In December 2022, the Scottish Government passed its Gender Recognition Reform (GRR) with overwhelming cross-party support from Members of the Scottish Parliament after many years of consultation, review and discussion.
The UK Government is now considering challenging the Scottish Government’s mandate to implement this bill by ending reciprocal recognition of Gender Recognition Certificates (GRCs) from all countries that support trans people changing their legal gender using a self-determination mode - including Canada, Australia and New Zealand - after the UK has accepted them for years.
Seeking to end this system is an extraordinary move that is not based on any evidence or experience.
It sends a clear message that the UK Government does not feel trans people are worthy of respect in our society; instead, they are a threat to contain.
These moves also directly oppose the inclusive values that characterise modern Britain and will actively harm the UK’s international reputation as an open, diverse and dynamic society - an important reason why global corporations who proudly support LGBTQ+ rights are attracted to doing business in the UK.
We implore the Prime Minister to stop this unnecessary and damaging action immediately and instead recognise the significant positive contribution of trans people across the UK.
Statement Signatories
Paul Roberts OBE Chief Executive of Consortium
Pip Gardner Chief Executive of The Kite Trust
Ian Howley Chief Executive of LGBT HERO
Osman Mohammed Outreach Volunteer at Hidayah LGBT
Tina Carnally Director of Forward CIC
Berkeley Wilde Chief Executive of The Diversity Trust CIC
Daniel Hibbs-Woodings Committee Member of First Brick Housing
Dr Siddhi Joshi Chair person of British Asian LGBTI
Nichola Queen Director of Trans Safety Network CIC
Tyler Chitty Chairman of Herne bay LGBTQ+ society
Vicki Mulligan Chair of the Board of Trustees for Sparkle - The National Transgender Charity
John McKernaghan Chief Officer of The Brunswick Centre
Lisa Charlwood-Green Director of The WOW Network
Aubrey Crawley Founder of West London Queer Project
Susan Hart Secretary of Scottish Borders LGBT Equality
Nigel Whitfield Director of Breeches and Leather Uniform Fanclub
Marcus Morgan Chair of The Bisexual Index Lauren Bowen Director of Pure Professional Fundraising Ltd
Leith Ramage Chairman of The TIN Wardrobe
Ellis Beardsmore Director of Pride Outside CIC
Andy Hunt CEO of Intercom Trust
Katie Vicent CEO of Allsorts Youth Project
Christos Bitzis-Politis Club Secretary & Welfare Officer of London Frontrunners
Stewart O'Callaghan CEO of Live Through This
Cat Hurst-McGahey Chair of LGBT+ Northern Social Group
Richard Euston Head of Charity of Chester Pride
Lukasz Konieczka Executive Director of Mosaic LGBT+ Young Persons' Trust
Karen Skipper CEO of Spectra
Oscar Hoyle Company Director of Blossom LGBT CIC
Lisa Harvey-Nebil CEO of The Proud Trust
Richard Stevens Chair of Pride in Gloucestershire
Sarah Furley Chair of Trustees at FFLAG
Jordan Daly Director of Time for Inclusive Education
Jacob Bayliss Chief Executive Officer of Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard
Lizzie Jordan CEO of Think2Speak
Shea Coffey Co-founder of Medway Pride Radio
Sue Jones Head of Operations at Ditch The Label
Ste Dunn Director of Northern Pride Events Ltd
Carl Austin-Behan OBE Lead of Greater Manchester Pride Network
Avi Kay Chair of Bi Pride UK
Daniel Huw Bowen Director of Paned o Gê
Ian Pearson-Brown Treasurer of United with Pride
Helen Belcher OBE Managing Director of TransActual
Jen Yockney MBE Editor of Bi Community News
Miss saHHara Iris President / Executive Producer of Miss Trans Global Ashley Spiers Director of LGBT Bedfordshire
Harvey Kennedy-Pitt Chief Executive Officer of Black Beetle Health
Jenny-Anne Bishop OBE Chairperson of Unique Transgender Network / TransForum Manchester
Stephen Bowyer Chairperson of Stockport Pride
Tim Whitehead Artistic Director of Happy Valley Pride
