Court Case After Government Allows People to Pick Gender in Census

A CAMPAIGN group has launched a court case against the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for letting respondents to the Census choose the sex that appears on legal documents such as their passport.

The court case comes after the government announced it would allow people to choose their gender in the Census.

The group Fair Play For Women launched a High Court challenge after claims civil servants caved in to last-minute pressure from transgender activists to make it easier for people to pick their gender with a note from their doctor.

The organisation claims the decision goes back on a promise from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) which meant people could only state the sex on their birth certificate or gender recognition certificate.

Previously, Professor Sir Ian Diamond, head of the ONS, said: “The question on sex is very simply your legal sex.”

The original position was seen as a setback by transgender activists after the government last year decided to get rid of plans to make it easier for people to “self-identify” their gender.

Just weeks later, the ONS changed its guidance and said: “Use the sex recorded on one of your legal documents such as a birth certificate, gender recognition certificate, or passport.”

However, the move has seen anger from Fair Play For Women who claim the organisation only changed its position after being lobbied.

Dr Nicola Williams, of Fair Play For Women, said: “The ONS is unlawfully messing around with the definition of sex and allowing self-identification through the back door.”

A spokesperson for the ONS denied the claims, and said: “We did this because research showed this was the most help to people as they completed their Census form. It would therefore maximise response rates as well as meeting user needs.”

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