Trans Equality and Inclusion

Plaid Cymru is committed to equality of rights for all people.

In the field of transgender issues we are proud of our record in having led the campaign to establish Wales’s first Transgender Clinic, and in having adopted strong policies in relation to trans equality.

In February 2020, the party’s National Council adopted a policy on trans equality that is incorporated in the statement below, which has been signed by every candidate in the 2021 Elections for the Senedd and for Police & Crime Commissioners. In addition to this candidates have participated in training delivered by the specialist charity Gendered Intelligence.

[This statement is signed by every Plaid Cymru Candidate for the Senedd and the Police Commissioners Elections 2021]

As candidates for Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales in the upcoming Senedd Cymru and Police Commissioner elections, we reaffirm our absolute commitment to equality for trans people in Wales.

We believe that:

  • Trans people should have the inalienable right to live free from prejudice, discrimination, and persecution.
  • All people should have the inalienable right to determine, and live in accordance with, their own gender identity. This should include the right to access to services and facilities in line with their gender identity.
  • Prejudice and discrimination against trans people are unacceptable and should not be tolerated under any circumstances.
  • Everyone should have an equal opportunity to succeed, and that diversity should be embraced and respected.

We resolve to:

  • Support equality for trans people.
  • Fight for a country where everyone has legal protection for their human rights and guarantees that whatever your race, sex, gender identity, disability, partnership status, religion or belief, or sexual orientation, you will be treated equally.
  • Continue to scrutinise the development of the gender identity services in Wales and campaign for improved gender identity services to provide vital support for trans people in Wales.
  • Support the reform of the Gender Recognition Act to introduce a streamlined, de-medicalised process based on self-declaration and in line with international best practice.
  • Support efforts for full recognition and protection from discrimination for non-binary people under the law.
  • In government, make Wales a world-leader in high quality trans healthcare and in trans rights more broadly.
  • Unequivocally support efforts to reform the Equality Act to include ‘gender identity’ as a protected characteristic and to remove the use of the terms ‘gender reassignment’ and ‘transsexual’ from the Act.
  • Continue to campaign to have the right to legislate on equality matters devolved, so that our Senedd will have the appropriate power to protect trans people and others who suffer prejudice and discrimination.
  • Uphold trans people's right to continue to access services and facilities in accordance with their gender identity.
  • Fulfil the above as part of a formal policy to which all Party representatives are obliged.

Furthermore, we endorse the proposal by the Party Leader to introduce a series of mandatory training events to better understand our responsibility as party representatives in respect of protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010. This will include trans awareness training delivered by an organisation recognised within the trans community.

We also endorse the Leader’s proposal that the party, in consultation with the LGBT community and Plaid Pride, adopt a definition of transphobia to help in ensuring the party is a safe and welcoming place for trans people, and commit to acting in accordance with its strict prohibition of transphobic behaviour and language.