Last night I was in conversation on Twitter with two of my closest Twitter followers – both lovely women who I have talked to on the phone, neither transgender. We were discussing if sex should be recorded on a birth certificate. I like so many trans people, think it should not. We are driven to this suggestion because it is so damn difficult in the UK to update our birth certificates – a legal and human right. Now to be clear, I am not talking about biology – I am talking law.
My two followers, though, did not agree. 99% of us are happy mooted one. And she was, of course, right – why should 99% of people who are happy change an age-old tradition for just 1% of unhappy people.
And then I started to think about all the fuss GRA reformGRA Reform Gender Recognition Reform Bill - Scotland https://www.gov.scot/news/gender-recognition-reform-bill/ Published 03 March 2022 09:34 Part of Equality and rights Simplifying how trans people apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate. See Also https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/mermaids-manifesto-for-gra-reform/ https://www.stonewall.org.uk/what-does-uk-government-announcement-gender-recognition-act-mean is causing.
The toxic gender war, probably tens of thousands of working hours in parliament just discussing it, not counting the many thousands more by gender-crits and trans activists. And the cost to the public purse? Many hundreds of millions of pounds. Money that could – no should – be spent on deserving issues like helping impoverished families on universal credit, for example. Or helping women who are victims of domestic abuse – something so common, that it is barely discussed.
And all this fuss for what?
A change on a tiny minority of birth certificates – that sees the light of day perhaps half a dozen times in a lifetime. Oh yes, and for a few – different pension rights. That’s it. Nothing else – except one thing. The human right to die in the sex and gender I and others like me choose.
Because I can and do live as a woman.
I look like a woman, sound like a woman have photographic ID that confirms I am a woman – both my passport and driving licence (both legal documents) says “F.” And to be honest, it was all very easy. The driving licence change took three weeks if I recall correctly. And the passport just eleven working days. If I am asked for official photographic ID – I have it in my purse.
It is incredibly unlikely I will be asked for anything more.
So what’s my problem? I just can’t die as a woman.
Well, I can, if I prostitute myself and apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate – which I will not – because I refuse to bow to a demonstrably cruel, unjust, bureaucratic procedure that I actively campaign against and will continue to campaign against.
So I (and others) are caught; we can live – but can’t die a proper death.
Crazy, but true.
