From Pink News UK: http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/08/16/lib-dem-baroness-barker-i-regret-that-parliament-failed-to-make-the-same-sex-marriage-bill-fully-trans-inclusive/
16 August 2013
Speaking to Diva magazine, gay Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Liz Barker says it’s wrong that trans people still require their spouse’s consent before they can have their gender legally recognised.
Many trans people and their allies are extremely disappointed that the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 for England and Wales has not removed the requirement.
Writing for PinkNews.co.uk earlier this month, Scottish Transgender Alliance Development Officer Nathan Gale explained: ”It is intended to protect the spouses of trans people from finding themselves in legally same-sex marriages, particularly as some people may have deeply held objections to same-sex marriage.
“At first glance this may seem fairly reasonable. But trans people must have been living as the gender they identify as for at least two years before applying for gender recognition and so their marriage has been in effect a same-sex marriage for that time already.”
In an interview with Diva, Baroness Barker admitted it was a failure of Parliament to allow the requirement to continue. She said: “I was sorry that we weren’t able to include the trans spousal veto in the new legislation; we spent a lot of time with representatives from the trans community and I know that they are not happy with the issue they refer to as ‘spousal veto’.”The government’s view is that the legislation now permits people who have transitioned to remain within the marriage they were in before, honouring their relationship. But they didn’t agree on the spousal veto, so the issue remains to be addressed in the future.”
Continue reading at: http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/08/16/lib-dem-baroness-barker-i-regret-that-parliament-failed-to-make-the-same-sex-marriage-bill-fully-trans-inclusive/
