The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Gender-neutral passport bid gets legal blessing
COURT: Campaigner can bring challenge against Government over labelling
A campaigner has been given the go-ahead to bring a High Court challenge against the Government over gender-neutral passports.
Christie Elan-Cane, who has given evidence to Parliament about transgender equality, believes the UK’s passport application process, which requires individuals to indicate whether they are male or female, is inappropriate.
Elan-Cane, who first contacted the UK passport office directly in 1995, sees the issue of “X” (for unspecified) passports as a key focal point of the non-gendered campaign.
At a hearing in London yesterday, Mr Justice Gilbart granted the campaigner, who was present in court, permission to bring a judicial review.
A full hearing of the challenge will now be held on a date to be fixed.
Last month, Canada became the latest country to offer citizens gender-neutral travel documents.
Australia, Denmark, Germany, Malta, New Zealand, Pakistan, India and Nepal already have a third category.
Lawyers for the Home Secretary opposed Elan-Cane’s application.
Granting permission, the judge emphasised he was only ruling that the case was “arguable”.
In written submissions to the court, Kate Gallafent QC, for Elan-Cane, told the judge: “The claimant’s identity is that of a non-gendered person: someone who does not identify as either male or female.
“The claimant considers that obtaining and using a passport currently involves the claimant making a false declaration as to the nature of the claimant’s gender identity, which causes the claimant considerable distress.”