Your Rights

Gender Recognition Act 2004

The Gender Recognition Act gives transsexual people legal recognition of their preferred gender.

The Gender Recognition Panel, a body made up of judicially trained lawyers and doctors, issues a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) when they are satisfied that an applicant:

has or has had gender dysphoria
has lived in the acquired gender throughout the preceding two years
intends to continue to live in the acquired gender until death

GDPR & Human Rights Act 1998

All information about an individual’s gender history or gender reassignment is classed as sensitive data under the GDPR, and can only be processed for specific reasons listed in the Act.

Article 8 of the Human Rights Act gives everyone, including transgender people, the right to privacy and family life.

For more information about a:gender and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), read our Privacy Notice.

Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 covers nine protected characteristics, including gender reassignment. It brings together a number of earlier discrimination acts and regulations.

Gender reassignment was previously covered by the Sex Discrimination Act. The Equality Act 2010 strengthens the principles set out in the previous Act.

The Workplace and Gender Reassignment

The Workplace and Gender Reassignment is published by a:gender, and gives general advice to civil servants about transsexualism and gender reassignment issues relevant to Civil Service employees.

This guide is designed to help civil servants provide a working environment that meets the needs of transsexual people, supports their aspirations and improves life chances for them and their families.

The Workplace and Gender Reassignment is currently being updated, and has been removed from GOV.UK for the time being.

Talent Action Plan

The Talent Action Plan is designed to remove barriers to success for talented civil servants from underrepresented groups by understanding the issues they face and creating solutions.

The under-represented groups are those:

declaring a Black, Asian or Minority-Ethnic (BAME) background
declaring a disability or health condition
who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGB or T)

The Talent Action Plan is part of the ongoing Civil Service Reform programme. It was published in 2014.