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You have two closely related articles in this week's BMJ, and I would like to draw attention to the link between them. One refers to the importance of single sex accommodation in health care settings and the second refers to the long term health needs of women with a history of sexual trauma. The article about single sex accommodation makes no reference to the thorny problem of how to accommodate people whose self-identified gender does not accord with their biological sex. Reforms to the Gender Recognition Act are being considered that may allow people to self-identify their gender, without any hormonal or surgical treatment, which will add to those people already eligible for a Gender Recognition Certificate. This presents hospital teams with real difficulty in balancing the needs and rights for example of males who identify as women and wish to be housed in a female ward, with women, particularly those with a history of sexual trauma, who wish to be housed in a female ward without the presence of male-bodied people. There does not appear to be a simple solution to this without infringing the interests of one group or another.
Competing interests:
No competing interests
03 November 2019
Lesley Kay
Consultant Rheumatologist
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Re: Mixed sex wards: progress towards elimination is slipping AND Re: Long term health needs of women with a history of sexual trauma
You have two closely related articles in this week's BMJ, and I would like to draw attention to the link between them. One refers to the importance of single sex accommodation in health care settings and the second refers to the long term health needs of women with a history of sexual trauma. The article about single sex accommodation makes no reference to the thorny problem of how to accommodate people whose self-identified gender does not accord with their biological sex. Reforms to the Gender Recognition Act are being considered that may allow people to self-identify their gender, without any hormonal or surgical treatment, which will add to those people already eligible for a Gender Recognition Certificate. This presents hospital teams with real difficulty in balancing the needs and rights for example of males who identify as women and wish to be housed in a female ward, with women, particularly those with a history of sexual trauma, who wish to be housed in a female ward without the presence of male-bodied people. There does not appear to be a simple solution to this without infringing the interests of one group or another.
Competing interests: No competing interests