‘Someone with a full beard could click his fingers and say he’s a woman’: Transgender TV presenter India Willoughby blasts BMA calls to allow people to legally change gender without medical diagnosis
- India Willoughby said: ‘I don’t want to upset people but there has to be red lines’
- Doctors backed proposal for Government to pursue ‘simplified’ rules on gender
- BMA said transgender people should gain recognition through sworn statement
- They currently need a diagnosis of gender dysphoria to legally change gender
Transgender TV presenter India Willoughby has blasted British Medical Association (BMA) calls to allow people to legally change gender without a medical diagnosis.
The broadcaster said that, under the proposed changes, someone with a ‘full beard could click his fingers and say he is a woman’.
It follows doctors backing a motion at the BMA’s annual meeting on Tuesday which asked the Government to pursue a ‘simplified’ way for transgender and non-binary individuals to gain legal recognition of their gender.
Transgender TV presenter India Willoughby, pictured, said on This Morning that, under the proposed changes, someone with a ‘full beard could click his fingers and say he is a woman’
Appearing on ITV’s This Morning today, India, 55, said: ‘I think if you’re not taking the medical route and simply identifying without making meaningful changes to who you are then, I’m sorry, no.
‘I don’t want to upset people but there has to be red lines, I transitioned to be a woman, I love the world we live in and I think it makes sense, I think you have to see both sides of the argument.
‘If you go down the route, you could have someone with a full beard and no changes whatsoever and clicks his fingers and says he’s a woman and starts using areas used by women.
‘Then there starts to be problems and we get into the whole JK Rowling issues.’
Earlier in the programme, she added: ‘It’s such a difficult subject even within that community.
‘But I think basically you have a block of people who are born with gender dysphoria who go on a medical pathway and fit in with the world as it is.
Appearing on ITV’s This Morning (above) today, India, 55, said: ‘I don’t want to upset people but there has to be red lines’. It follows doctors backing a motion on Tuesday
Transgender people and supporters pictured gathering in Parliament Square, London, to protest against potential changes to the Gender Recognition Act
‘They don’t want to change language or signs and if you fit in with that you should be able to change your details at an early stage.’
At present, people in Britain need a diagnosis of gender dysphoria in order to legally change their gender identity under the Gender Recognition Act.
But the BMA hopes the Government will adopt models similar to those in the Republic of Ireland and Denmark, which allow individuals to gain legal recognition of their gender through a witnessed sworn statement.
The move has been criticised by the LGB Alliance, which accused the Association of using an ‘ambushing practice’ after allegedly only distributing briefing documents an hour before the decision was made.
The Alliance also blasted the BMA for what it claimed was agreeing ‘to treat any man with a beard and a penis who “identifies as a woman” as a woman in hospital.’
The proposal – which was passed by a narrow margin – also called on the Government to allow transgender individuals to ‘receive healthcare in settings appropriate to their gender identity’.
It asked that ‘transgender healthcare workers are able to access facilities appropriate to the gender they identify.’
The BMA did, however, admit the motion is not ‘uncontroversial’, writing: ‘The involvement of doctors or other health professionals who have experience in working with those with gender dysphoria may enable discussions about emotional and physical well-being that may be helpful to the transgender person.’