A majority of people oppose children being allowed to ‘self-define’ their gender, a new poll has found. But some respondents say they back choosing your own species.
Today, the Government closed its consultation on transsexualism, which asked whether current safeguards on changing legal sex were necessary. Over 50,000 people responded.
In the new poll for the Coalition for Marriage, 51 per cent say under 18-year-olds should not be able to self-define their gender.
Fluid
Among the 2,000 people asked, 32 per cent supported self-definition of race, 19 per cent backed people choosing their own age and ten per cent said self-declaration of species was acceptable.
For people aged between 18 and 24, the figures were even more marked with nearly one in five backing self-definition of species.
On the issue of transsexualism, just one in five thought children should be able to self-define gender.
…the public remain highly sceptical about the direction of Government policy.
Questioned about sport, respondents were split on allowing transsexuals to compete under their “new gender identity” with those who compete under their biological sex.
Just over a third agreed, around the same disagreed and 31 per cent said they did not know.
Sceptical
Mr Hart responded by saying the public was “deeply concerned” at the Government’s approach.
He added: “This poll shows conclusively that the public remain highly sceptical about the direction of Government policy and want children to be protected from the irreversible treatments such as suppressing puberty with powerful hormones or the removal of genitals.”
The poll was conducted by ComRes which interviewed 2,002 British adults between 19 and 20 September.
Freedom restricted
Following a huge response, the Government extended its consultation on transsexualism until noon today.
Ahead of its closure, MPs warned that it had not properly considered the implications for women.
And over 100 academics wrote to the Guardian complaining that their freedom to conduct research into transgender issues is being restricted.
Prime Minister Theresa May has previously said she wants the process of changing legal sex to be “more streamlined and de-medicalised”.