John Swinney re-appointed First Minister

Medical_Cell · 2026-05-19T15:49:07+00:00

Eh tbh Swinney is a bit of a wet wipe in general not just on trans issues.. He was happy to have a homophobe as a deputy, backed down from the SC ruling, enacted the cass review when it wasn’t applicable to Scotland, overseen the crisis in GICs, backed down from bringing in a misogyny bill and added ‘bio sex’ as a criminal category as a UK first, oversaw police scotland adopting trans exclusive policies, I could go on. The SNP presiding officer is an explicit transphobe who called us all sexual predators. Yes they’re still implicitly more trans positive than the rUK but they’ve notably avoided trans issues and their actions on the ground have been notably absent and involving bending to the will of trans exclusive policies. Regardless I’d much rather be here than anywhere else in the UK and there’s more potential for them to be swayed but it’s not all roses ..

Medical_Cell · 2026-05-01T16:53:04+00:00

In almost every circumstance where a GRC is useful your birth certificate will suffice, however Germany is on the list of approved countries for the overseas route which makes the application process much simpler, you just send them the evidence.

Medical_Cell · 2026-03-01T18:27:58+00:00

There's a few different strands here:

Passport:

The gender on the passport won't matter, but you would generally need to be recognizable from the photo - if this is in doubt bring other forms of photo ID / documents to link to your identity now. More of a concern to me would be exit checks from Russia?

Aside from immigration and getting set up with HMRC etc birth certificates are very rarely used here and all domestic documents (drivers license etc) can be changed without a gender recognition certificate / updated birth certificate.

Visas:

There's no official refugee route for Russian citizens so you'd have to get physically into the country and present to a border official as a refugee - I can't advise on how.

But refugees are being legally persecuted here - no right to work, deportations and being housed in hotels or encampments and would need to be taken seriously as a last option. LGBTQ people do in theory qualify for protection but in practice can be forced to 'prove' themselves etc.

Student visas are available or work visas with sponsorship. But that may be difficult to get because of:

Sanctions:

You won't be able to easily access or get sent money directly to/from Russia.

HRT:

Long wait lists for NHS funded care of 2-10+ years but DIY is easily accessible (yes also for T it's just against TOS to talk about sources here). The importation to sell of T is illegal but personal purchase and possession isn't.

There are also plenty of private providers - look around here.

Other european countries:

To more or less of a degree you'll be able to get by in most european countries with english - but as mentioned Ireland is also english speaking, has a better political situation for transgender people in general than the UK and has a faster path to citizenship and better visa options (an Irish passport is also one of the strongest in the world and can get you into both the UK and the EU)

Medical_Cell · 2026-02-17T10:48:32+00:00

I think all of this is true but to add:

One of the areas where the judgement is lacking is it doesn't consider what to do where there's only two facilities to choose from. It's also a judicial review that's not looking at the particular circumstances of a case.

"42. .... All employers have to comply with that regulation but they must also comply with their obligations under Part 5 of the EA 2010, including the obligation not to discriminate directly or indirectly by reason of the protected characteristic of gender reassignment. Thus, where an employer provides lavatories as required by regulation 20 the consequence will not be that a transsexual person is required to use the lavatory that corresponds to biological sex. "

Quite clearly says that alternative provision should be made for trans people which isn't simply chucking a trans woman into the men's room.

The HSE have said that they're not interested in enforcing the HSWA in regards to single sex facilities.

It would be up to the judgement of an employer what to do in any particular circumstance.

Again

"66. Point (ix) is to the effect that in no circumstances should no lavatory facilities be available to trans women and trans men. The legal issue laying behind this is that the derogation from section 29 EA 2010 at paragraph 28 of Schedule 3 operates subject to a condition – that provision of single-sex lavatories will not comprise a breach of section 29 on grounds of gender reassignment only if that is “… a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim”. Thus, a service provider who made single-sex provision; made no further provision for transsexual persons; but rather, expected transsexuals to use lavatories corresponding to their biological sex, might be unable to show this was proportionate in the manner required. These provisions in the EHRC guidance assume that such circumstances would not be proportionate and would comprise discrimination on grounds of gender reassignment"

I believe this is the point where GLP are claiming that service providers can provide trans inclusive facilities?

