Newly-released papers show discussions on potential law changes affecting transgender people.
Newly-released papers show correspondence between UK and Stormont government officials on trans issues two decades agoThere were estimated to be between 30 and 150 trans people living in Northern Ireland in the year 2000, according to newly-released government papers.Some officials were concerned about issues such as fairness in sport, according to one document - "especially in cases where a man becomes a woman".
In 1999 trans people could be issued with things like passports, driving licences and medical cards under their new gender identity.A memo to the Office of First and Deputy First Minister in 2000 said that "the central issue is whether legal recognition should be given to post gender reassignment for all purposes"."There are approximately 5,000 transsexual people throughout the United Kingdom with perhaps 30 to 40 resident in Northern Ireland.
The organisation Press for Change, which advocated for trans people, made a specific submission regarding the trans community in Northern Ireland."Members of the Northern Ireland Executive and other government policy making units must take seriously their duty of care to the trans people in our community," its submission said.The report of the UK-wide Home-Office led working group was subsequently published in July 2000.
But, according to memos from officials in Stormont's Equality Unit to the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister , then Home Secretary Jack Straw published the report "without public consultation and with minimal responsibility".
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