There is an outdated law in the UK that threatens trans people if they choose not to disclose their gender history to people they have sex with. The Sexual Offences Act of 2003 states that when you are deceived about the nature of the sex act you are about to engage in, you are incapable of informed consent. This could lead to trans people being charged with sexual assault if they do not disclose their gender before having any sexual contact with a partner. The law has already been cited in one case against a trans person and this trend could continue.
Due to the increased incidents of transphobic crimes in the UK, this puts the trans community at risk. A person's gender history is their personal business and they should be the ones who get to decide when they disclose this information to someone.
The Sexual Offences Act must be updated in order to make caveats to cover gender history disclosure so that trans people are not unreasonably criminalised as sexual predators.
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*Photo Credit Peter O'Connor CC 2.0
Dear MP,
As someone who is greatly concerned about trans rights I am deeply concerned by the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and its ability to be misinterpreted and wrongfully target trans people as sexual predators.
The law states that when you are deceived about the nature of the sex act you are about to engage in, you are incapable of informed consent. This has already been used once against a trans person, because they did not reveal their gender history, to justify a sexual assault charge and this trend must not continue.
The Sexual Offences Act must be updated to include the reality of trans people. Trans people have the right to privacy and should not be forced to disclose their gender history to any person they come into sexual contact with.
The Act should reflect trans rights and that keeping their gender history to themselves should not be considered a violating act.
[Your comment here]
Sincerely,
[Your name and address]
