PROVISION OF GOODS AND SERVICES
New legislation was introduced in 2007 and amended in 2008 that outlaws discrimination against LGBT people in a range of important areas, from hospitals to schools in the public sector and B&Bs to banking in the private sector.All organisations in the public sector are covered by the legislation. LGBT people pay taxes like everyone else, so service providers such as hospitals, GPs and schools are obliged to treat everyone equally. The London GP who refused to treat a man because he was gay will now be breaking the law. The same goes for the private sector. It's now illegal for businesses including banks, estate agents, hotels and bars to turn away LGBT customers or discriminate against them when providing goods or services.
For detailed information on how this legislation will help LGBT people in a variety of life issues, visit the Stonewall website.
GENDER RECOGNITION ACT
The Gender Recognition Act 2004 provides a process through which people who have had gender reassignment surgery can now have formal legal recognition of their new status.
Comprehensive information about the Gender Recognition process can be found at the Press For Change website and in particular at the special
GRA-Info website