British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said it was “completely reasonable” for his government to look into legislation for transgender people that was passed in Scotland on Thursday, due to concerns about potential impacts on women’s safety. The law makes it easier for transgender people to change their gender on documents, eliminating the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria and lowering the minimum age from 18 to 16.
“Many people are concerned about the impact of this new law in Scotland on the safety of women and children,” Sunak told reporters on Friday.
“So it’s completely reasonable for the UK government to look into this law to understand the consequences for the safety of women and children in the rest of the country, and then decide what to do,” said Sunak, who is from the Conservative party.
The legislation passed makes Scotland the first region in the UK to pass a self-identification process for gender transitioning.
The Gender Recognition Reform Act was passed by 86 votes to 39 and had the support of the National Party of Scotland, which is in power, and several parties in parliament, with the exception of the Conservatives.
Women’s rights activists argue that the changes could pose a threat to the safety of women and girls by making it easier for potentially aggressive men to access unisex spaces like bathrooms.
However, supporters of the law claim it will help transgender people and pose no threat to women’s rights.
Britain’s national government has said it will look at the impacts of the legislation on the Equality Act 2010, which applies across the country, and could block it if necessary. The government could turn for the first time to Section 35 of the Act of Scotland to block the bill from becoming law, if London judges that the legislation will have an adverse effect on matters falling within the jurisdiction of the national administration.
Such a move would trigger a legal dispute between Edinburgh and London.
“The bill is within the legislative competence and was supported by a large majority, across all parties,” a Scottish government spokesman said on Thursday. “Any attempt by the British Government to undermine the democratic will of the Scottish Parliament will be vigorously opposed by the Government of Scotland.”
Also on Thursday, Spain’s Chamber of Deputies passed a law that allows anyone over 16 to change their name and gender identity without any bureaucracy at the DNI, the Spanish RG. Just request the change when making the document.
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