This e-petition will go alongside a physical public petition to be handed to Tynwald. Signatures on the paper petition are more credible than signatures on this e-petition so please consider arranging to meet with Owen or I to sign in person. Message us on social media platforms (like The Manx Bard Facebook page) or approach us at our events.

Whilst the Equality Act has come some way to be inclusive, like the recognition of asexuality under Sexual orientation, the protection of all gender identities is lacking. A binary view of gender is presented in the current clause claiming to protect gender reassignment as it only protects a person undergoing a change of sex, sex being defined in Clause 12 as ‘a man or a woman.’ This disregards a number of Isle of Man residents who do not identify with binary gender identities - male or female.

A potential solution could be to replace the protected characteristic of gender reassignment with a protected characteristic of gender identity and expression, as proposed in Section 164 (1). Our petition therefore seeks the enactment of this provision.

The UK Government’s efforts towards legal recognition of non-binary has been poor, deeming there to be ‘complex practical complications for other areas of the law, service provision and public life’ for non-binary to be legally recognized under the Gender Recognition Act. But I do not believe Tynwald should only consider equality for all genders as soon as they do. In Australia, Recognition of Sex and Gender validates how ‘some people define as a different gender to their birth sex and some people may identify as neither exclusively male nor female.’ Canada’s Human Rights Act also ensures protection for people who do not fall under gender binaries. All this petition asks is for these individuals, of Manx residence, to have legal protection against discrimination.