Scottish bishops warn of ‘gender reform’ bill – Catholic World Report

Scottish bishops have released a strongly worded statement in opposition to the government’s plans to make it significantly easier for individuals to change how they identify their gender.

Members of the Scottish Parliament are expected to vote tomorrow on the controversial Gender Recognition Reform Bill, which would scrap the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria in order to qualify for a gender recognition certificate (GRC).

A GRC is a document that “legally recognizes that a person’s gender is not the gender that they were assigned at birth, but is their ‘acquired gender,’“ according to the Scottish Parliament.

In a statement issued Dec. 19, the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland said the changes were gravely worrying.

They said: “We are gravely concerned about the changes proposed by the Scottish Government’s Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.“

“The bill introduces a system of self-identification, allowing a person to change their legal sex without the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria or having to consult a doctor. Removing this requirement and denying the important medical oversight that goes with it will inevitably reduce the opportunity for crucial health care, support, and protection for vulnerable individuals, including children.”

Scottish bishops warn of ‘gender reform’ bill – Catholic World Report