Memorandum submitted by The Beaumont Trust (CJ&I 389)

 

 

I have been asked by the Trustees of the Beaumont Trust to draw to your attention the need, in the proposed Criminal Justice Bill, to consider the problems often faced by transgendered people, whether transsexuals or transvestites, from abuse and worse from some members of the public, or people working in institutions such as the police, the prison service and the Trades Unions. The Trust would like to see incitement to transphobic hate made a criminal offence in the Bill.

 

The Beaumont Trust is an established Charity and our Deed lays down two objectives

 

a) To relieve the stress caused by transsexualism and/or transvestism in those affected, their families and friends, and to assist professional advisers in the field of care of gender dysphoria.

 

b) To educate the public about these conditions

 

The Trust is aware of, and welcomes, the gradually changing climate of opinion in this country towards people with these conditions, and the recent passing of the Gender Recognition Act was a very positive step which has assisted this changing perception. There is surely now no reason why incitement to transphobic hate should not be criminalised and treated in the same way as racial and gay/lesbian abuse.

 

 

October 2007