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Just 13 per cent of Conservative voters agree with Theresa May's transgender policy, poll finds

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Just over one in ten Conservative voters agree with the government's proposed changes to the way that transgender people can legally change their gender, a poll has found.

Theresa May vowed to reform the Gender Recognition Act at the PinkNews Awards in October 2017, in order to reflect that "being trans is not an illness", with plans including the removal of bureaucratic stoppages within the process of changing a person's gender on their birth certificate.

But a new poll for PinkNews found that only 18 per cent of voters, and 13 per cent of Conservative voters, agree with updating the Gender Recognition Act to reflect more informed attitudes towards being transgender.

At present, anyone wishing to transition must demonstrate they have lived as that gender for two years, and secure the confirmation of a doctor specialising in gender dysphoria. But the government is setting out to simplify the process for trans people, forgoing the need to provide medical evidence or proof.

The same poll found 55 per cent of people support gay couples having children. Support was highest among Remainers and Labour voters, with 70 and 54 per cent in support respectively, and lowest among Brexiteers and Conservatives, both sitting at 40 per cent. 

The poll was conducted by YouGov on behalf of PinkNews, with a sample size of 1,688 adults.

PinkNews chief executive Benjamin Cohen said:

Despite the relatively low levels of support for the proposed changes to the Gender Recognition Act, this should not discourage the government from acting.

Being a leader means being in front of your people and that it is why it is right that the prime minister has already given her clear support for de-medicalising the gender recognition process.

It is just a shame that nearly a year has elapsed between the prime minister pledging her support for trans rights at the PinkNews Awards and now opening the long-awaited consultation. The lengthy delay has created a vacuum during which a misinformation campaign has been mounted by opponents to transgender rights.

The home secretary, Sajid Javid will be the keynote speaker at a PinkNews parliamentary reception on Wednesday evening, where he is expected to address reforms to transgender rights.

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