[Metrobeans]

V429 - Passport Reform Bill 2012, TSR Government

Passport Reform Act 2012

An Act to remove insensitively prescriptive rules regarding the gender aspect of British passports, and also accomodate them to same-gender parentage.

BE IT ENACTED by The Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Commons in this present Parliament assembled, in accordance with the provisions of the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-

Part I: Gender Categorisation
1 Sex
(1) The data page of all new passports issued will show the category "Gender/Genre" in place of "Sex/Sexe" in "(5)".
2 Options for Passport Applicants
(1) When applying for a British passport, an individual may choose from one of the following three options for the gender displayed on the passport:
(a) "M"; this may be selected providing that the sex of the individual is male, or if the person is living as a male.
(b) "F"; this may be selected providing that the sex of the individual is female, or if the person is living as a female.
(c) "X"; this may be selected provided that the individual has been diagnosed with a 'disorder of sex development', or 'gender dysphoria', and does not wish to be categorised under either "M" or "F".
3 Medical Confirmation
(1) Adequate non-fraudulent validation must be provided to the Identity and Passport Office in tandem with an individual's passport application.
(a) Proof of "living as" in 2(1)(a)(b) must be provided in the form of written certification from a general practitioner.
(b) Proof of diagnosis for either condition cited in 2(1)(c) must be provided in the form of written certification from a general practitioner.

Part II: Children's Passports
1 Provision for Same-Gender Parents
(1) Alongside the designation for "Mother" and "Father" will appear a second two options with "Parent" for each.
(2) This choice is available and explained in all passport application forms.

Part III: Miscellaneous
3 Short Title
(1) This Act may be cited as the Passport Gender Reform Act 2012.
4 Commencement
(1) This Act comes into law 2 months following Royal Assent.

Notes

This is a common-sense Bill to modernise British passports in line with the improvements secured for transgendered and homosexual people in other parts of the law, a natural progression if anything.

Going through passport control can be an embarrassing trauma for people undergoing the process of changing their sex, invasive questioning can lead to them having to discuss incredibly sensitive matters with complete strangers.

The practical problems are these: a female-to-male transgender guy (such as my good friend Ed Sampleton) under current rules has to have "F" on their passport, so it could end up looking like this:



...Which is just silly and insensitive - leading to awkward questions and a feeling of contradiction; the law needs to completely recognise gender non-conformative people. (International passport regulations do not require sex (or gender) to be included on a passport, so making this Bill would not put Britain at odds with any guidelines.)

The part about same-gender parents is just an obvious addition that really shouldn't need much explanation.

[internetguru]

I voted yes because it is my duty as part of the government. I have no opinion on this bill and I criticize it for its timing.

[JPKC]

(Original post by internetguru)
I voted yes because it is my duty as part of the government. I have no opinion on this bill and I criticize it for its timing.

You criticise it for its timing?

[internetguru]

(Original post by JPKC)
You criticise it for its timing?

I wouldn't consider it essential it is a non issue to be honest. Will this change anything? No it is all purely psychological.

[Morgsie]

Well if you disagree, then Abstain

[thunder_chunky]

(Original post by internetguru)
I wouldn't consider it essential it is a non issue to be honest. Will this change anything? No it is all purely psychological.

"Essential" is pretty irrelevant in this house. Issues come and go but things are raised when they are raised, bills aren't written and submitted in priority order. So yours is a pretty poor excuse to oppose this.

[internetguru]

(Original post by thunder_chunky)
"Essential" is pretty irrelevant in this house. Issues come and go but things are raised when they are raised, bills aren't written and submitted in priority order. So yours is a pretty poor excuse to oppose this.

I voted yes.

[RoryS]

I'm siding with my fellow Labour colleagues and have voted yes.

[Birchington]

Aye. A good bill.

[jesusandtequila]

An abstention for two reasons:

a) I think 'living as' is a bit vague.
b) I don't see that sex should necessarily be part of the passport.

[JPKC]

(Original post by jesusandtequila)
An abstention for two reasons:

a) I think 'living as' is a bit vague.
b) I don't see that sex should necessarily be part of the passport.

"Living as" is actually a medical term. People applying a for sex change need to be "living as" the gender they want their body to reflect before being granted surgey. It's not just something made up for the sake of the Bill.

And sex shouldn't be on passports, but gender has to be in order for there not to be difficulties with entering foreign countries.

[Metrobeans]

The aye's have it! The aye's have it!