Tor Docherty Chief Executive of New Family Social
Keira Evans Volunteer for Trans Aid Cymru
Teresa Sharpe CEO of elop
Josephine Shaw Co-founder of Trans Legal Project
Paul Murray Secretary of Fife Pride
Kevin Wright Festival Director Pride Bolton
Rev David Austin Chair of Oldham Pride
Rachel Reese & Emma Cusdin Global Butterflies
Lisa Cordery-Bruce Trustee of Pride Cymru
Jack Earley-Fagg Chair of TransBareAll
Adam Tipping Chairperson of Wolds Pride
Revd Jide Macaulay Founder of House Of Rainbow CIC
Matthew Lloyd National Co-Chair of LGBT+ Labour
Stephanie Fuller CEO of Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline
Scott Williams Chair of Wigan Pride
Kirsty Lewiis Director of Trans-Staffordshire
Peter Angwyn Evans Senior Pastor at Metropolitan Community Church of North London
Tim Fellows CEO of Enfield LGBT Network
Sarah Moore Director at London LGBTQ+ Community Centre
Kai L Millar Reverend of Northern Lights Metropolitan Community Church
Bobbi Pickard CEO of Trans in the City
Mark Kelvin Chief Executive Officer of LGBT Health and Wellbeing
Helen R Walsh CEO of Space Youth Project
Jack A Chapman Chair of Navigate Brighton
Nancy Kelley Chief Executive of Stonewall
Santi Sorrenti Director of G(end)er Swap CIC
Adalberto Lonardi Chief Creative Director of Katherine Low Settlement
Ellen Hill Operations Manager of Yorkshire MESMAC
Sarah Maslen Founder and CEO of Undivided Consultancy
Rebecca Davies Founder of Branding By Becca
Stuart Duffy Founder of Pink Saltire
Steph Keeble Director of Birmingham LGBT
John Scott Director of Skoosh Media Scotland
Sage M Stephanou Managing Director of Radical Therapist Network CIC
Christopher Howard Lead for Intertech LGBT+ Diversity Forum
Christopher Joell-Deshields Chief Executive for Pride in London
Miss Kathryn Downs Chair person of Chase Pride CIO
Natalie Bowen Vice Chair person of RCT Pride
Anna Kear CEO of Tonic Housing
Katy Harrad Team Member of London BiFest
Louise Beardsmore Director of Pride Outside CIC
Fergal McCullough Director of The Manchester Men's Room
Spencer Blackwell Chair of Trans Pride South West
Capt Catherine S Burton FRAeS Chair of GIRES
Dr Alexander Rhys Chair of It Gets Better UK
Michael Steven Finance Director of Trans Pride NI
Bryony Beynon Co-Founder of Good Night Out Campaign CIC
Lucie Brooke Director of Free2B Alliance
Matt Taylor-Roberts Managing Director of Proud 2 b parents
Steve Williamson Chief Executive Officer of Cara-Friend
Avril Clark Owner of Distinction Partner Support
Nicki Lambert Business Manager of Trans In The City Ltd
Chris Porter Wellbeing Team Lead (LGBTQ+) of YPAS- GYRO- LGBTQ+ Youth Liverpool
David Wheeler Group Co-ordinator of Families Together London - Transgender (FTL-T)
Wendy Checksfield Area Manager of Porchlight BeYou Project
Dr Paul Martin OBE Chief Executive of LGBT Foundation
Rory Finn Co-founder of Trans Can Sport
Lauren Stoner Interim CEO of Mermaids
Giulia Tanasi Chair of Queer Wandsworth
Zelly Lisanework Co-Founder and Co-Director of House of Guramayle CIC
Georgia Day LGBTQ+ Community Link Worker for The Gathering Cardiff
Alec Scott Rook Founder of TMSA-UK (Trans Masculine Support & Advice UK)
Vic Tanner Davy MBE CEO of Liberate Jersey
Paul Kemp Director of Brighton and Hove Pride
Naomi Bennett CEO of Lesflicks Ltd
Iain Smith Secretary / Trustee of The Hive LGBT+ Centre
Dave Moreton Community Advocate for LGBT+ Open House, Oasis Church Waterloo London
Matthew Higgins Trustee of Walsall Pride
Monty Moncrieff Chief Executive of London Friend
Ian Pearson-Brown Co-chair of Pride in Tennis
Daniele Lul Community Engagement Director of ParaPride
Nick Lewis Director of Umbrella Cymru
John O'Doherty Director of The Rainbow Project
Michael Gettins Chair of Arran Pride
Reece Holmes Project and Devt Lead Salford Pride
Martha Dunkley Director CliniQ CIC
Chris Fox Joint Chair of Pride on the Range
Tonii Bell Managing Director of Arcus LGBT CIC
Dr Alfredo Carpineti PhD Chair of Pride in STEM
Chris Everall Treasurer and Trustee of Exmouth Pride
