I've read an awful lot of nonsense on here recently about gender and forms and passports, so here are some actual facts.
When a person changes their gender, they do so after an awful lot of thought, tons of emotional stress, risking friendships and losing family members, in other words it is something that is not done on the whim of some fantasy or dream.
So, once the decision is made there are things a Transgender person MUST do.
They must sit before someone at a Gender clinic and be Physco-analized, over 3 to 4 sessions so that the person assessing you can decide if you are mentally ill or if you have 'possible' gender dysphoria. This process is actually quite humiliating, believe me, i know from personal experience and you could be waiting up to 3 years to actually reach this stage.
Then, the clinic will tell you that you MUST change your name by deedpol and live in the role of your chosen gender for a minimum of 1 year before they consider prescribing hormones, in reality due to the system, it's closer to 16 months before you get to see any hormones.
At any stage you can go private and get some minor surgery, even have a boob job, though most surgeons will not touch you for a boob job until you have been on hormones for at least 2 years.
Once you've been on hormones for at least 1 year, then you might be considered for genital surgery, providing you pass 2 'opinions', 2 different qualified doctors who physco-analize your reasons for wanting surgery and your understanding of the process and possible problems arising from surgery.
Should you pass these humiliating tests, you then get referred to the surgeon where you could be waiting for up to 2 years for the actual surgery, and that waiting list is growing by the week.
So, eventually you get to have the surgery and on average, the recovery period is 8-12 weeks to be able to return to work, but up to a year before fully healed enough for sexual intercourse.
Now comes something else, you see, when you change your name by deedpol and change it at banks and driving license and national insurance etc, for all intents and purposes in the eyes of the law, you are classed as the gender you have chosen UNLESS you are sent to prison!
In order to change your birth certificate, to avoid being sent to the wrong prison for example, you first need to have a GRC or Gender Recognition Certificate. Having a passport makes no difference what so ever. You need the GRC.
To get the GRC, you have to fill in a form - easy peasy  but there is a BUT...
with this form, you have to supply proof of surgery (a letter from your surgeon or doctor) You have to provide proof that you have lived for at least 2 years in your chosen gender, you also have to provide a declaration that you intend to remain in your chosen gender for the rest of your life (this costs money via a solicitor) you also need a different covering letter from the gender clinic (again more cost) and you also have to pay £140.
Then, a panel who you will never see, will eventually look at your application, request more information or proof, and after sending info back and forth for a while, that panel will decide if they are going to issue you with a GRC or not.
the whole GRC application process is very humiliating, very costly, very long winded and very off-putting.
This is a reason why a great many Transgender people DO NOT even apply for a GRC. It's a reason why the LGBT community have petitioned to be allowed to self certify gender and why the Government is currently looking at it and looking into changing it.
It may also be a reason why Tara did not fill in any forms. |