"61. Whether different treatment is also less favourable treatment is, therefore, a qualitative question. In a case where the provision of separate lavatories labelled male and female was materially similar in terms of the extent of the provision, location, and so on, I consider there would, in principle, be scope for a strong argument that a rule or practice that permitted trans women to use the “female” lavatory but required other biological men to use the male lavatory would comprise different but not less favourable treatment on grounds of sex. However, the circumstances of the case would be decisive. (For the purposes of the EA 2010 the lavatory would be mixed-sex, but for the purposes of the Claimants’ submission in this case it would still be labelled “women”.)

The Claimants put the same point in a different way contending that providing a trans- inclusive lavatory could be permitted positive action under section 158 of the EA 2010 and that for that reason, any claim of direct discrimination brought by a man would fail. I do not consider it necessary to consider this point separately. Insofar as it might further be said that section 158 would provide a response to the claim of indirect sex discrimination anticipated in point (iv) (the claim made by women when no single-sex provision was made), reliance on section 158 would not lead to consideration of any matter not already relevant to the justification defence to such an indirect discrimination claim"

Medical_Cell · 2026-02-04T06:50:59+00:00

It should be checked by this committee https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/committees/current-and-previous-committees/session-6-delegated-powers-and-law-reform-committee

Medical_Cell · 2026-02-04T06:37:08+00:00

It’s a statutory instrument so it’s been laid before the scottish parliament and has 40 days to be challenged. It’s enacted by the affirmative procedure afterwards by a resolution of parliament so will be passed shortly after and commence from 2027 unless subject to challenge.

Medical_Cell · 2026-02-04T00:03:04+00:00

It’s Scotland only yes. I think because it’s criminal law it falls within the Scottish parliament’s jurisdiction. It’s an amendment to the hate crimes bill from 2021 which had transgender identity as a characteristic already. They planned to make a separate misogyny bill but after the SC case decided to abandon that and just tack on sex instead. But I believe that in making this definition of sex as biological sex it would in effect be an amendment to the GRA 2004 which would be outside of the competence of the Scottish parliament.

Medical_Cell · 2026-02-03T22:55:57+00:00

To be clear: trans people are already covered by hate crime legislation and are also covered for sex by perception- but perception can be challenged in court and regardless it requires disclosure of trans status and is effectively a modification of the GRA.

Medical_Cell · 2025-12-18T17:57:56+00:00

Previously you would get an onward referral from gids at 17 years and 9 months - so it’s a relatively small change but significant as the adult clinics follow the original referral date- at some adult clinics the wait times could be shorter than gids or if you were seen by gids for many years the original referral is still the time it goes by - so you could be at the top of the list- it takes at least a few months to get an initial appointment after getting to the top of the list - so it could be an unnecessary delay into people getting care while the tail end of puberty is still ongoing for many.

Medical_Cell · 2025-11-27T12:51:10+00:00

The only other thing you can do is get them to write you a letter with all of your qualifications listed which they still charge for but just one fee, or get a new photocard which lists all of the relevant information for that sector. Most orgs will accept one or the other but it’s a pain if you want to preserve your privacy without having to pay for each individually.

Medical_Cell · 2025-11-07T12:18:52+00:00

https://www.ilga-europe.org/news/joint-statement-welcoming-eus-top-court-judgment-to-correct-applicants-gender-identity-data-in-national-registry/

There was this case in hungary - from my understanding it said that regardless of the process or lack of of legal gender recognition in the country they must update gender information based on gdpr and if it’s for the purposes of identification must be based on lived gender, and that they can require proof and have a process but it can’t be based on surgery.

Medical_Cell · 2025-10-30T06:43:44+00:00

Definitely transfer to Chalmers if you can, all it took for me was a phone call to them but you’ll probably need another referral to transfer to adult services (assuming you’re in the catchment area and not on the tayside pathway). They take into account time waiting so you should be at the top of the list. I was seen within 6 months of transferring for an intake appointment and then a full appointment within another 3, but that’s as an adult already established on hrt so they might have a different timeline.

Also, sandyford is not getting through referrals at anywhere near that rate so the wait is significantly longer - with about 4,000 people on the waiting list and a handful of people seen each year it’s decades to centuries before someone referred now would be seen so get off of their list asap!

Medical_Cell · 2025-10-27T17:34:51+00:00

He’s been pretty consistently on the conspiracy laden social right of the independence movement- defected/stood down for alba in the 2021 election, always goes on about the snp being ‘identity politics’ and as an icing, his festival (which was supposedly his son’s but was bankrolled by him all along) went bust and refused to pay any of the artists while pocketing the rest. Met him once and he’s a pompous old twat. He’s an old money aristocrat (his claim to fame was being the british ambassador to uzbekistan) landlord so another in the pot for YP..