Dylan Lewis-Creser Co-Chair of LGBTIQA+ Greens
Evie Brooks National Co-Chair of LGBT+ Labour
Erin Lux Co-Convenor of Out for Independence, the LGBTQ affiliate of the SNP
Daniel Browne Chair of Trustees, Warwickshire Pride
Reverend Michael Hydes Senior Pastor at The Village Metropolitan Community Church
Anya McKenna CEO of Cheltenham Pride
Tyler Hatwell Executive Director & Founder of Traveller Pride
Dr Lady Stephanie Holmes PhD MBCS Chief Executive Officer of Chrysalis Transsexual Support
Zoe Grant Youth Manager at Breakout Youth
Steven McIntyre Chief Executive Officer of Stonewall Housing
Tim Spoor MBE Chief Executive of AKT
Mark Fletcher CEO of Manchester Pride
Louie Stafford Founder & Managing Director of Learnest CIC
Cole Banton Host of T Time Podcast
Danielle St James Chief Executive of Not A Phase
Berny Simcox CEO of The Wild Mind Project
Davinia-Louise Green Director of Stonewall Cymru
Tom Doyle CEO of Yorkshire MESMAC
Mark Nichols Director of Pride World Media
Will Watters Founder of Connexons LGBT Fife
Colin Macfarlane Director Nations of Stonewall
Ignacio Labayen de Inza CEO of CONTROLLING CHEMSEX
Emily Metcalfe Chair of LGBT+ Lit Fest
Matt Wester Community Support Worker of Rainbow Heartlands LGBT+
Sarah Savage Chief Executive of Trans Pride Brighton
Ray Carter LGBT Partnership Stakeholder Engagement Officer of LGBT Partnership
Zoe Richards Chair of Queerfest
Lewis Turner Chief Executive of Lancashire LGBT
Ian Walllace Business Director of Gaydio
Quinn Collins Chair of Prism LGBTQ+ Coventry
Deejay Bullock CEO of Four Pillars
Matthew Kenworthy Gomes Chief Executive of Cornwall Pride CIO
Jayne Ozanne Director of Ozanne Foundation
Niranjan Kamatkar Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Wise Thoughts
Sebastian Rocca Founder and CEO of Micro Rainbow
Tashnuva Anan Executive Director of Inclusive Bangladesh
Amy Roch Deputy CEO of Galop
Lucy & Avril Clark Founders of Trans Radio UK Group
Cara English Head of Public Engagement at Gendered Intelligence
Tyler White Chairman of Dursley Pride
Anna-Maria Tesfaye CEO of Queer Svit
Andi Herring CEO of LCR Pride Foundation
Stiofan O’Ceallaigh Director of Balaclava.Q
Ben Vincent Research Co-ordinator of Trans Learning Partnership
Rebecca Joseph Hazell Director of Rebecca Hazell
Chris Jepson Artist of Chris Jepson Photography
Biff Nesbitt Participation Youth Worker, LGBTQIA+ for Youth Empowerment Service, Newham
James Braun Founder and Chair of Unicorns LGBTQIA+ Netball Club
Amy Roberts Chairperson of Friends of the Joiners Arms
Ian Pearson-Brown Founder of Geordie Grand Slammers
Max and Maya Price Founders of Proud2Be CIC
Jake Short Incoming Chair of Sutton LGBTQ Forum
Chiara Razzi Di Nunzio Organisation Representative for YAG - Young Adult Group
William Cox Operations Manager of Generate
Andrew Evans CEO of METRO Charity
Aderonke Apata Founder & CEO of African Rainbow Family
Naomi Bennett CEO of Sapphic Services
Kieran Bohan Coordinator of Open Table Network
Debbie Brixey Chair of Oxford Pride
Richard Williams CEO of Swansea YMCA
Dr J Gosling Co Chair of Regard
Gavin Brown Chief Executive of Trade Sexual Health
Iain Anderson Chair of Stonewall
Ricki Hewitt Head of People Salford Pride
George Nicholls CEO of Inkluder CIC
Leila Zadeh Executive Director of Rainbow Migration
David Catterall DL Co Chair of Bury LGBTQI+ Forum and Bury Pride
Bryan Beresford Community & Inclusion Manager for Your Trust
Charlotte P Committee Chair of Tameside Pride
Carol Robinson Director of Sh-OUT Northeast
Kate Howarth Project Manager for Humankind LGBT+ North East
Lily Soaper National Secretary of LGBT+ Labour
Rev Dwayne Morgan Pastor and Chair of Inclusive Community Church
Jamie Wareham Founder of QueerAF
Ocean Riley Chairperson of Bromsgrove Pride
Heather Paterson Chief Executive Officer of SAYiT (Sheena Amos Youth Trust)
Lucia Thompson Freedom Team Manager at Freedom, Off The Record
Rev. Elder Cecilia Eggleston Moderator of Metropolitan Community Churches