ABSTRACT
The Gender Recognition Act 2004 (GRA) came into force in April 2005. It affords full legal recognition to a transsexual person's acquired gender. Gender recognition will mean that transsexual people must be treated as of their new sex for all legal purposes, including family relationships, employment, welfare benefits, health and social care. The award of a gender recognition certificate is not dependent upon particular surgical processes having happened. The GRA enables transsexual people to apply for 'gender recognition'. The GRA creates panels of lawyers and doctors who can award a gender recognition certificates (GRC) to successful applicants who are over 18 years of age and unmarried. A GRC affords them legal recognition in their acquired gender for all purposes. The GRA enables marriage and civil partnership for transsexual people in their acquired gender once they have obtained a GRC. Many areas of life may be affected by a person obtaining a GRC.
