Petition · past parliament
Define the legal meaning of 'male' and 'female'.
Rejected
20 signatures
What the petition asks
With recent developments in gender identity, we need to clarify what we mean when we talk about a person's sex. The law treats gender the same as sex, but gender reassignment doesn't require any medical treatment. There are conflicts of interest between people of the same gender but different sexes.
Most people don't realise that gender reassignment doesn't require 'sex change' surgery. Under the proposed Gender Identity Equality Bill, the only requirement is a person's feeling about their gender.
People are already confused about what constitutes sex in humans - criminal data's no longer reliable; sex segregation is compromised; women's sports & scholarships are open to anyone with a 'female identity'. Sex and gender are both protected characteristics but this is legally unsustainable.
People are already confused about what constitutes sex in humans - criminal data's no longer reliable; sex segregation is compromised; women's sports & scholarships are open to anyone with a 'female identity'. Sex and gender are both protected characteristics but this is legally unsustainable.
Why it was rejected
It was not clear what the petition asked the UK Government or Parliament to do.
Timeline
| 29 Mar 2017 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 20 Apr 2017 | Rejected by the Petitions Committee |
Key facts
Signatures
20
Status
Rejected
Rejected
20 Apr 2017
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.