Jeremy Corbyn calls for overhaul of trans rights

The leader of the UK’s opposition Labour Party, speaking at the PinkNews Summer Parliamentary reception this week, called for an overhaul of the Gender Recognition Act to allow trans people to self-identify their gender.

“Discrimination has gone on too long. The Gender Recognition Act does not allow trans people to self-identify their gender and forces them to undergo invasive medical tests. This is wrong,” he said.

Mr Corbyn pledged that his party would support Theresa May’s governing Conservative Party in parliament to bring forward a bill to update the act and improve trans rights.

Nick Drydakis has written about the well-being and labor market outcomes of trans people in a forthcoming IZA World of Labor article. He notes that, in recent years, Malta, Ireland, and Norway have all allowed trans people to change their sex by simply notifying the authorities, without any medical or government intervention. A policy like this can minimize employment and societal exclusions for those who are not keen, ready, or financially able to undergo gender reassignment surgery.

The workplace is one of the most likely places for trans discrimination to occur, yet, less than half of US states prohibit gender identity discrimination at work, and only 22 EU member states have explicit legal employment protections against gender identity discrimination. Drydakis calls for governments to introduce explicit, mandatory legal employment protections against discrimination on the grounds of gender identity. “An active trans population enjoying equal treatment in the labor market will be better able to help build the social and economic capital of their countries,” he says.

Read more IZA World of Labor articles on the subject of workplace discrimination.

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