It should not be easy to change sex, warns conservative activist

A leading conservative activist has warned “it should not be easy” to change your gender amid “really profound concerns” over Government reforms.

Mary Douglas, a spokeswoman for the Grassroots Conservatives campaign group, said many people who wanted to change their gender were “deeply troubled” and suffered from “other mental health conditions”.

She also told the BBC it may be possible that Education Secretary Justine Greening’s personal experience was influencing policy, with Ms Greening having come out as gay.

Ms Greening, who is also the equalities minister, said over the weekend that transgender people will be able to choose their legal sex more easily as part of equalities reforms planned by the Government.

Speaking on Radio 4’s Today programme, Ms Douglas said: “It should not be easy to do something as massive as change your gender.

“The law is there to protect us, normally from other people but also sometimes from ourselves and I think many people have really profound concerns about this.

“What’s interesting I think is many people who have gender dysphoria also have – not all, but many – other mental health conditions, like depression or drug addiction or ... they’re deeply troubled.”

There was criticism for Ms Douglas online from James Chapman, the former chief of staff to Brexit Secretary David Davis and communications director for George Osborne.

Mr Chapman described her comments as “disgraceful stuff” on Twitter.