Editing Gender Recognition Act 2004 (section)

===Updates===
In 2016, the Women and Equalities Committee published a root-and-branch review of the Gender Recognition Act, noting its deficiencies and making recommendations for its review. At the same time, it noted similar deficiencies in the [[Equality Act 2010]] as it affected the protected characteristic of gender reassignment.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Transgender Equality: First Report of Session 2015–2016|last=Women and Equalities Committee|publisher=House of Commons|year=2016}}</ref>

In November 2017, the Scottish government published its review of the GRA with intentions to reform it "so that it is in line with international best practice."<ref>{{cite web|title=Review of the Gender Recognition Act 2004 (9 Nov 2017)|url=http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2017/11/5459|website=Scottish Government (Riaghaltas na h-Alba)|access-date=22 January 2018}}</ref> The "Ministerial Foreword" to the review acknowledges that the 2004 GRA is "out of date" and places "intrusive and onerous" requirements on the person applying for the gender change. The government recommends keeping the existing requirements for applicants to declare that "they fully understand the implications of their application and intend to live in their acquired gender for the rest of their lives" but proposes eliminating the requirement "to provide medical evidence and to have lived in their acquired gender for two years before applying".<ref>{{cite web|title=Ministerial Foreword to the Review of the Gender Recognition Act 2004 (4 November 2017)|url=http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2017/11/5459/347284|website=Scottish Government (Riaghaltas na h-Alba)|access-date=22 January 2018}}</ref>

In 2017, Minister for Equalities [[Justine Greening]] considered reforms to the Gender Recognition Act to de-medicalise the process, with the principle of self-identification. One of Greening's successors, [[Penny Mordaunt]], affirmed that the consultation on the Gender Recognition Act would come from the starting place that "transgender women are women".

In a June 2020 report, the European Commission classified the legal procedures for gender recognition of 28 European countries into 5 categories based on the barriers to access. This placed the Gender Recognition Act 2004 in the second from bottom category with "intrusive medical requirements" that lags behind international human rights standards.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Legal gender recognition in the EU: the journeys of trans people towards full equality|url=https://ec.europa.eu/info/files/lgbti-study-transgender-people_en|access-date=2020-10-09|website=European Commission – European Commission|language=en}}</ref>

In September 2020, the UK government published the results of the public consultation which showed wide support for all aspects of reform, including 64% in favour of removing the requirement for a diagnosis of [[gender dysphoria]] and 80% in favour of removing the requirement for a medical report.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Analysis of the responses to the Gender Recognition Act (2004) consultation|language=en|work=GOV.UK|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/response-to-the-gender-recognition-act-2004-consultation|access-date=2020-10-09}}</ref> However, the UK government decided not to change the current law, which was described as "a missed opportunity" by the [[Equality and Human Rights Commission]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-09-22|title=EHRC statement on Gender Recognition Act|url=https://www.politicshome.com/members/article/ehrc-statement-on-gender-recognition-act|access-date=2020-10-09|website=Politics Home|language=en}}</ref>