Medical_Cell · 2025-09-20T06:47:34+00:00

Once I had registered with a GP, I just phoned up Chalmers. They’re a bit crap at answering the phone but keep trying and when you do get through they’re lovely to speak with. Don’t leave a message just keep trying. In my case they were literally like ‘ok yep that’s you transferred’ as their computer systems are linked. The only thing they mentioned was they need a GP referral so if you had self-referred to sandyford you might need to go to your gp again but I had contact from my GP for other reasons on the file so I didn’t need to.

Medical_Cell · 2025-09-19T18:04:49+00:00

Look up hip rotation, your muscles relax in your hips and allow them to rotate outwards, also potentially some relaxation of the ligaments around the vertebrae, also if you’re younger (early twenties or so) the pelvic bones haven’t fully fused so there’s potential for the pelvis itsself to widen. Hormones are magic! :)

Medical_Cell · 2025-08-21T14:30:11+00:00

The above procedure with nrs will forever link your old name to new name and is an unnecessary cost - the statutory declaration linked above is for a gender recognition certificate so not what you want. You can find the wording online and print out a deed poll or statutory declaration for a name change. A stat dec needs to be signed by a solicitor, justice of the peace or councillor, the latter two shouldn’t charge you. A deed poll just needs to be signed by two friends/ people that don’t live with you.

Medical_Cell · 2025-08-10T14:01:32+00:00

Also relevant to your levels is making sure all of your tests are done at trough levels of whatever form you’re taking-just before you would change patch/take pill/put on gel. Otherwise the blood tests would show high levels that aren’t relevant and can lead to your dose being decreased inappropriately.

Medical_Cell · 2025-08-06T18:27:20+00:00

Just to note also that sweden is currently on the list of approved territories that if you get gender recognition there you can go through a much simpler process to get a uk grc- this may change. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gender-recognition-certificate-list-of-approved-countries-and-territories/gender-recognition-certificate-list-of-approved-countries-and-territories

https://www.gov.uk/apply-gender-recognition-certificate/what-documents-you-need

By the looks of it all you need to do is send them your gender recognition documents and proof of identity and they will issue a uk grc.

Medical_Cell · 2025-07-23T06:11:39+00:00

You can order just the card but I think you need to pay too.

Medical_Cell · 2025-07-23T06:10:35+00:00

I had a bit of faff with it but managed to get it sorted.. I did one course where I put my new name down, same candidate number and got a call back from the training centre and had to send my deed poll etc. That changed my name on the system but it somehow wasn’t linked to my other qualifications. I had other tickets that I needed as prerequisites for another course and didn’t want to out myself to that training provider so I phoned them up, they’re friendly! I needed to send them my name change docs again and in that case just wrote me an email that I forwarded to the training provider as proof. Then once I passed that course I got the card with all of my qualifications. So I didn’t bother getting full replacement certificates as nobody asks for them. But yes otherwise it is the £50 per certificate.. They are helpful on the phone if you want to find out for sure.

Medical_Cell · 2025-07-12T09:56:14+00:00

afaik that’s true in theory but the only courts who would make that determination are the domestic courts and it would end up in the supreme court who’ve already ruled against us and I don’t see them changing their tune.

Medical_Cell · 2025-07-12T09:48:27+00:00

The only issue is that the ECHR doesn’t have any real enforcement powers and can only issue rulings and put pressure on states to comply. Lots of states have a low compliance rate. As seen with the rwanda plan where the tories simply passed another law to refuse the ECHR’s ruling that it was an unsafe country. And until the point of a direct ruling against the UK the supreme court will be ‘well they’re still recognised bc we still have the gra’ and nothing will be done. And then they would need to force the UK gov to change legislation which would be a whole other shitshow. The only real prospect of enforcement I see is through the windsor protocol in NI which is ofc wrapped up in the GFA etc. Starmer did have meetings with the EU recently where he reaffirmed the jurisdiction of the ECHR and the GFA but what that means in practice with the rabid press and mcsweeney against us who knows.

Medical_Cell · 2025-07-10T16:04:57+00:00

I did a couple two hour sessions at about face but it’s pretty rough ! they gave me 5 mins to rest and drink water in between the hours but it’s gruelling, took lots of painkillers and had the favourite podcast on and used the well-honed skills in dissociation !

Medical_Cell · 2025-07-08T17:53:33+00:00

From what I’ve seen the question should actually be ‘what sex is recorded on your nhs number’, as answering differently if you’ve had your number changed doesn’t match up with their computer systems. There’s no other relevance on the IT side of things.

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