The Equality Act (2010) states that “a person has the protected characteristic of gender reassignment if the person is proposing to undergo, is undergoing or has undergone a process (or part of a process) for the purpose of reassigning the person's sex by changing physiological or other attributes of sex.” This means that this person is protected by the law even if they have not undergone surgery or received treatment.
In the Equality Act, sex can mean either male or female, or a group of people like men or boys, or women or girls.
‘Gender’ is informed by our social context and this includes the traditional or stereotypical roles that society considers appropriate for men and women. Gender is also informed by a person’s individual identity. Gender identity refers to our internal sense of self, and is independent of the physical aspects (sex). Gender identity includes the social aspects of gender such as gender expression – how we express or present our gender externally – which for example it can include behaviour, clothing, language and our physical appearance such as hairstyle.
Transgender and Trans are both commonly used terms to describe those seeking or having undergone Gender Reassignment procedures. ‘Trans’ is widely understood as a term to describe people whose gender is not the same as, or does not sit comfortably with, their sex as recorded at birth. Trans people may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms and which cover both gender identity and expression.
It is also recognised that there are other identities for example; non-binary, gender-fluid, asexual, bi-gendered, gender-queer etc. which also face very similar problems, obstacles, discrimination and harassment. The same consideration should be given to these groups on ethical grounds as they are clearly distinct, yet possess related characteristics, and while not defined by descriptors contained within the 2010 Equality Act, are clearly in need of similar sensitivities.
People who experience gender dysphoria (clinical diagnosis for someone who doesn’t feel comfortable with the sex they were assigned at birth) or have issues relating to gender identity can often lead to a person deciding to undergo gender reassignment or seek support.
The 2021 Census conducted in March 2021 included for the first time questions asking respondents to indicate their sexual orientation and gender identity. The collection of this information will provide a much clearer picture of the profile of this community going forward and the issues that they face. We anticipate that this will go some way in allowing us to understand the data at a local level.
The 2021 Census found that 94.2 per cent (205,959) people aged 16 years and over in Plymouth have a gender identity the same as their sex observed and registered at birth compared to 93.5 per cent in England and Wales. Just over 5 per cent chose not to respond. The remaining 0.5 per cent (1,221) have a gender identity different from their sex observed and registered at birth. This is identical to the England and Wales rate.
There is very little data to draw on when looking to provide a local Plymouth picture of gender identity issues, particularly as LGBT+ is the commonly used acronym to describe a number of different groups; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual describe sexual orientation, (who you are emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to), and Trans to describe gender identity, (whether an individual identifies that they are male or female or some other gender which does not fit into binary terminology). The ‘+’ refers to those with a sexual orientation or gender identity which does not easily fit into the standard terms LGBT. As information is often grouped together under LGBT+ it makes it difficult to identify issues relating just to gender identity and to separate out any supporting data.
Evidence currently available shows that when people reveal their gender preference, they face an increased risk of discrimination, bullying and hate crime and are more likely to report mental health conditions and to attempt suicide than the general population. Dealing with victimisation can be difficult, for those Trans individuals who decide to Transition or not, evidence shows that other emotional or psychological issues may arise which can lead to life changing events such as homelessness, loss of employment or rejection by family and friends.
Many young people experiencing issues with their gender who decide to Transition, may do so around the onset of puberty and this can bring them into conflict with parents, family and friends, who may find it difficult to accept their gender identity. Younger children can only Transition with parental consent, when this is given, and accompanied with a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, they may be given drugs to delay the onset of puberty until they reach the age of consent.
Reports from the OutYouth Group in Plymouth show there has been a recent increase in young people presenting as ‘non-binary’ and a decrease in those presenting as ‘Trans’. An increase in young people age 11+ accessing support has resulted in OutYouth continuing to operate a junior group age 11-15 in addition to the existing senior group (age 16 - 25). There has been a recent increase in young LGBTQ+ people with SEND accessing support. Overall, there has been a recent drop in schools looking for support in respect of supporting students experiencing issues relating to gender identity. This may be linked to the new government guidance for schools as well as increased knowledge and awareness by teachers and staff.
In the 12 months to October 2022, there were 698 hate crimes recorded in Plymouth, an increase on the 581 hate crimes recorded in the 12 months to October 2021. Of these, 22 were attributed to transgender compared to 21 in the previous year. More recent data is not yet available but this profile will be updated when this is published.