The Women and Equalities Minister, Meg Munn MP, has laid out a list of things she promises the Government is working on to address trans people's equality issues. But legislation relating to discrimination in the supply of Goods, Facilities and Services remains a far off prospect in December 2007 - the latest possible time the underlying European Community Directive can be transposed into UK law.
"The Government believes discrimination against transsexual people is a very serious matter, which is why we have made a commitment to prohibit discrimination against transsexual people in the provision of goods, facilities and services by December 2007.
The work required to introduce the prohibition of such discrimination is being carried out in the context of the Discrimination Law Review (DLR). The DLR is seeking to ensure that, wherever possible, the law is clear and consistent in relation to all the different areas of discrimination. This will include a comprehensive review of the protection afforded to transsexual people.
We are aware that many people with gender identity issues feel that obtaining help from the health service can seem like a complex process. However, the Royal College of Psychiatrists are expected to publish treatment guidelines to their members in the Autumn. At about the same time, the Department of Health will also issue guidelines for commissioners of services. The aim of both these documents, the content of which is being coordinated, is to ensure consistency in approach from both commissioners and providers of services.
Looking further to the future, the remit of the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR) will cover issues relating to
transsexual people, along with those relating to all the other equality strands. The CEHR will be able to use its enforcement powers for the benefit of transsexual people, as the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) can currently. The new Commission will also be able to apply powers relating to its human rights and good relations functions to the protection of transsexual people. The CEHR will provide a service for transsexual people, as for all its customers, by dealing with the 'whole person' rather than with individual aspects of their personal circumstances."
Buffy
