Mistakes Were Made
in the UK

 
Key points

• NSW Labor can learn from the mistakes and corrections of Labor Party UK
• There have been significant shifts in national policies on gender and sex, and Labour Party policy as new information comes to light about gender identity ideology
• In the UK, policies around healthcare, women’s sport and prisons have been strengthened to support single-sex provisions.
• The Labor Party UK still has a way to go on their policies around sex-based rights, but there is movement in the right direction

National health policy

• Independent investigation into paediatric gender medicine lead to the closure of the UK’s children’s gender clinic.
• The Cass Review was a watershed moment in UK health policy

In February 2022, the Independent review of gender identity services for children and young people (the Cass Review) published its Interim Report. The Report found that the treatment model then used for children with gender dysphoria lacked a sound evidence base.

It concluded that:

A fundamentally different service model is needed which is more in line with other paediatric provision, to provide timely and appropriate care for children and young people needing support around their gender identity. This must include support for any other clinical presentations that they may have.

– The Cass Review

The National Health Service (NHS) subsequently closed the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) of London’s Tavistock Clinic, and proposed a more holistic and localised model of care. Four regional clinics are due to open in late 2023.

In June, 2023, The NHS England followed Sweden’s example in banning the use of puberty blockers outside clinical trials.

Hospital Sexual Assault

In April 2023 Women’s Rights Network released a report into sexual assaults in UK hospitals that demonstrated the harm posed from allowing males to stay in female-only wards.

Males are able to access female-only wards when accomodations are assigned by gender identity not by sex, creating a policy loop hole.

Women’s prisons

• UK policy on transgender prisoners has now been clarified
• Males are no longer able to be housed in women’s prisons

In February, 2023, the UK Ministry of Justice banned the housing of male violent offenders in women’s prisons in England and Wales. This includes males identifying as transgender, even if they have a gender recognition certificate.

The same month, the Scottish Prison Service announced all new prisoners would be placed in prisons according to their birth sex. These decisions followed public outcry at Isla Bryson, a double rapist being placed in a women’s prison in Scotland.

Women’s sports

• UK Athletics policy changed in 2023 to protect single-sex sports

In March, 2023, UK Athletics followed World Athletics policy of prohibiting transgender athletes who went through puberty as male from competing in women’s sports.

Change in UK Labour Party policy

In July, 2023, UK Labour leader Keir Starmer announced a change in policy to not allow gender self-ID without any medical diagnosis.

Lessons for NSW Labor

In September 2021, the Labor Party UK leader Keir Starmer stated that it was “wrong” to say that “only women have a cervix“. In April 2023, his position moved to stating that “99.9% of women” do not have a penis, and admitting that the demands of trans-identifying males cannot override women’s rights. He stated there would be no “rolling back on women’s rights”.

Raising the issues to UK politicians has resulted in these policy changes. Now it is our turn in NSW.

The debate is ongoing in the UK. There have been many errors in policy that have resulted in harm to women and girls, and the erosion of lesbian, gay and bisexual private spaces.

NSW Labor should note the direction of travel in UK Labor Party policy and take care not to repeat the same mistakes.