Petition · past parliament
Recognise LGBTQ+ parents equally on UK birth certificates
Closed
3,678 signatures
What the petition asks
Birth certificates should record legal parenthood. Parents need the choice to register according to their legal gender or gender neutrally. The gender neutral 'parent' label should be available to anyone to choose.
Children must be able to know their genetic make-up and who gave birth to them.
Children must be able to know their genetic make-up and who gave birth to them.
This could be made clear or included on the certificate, or recorded separately.
UK birth registration is outdated and discriminatory.
All legal parents, including through surrogacy, must be recognised from conception and allowed to register on their child's birth certificate.
Key issues:
– Only heterosexual, cisgender couples can register accurately as "mother" and "father"
– Children born to transgender parents or through surrogacy have inaccurate birth certificates. Trans parents cannot register as their legal gender but must register as their sex assigned at birth, even if they have a Gender Recognition Certificate and therefore, an updated birth certificate
– The definition of "parent" in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act is extremely narrow and gender-specific
UK birth registration is outdated and discriminatory.
All legal parents, including through surrogacy, must be recognised from conception and allowed to register on their child's birth certificate.
Key issues:
– Only heterosexual, cisgender couples can register accurately as "mother" and "father"
– Children born to transgender parents or through surrogacy have inaccurate birth certificates. Trans parents cannot register as their legal gender but must register as their sex assigned at birth, even if they have a Gender Recognition Certificate and therefore, an updated birth certificate
– The definition of "parent" in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act is extremely narrow and gender-specific
Timeline
| 8 Dec 2021 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 8 Jun 2022 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
3,678
Status
Closed
Opened
8 Dec 2021
Closed
8 Jun 2022
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.