Gyms and hospitals ‘can request birth certificates’ to prove sex

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As a biological woman (according to terfs) if I go somewhere and asked to provide my birth certificate as proof I’ll be deeply offended. This whole ruling is ridiculous! Women are women, trans women included. Just let us all live in peace.

The nutters obsessed with others genitals will be lining up to take this job. JK Rowling soon to be at your local swimming pool.

Little confusing, i was always told that birth certificates alone are not acceptable forms of ID.

This whole thing just proves the panic about trans people was never serious in the first place.

Nobody is comfortable creating a system to somehow police toilets through ID checks or whatever, so everybody will be back to the honour system, which is where we were before this hysteria started. Nothing will have changed, yet the anti-trans psychos will act mollified.

Not quite. Gyms and hospitals *may* be able to request birth certificates, according to the EHRC’s *proposed* guidelines. Fixed that headline a bit there.

Let’s see what the EHRC [is actually proposing](https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/equality/equality-act-2010/codes-practice/code-practice-consultation-2025-changes-chapter-2) to say in their guidance:

> It is important to be aware that some people, including some trans or gender non-conforming people, may find it distressing to be asked about their birth sex. Therefore, any necessary request about birth sex should be made sensitively, taking this into account.

> Where obtaining information on birth sex is not necessary and proportionate, asking a trans person about their birth sex may risk unjustifiably interfering with their human rights under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights… Any request that is made should be done in a sensitive way which does not cause discrimination or harassment.

Which is fun. You may need to ask about birth sex. If you don’t need to, it may be illegal to do so. If you do need to, you need to not do so in a discriminatory or harassing manner. So you cannot discriminate in who or how you ask about “birth sex” (by which they mean “registered at birth sex”).

> Discrimination or harassment could occur if, for example, individuals are asked about their birth sex in a way which may require them to disclose this information in public, or if the language or manner of a request is rude, combative or offensive.

> Indirect discrimination could occur if a policy on how or when to ask for such information places some protected characteristic groups at a particular disadvantage and is not justified. However, where practical, it is likely to be best to adopt the same approach with everyone, rather than only asking some people for information, because this approach is less likely to be discriminatory against any one group.

So if you are going to ask *anyone* about registered at birth sex you should ask everyone.

> If it is necessary to ask a person’s birth sex, consideration should be given to whether it is reasonable and necessary to ask for evidence of birth sex. In many cases, it will be sufficient to simply ask an individual to confirm their birth sex….

But now we get onto the bits the Times is excited about – the bit that lets them be transphobic. And the part that proves how nonsensical this all is:

> If there is genuine concern about the accuracy of the response to a question about birth sex, then a birth certificate could be requested…. However, it should be noted that a birth certificate may not be a definitive indication of birth sex….

So if you think they might be lying about their registered-at-birth sex you could ask to see a birth certificate. Except the EHRC acknowledges (because it has to) that a birth certificate *won’t actually prove anything either way*.

You can ask to see a birth certificate (in certain limited situations) but … it won’t actually help.

> … In the unlikely event that it is decided that further enquiries are needed, such as confirmation as to whether a person has a GRC, then any additional requests should be made in a proportionate way which is discreet and sensitive.

> …It is important to be aware of legal provisions protecting privacy in the context of making such enquiries. If, in the course of these enquiries or otherwise, a service provider, those exercising public functions or an association acquires information that someone has a GRC or has applied for a GRC, onward disclosure of either that information or their biological sex without consent **may be a criminal offence in some circumstances** [emphasis added]

So… you can ask people about their registered-at-birth sex in some limited situations. But you might be breaking the law if you do it badly. And if you think they might be lying, you can ask to see a birth certificate. But a birth certificate won’t tell you anything, so you might have to make further inquiries. But those further inquiries might be a crime.

Oh, and if you don’t get this right, and segregate people by their registered-at-birth sex, you may be breaking the law as well.

Good times.

Is this shit not insane.

Like the amount of issues caused by trans folk was a statistical anomaly. And yet the govt pushed through laws and legislation to cave to the tabloids, even though they knew it was going to be a mess.

And now we are in a point where big Davey’s gym can randomly get anyone’s birth certificates. 

The advice coming from this org seems deeply silly, the govt needs to sort them out.

Can. But almost certainly won’t bother.

A battle that just doesn’t need fighting.