LGBTQ: Aim to make it easier to change gender in Wales

Making it simpler for someone to legally change their gender is part of new proposals being unveiled by the Welsh government.

It comes after the UK government said it would block similar legislation put forward by the Scottish government.

The Welsh government called the new LGBTQ+ Action Plan for Wales an "ambitious plan with hope".

Critics of the proposals say it could "trample over women's rights".

The Welsh Tories have also said the community "don't deserve to be used as a political tool" to secure more powers.

Wales' plan aims to improve the rights of LGBTQ+ people such as banning all aspects of so-called conversion therapy practice, but currently the Welsh Parliament cannot make its own gender recognition law.

It would be up to the UK government to hand over the powers from Westminster - as things stand Conservative ministers in London have no plans to do so.

Stonewall Cymru welcomed the proposals, but said "we shouldn't be complacent".

The document, drawn up as part of a co-operation agreement between the Welsh government and Plaid Cymru, said it would "trigger" a request with the UK government to devolve powers related to gender recognition.

Last month, the UK government said it would block legislation put forward by the Scottish government that would make it easier for people in the country to change their legally recognised gender.

It said the draft law would conflict with equality protections applying across Great Britain.

The Scottish government wanted to speed up and simplify the existing process by which people can obtain a gender recognition certificate - the legal recognition of a transgender person's "acquired" gender.

Some campaigners were concerned that allowing anyone to "self-identify" could impact on women's rights, such as in women-only spaces and services.

Wales-Women's Rights Network said the Welsh government was being "tone deaf to events in Scotland" and that it was another government "prepared to trample over women's rights".

Currently, people have to apply to a UK gender recognition panel and typically must present a diagnosis of gender dysphoria.

Last month, First Minister Mark Drakeford said in the Senedd that Wales should have a gender self-identification system, similar to the one approved in Scotland.

Under the plan, the Welsh government would "initiate conversations" with the UK government to implement a recognition for non-binary people on passports and driving licences.

The Welsh government would also use "all available powers to ban all aspects" of so-called conversion therapy practices, which refers to any form of treatment or psychotherapy aiming to change a person's sexual orientation or to suppress a person's gender identity, and "seek the devolution of any necessary additional powers".

In the education sector, the action plan sets out to provide national trans guidance for schools and local authorities in Wales.

The plan, according to the document, would ensure maternity and fertility services are accessible and straightforward to use for LGBTQ+ people by "reviewing and improving" fertility referral pathways.

The UK government said it had "a proud history of LGBT rights" and will ban all forms of conversion therapy in England and Wales - including those targeting transgender people.

It added that the country also had "one of the world's most comprehensive and robust legislative protection frameworks for LGBT people".

Deputy minister for social partnership Hannah Blythyn said: "The plan is ambitious but with hope at its heart.

"We are absolutely committed to meaningful change for LGBTQ+ communities, creating a society and country where LGBTQ+ people are safe to live and love authentically, openly and freely as ourselves."

Davinia Green, director of Stonewall Cymru, said: "An action plan is great, there's some really key and clear commitments as part of it, but we want to see it implemented."

Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price added: "This means delivering change for everyone in society and we are proud to be working with the Welsh government on our shared ambition for Wales to be the most LGBTQ+ friendly nation in Europe."

Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Equalities, Altaf Hussain MS, said the pandemic has exacerbated structural inequalities for many members of the LGBTQ+ community in Wales.

"People across the world have a right to be themselves without fear of discrimination or persecution and the Welsh Conservatives will always fight for the rights of communities across Wales," he said.

"While I firmly believe that more needs to be done to support LGBTQ+ people, the further devolution of powers is not the answer.

"We have seen the chaos that the SNP have brought about with devolved powers and now Labour ministers are seeking to do the same.

"Members of the LGBTQ+ community deserve our respect, support and understanding, they don't deserve to be used as a political tool by Labour ministers in their bid to secure more powers."

The original version of this story was amended to reflect a more editorially appropriate range of views.

Additional reporting by Emilia Davies.