New CPS guidance suggests transgender people may not commit crimes by concealing their biological sex from partners
London: So, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) just dropped some new guidance. They say that transgender folks who don’t reveal their biological sex to partners might not be breaking the law. It’s a pretty big deal, right?
Basically, the CPS is saying that if someone tricks a partner into a sexual relationship by pretending to be a different sex, it could still lead to charges. But, they also laid out a bunch of reasons why someone might keep their birth sex under wraps. This has some people worried it could be misused.
Critics are raising eyebrows, saying this could let some people off the hook for serious crimes. They argue that if someone isn’t upfront about their sex, it’s not just a little shady—it could be a lot worse.
The guidance mentions that many people who transition might not even see themselves as trans but just as a man or a woman. It also talks about how young people might feel their gender identity is fluid, which adds another layer to the conversation.
Some folks might hide their birth sex because they’re worried about how society will react. The CPS acknowledges that revealing this info can be tough due to stigma or safety concerns.
But here’s the kicker: the guidance also says that if someone is trying to get a Gender Recognition Certificate, they might feel the need to keep their sex a secret for a while. This has sparked a lot of debate about what’s fair and what’s not.
One women’s rights advocate, Maya Forstater, is really concerned. She thinks this guidance could let some people dodge serious charges just by claiming they’re trans. She argues that being unclear about one’s sex in a relationship is not just creepy; it could be a form of deception or even assault.
There have been some high-profile cases where people have been convicted for similar actions. For instance, a woman was sentenced to over ten years for pretending to be a man to trick another woman into sex. It’s a complicated issue, and the CPS is trying to navigate it carefully.
Siobhan Blake from the CPS said they know this is a sensitive topic. They want to make sure their guidance helps prosecutors make fair decisions in these rare cases. It’s all about balancing the law with the complexities of individual situations.