The Developmental Logic: Childhood, development, and the reform of Gender Recognition Act (GRA) in Scotland and the UK

This paper is part of a doctoral research project in education which uses Child as Method and Discourse Analysis to analyse ideas of childhood, nation, and development within Legal Gender Recognition (LGR) and more specifically the reforms of Gender Recognition Act – GRA (2004) in the UK. Challenges appear in reforms either proposed or opposed by the UK and Scotland, while also resonating arguments previously present in other countries (such as Portugal). Despite excluding children, current legislation guaranteeing trans adults’ right to change their gender is still informed by ideas of childhood and development. As I call this, there is a developmental logic in place within Legal Gender Recognition, justifying the UK government’s intervention in the Scottish reform passed in December 2022. The developmental logic prevents children from accessing LGR and reinforces conservative positions. Using Child as Method, I propose reversing this logic: childhood could become the ideal model for more inclusive policies of gender recognition. By reducing the hold of reactionary positions, we can promote social justice for trans and non-binary people.