need to be cancelled before a passport in the new name can be issued.
So in other words, the advantages that the 2 card ID system provided will be lost since there is nothing else to replace it. (I have not approached the DVLA yet, the driving license of which is another common form of ID). With the passport, the guidance for transgender persons puts the emphasis on permanent change of gender which is a stricter requirement than for the ID cards. Finally, the scope for changing the passport into the acquired gender, then back again to the birth gender is someone restricted (and costly) and this surely is not a practical option. So again, I would urge a review of the passport application system to allow both gender IDs to be used.
My spouse is a trans woman who bores me to tears sometimes about trans issues (not least the marriage issue on the GRA; 3 cheers for the LibDems here) but I do find myself sometimes having a sneaky look at your blog and then surprise her with my informed questions. I have finally mustered the courage to make a contribution from what I have gleaned. I think she’s pleased I am actually taking an interest (I’ve told her I’m doing an emailbased course on gender issues!) and I’m prepared to run the risk that if she sees this she will have a go/correct me/maybe give me a big hug, so here goes!
1. Taking gender off passports is something that will need international agreement about the data to appear on travel documents, so it’s not something that the UK can do on its own.
2. She thinks some form of ID to allow those who need it to readily prove their identity would be useful to those who need it. This would help UK residents. She muttered something about Foreign ID cards allowing people outside the UK to have a card in their new gender whatever it shows on their passport, but she wasn’t sure what happened to that or if it too had been got rid of. She thought that trans people within the EU would still be left out by both these initiatives with the loss of the main ID.
3. The driving licence is good ID but the gender code is a bit mystical and not recognised by many, so it’s less useful to a disbelieving member of the public.
4. Alison said something about not needing anonymity if there is true equality. I got a real tirade on this one, and she went off the deep end (not unusual) about being uninterested in being labelled as transgender for the rest of her life, she only wanted to be a woman, she was a woman, the law’s an ass and so on, though she did say that other trans people might have a quite different approach, with being trans (or however they describe it) being central to some people’s lives, but not to others. I am under strict instructions that when we retire we are off to start new lives as two women where no one knows us and we can both forget there was anything else. LYNNE – I need you to get that world ready for her, for my sake!
And if anyone wants to know what it’s like to be married to this woman, do let me know.
I for one do not need an identity card to know who I am, if Lynnis a friend of transphobe Theresa May then I give up, we all know how the Lib Dems have sold out for a piece of power even though they have no power, that belongs to their masters the tories
Well I hope Theresa May will do the right thing for the LGBT community and she is on record of saying she has changed her mind from the past Tory policies on these broader issues.
To postop, the issue of gender identity is clearer for you that you presumably will not revert to your birth gender. But a wider proportion of the T community are not in that position and until recently have been largely ignored. I am sorry to say we were ignored especially by the previous government during the consultations about the equalities bill, which in terms of trans persons, was heavily biased toward transsexual persons. The way forward I feel is to keep informing those who have the power to make change happen, such as Lynne, whom I hope can work constructively with her boss in this current coalition.