Policy Over Politics

A Legacy of Kindness - Telling the Story of Trans Charity GIRES

This episode explores the political work done by GIRES throughout its history.

Niki Reed’s employment tribunal case against Chessington World of Adventures in 1997 was a significant court case for trans rights, but it was not the first. In 1996, the landmark case of P vs S and Cornwall County Council was tried in the European Court of Justice.These employment discrimination cases laid the groundwork for future trans justice. The nineties also saw the movement towards trans-inclusive policy. Lynne Jones MP and Dr Jane Playdon established the Parliamentary Forum on Transsexualism in 1994, which Terry Reed became involved in soon after meeting Jones. The name later changed to the Parliamentary Forum on Gender Identity, reflecting the changing language of trans at the time. These end-of-century developments created space for the work of charities like GIRES, and paved the way for the 2004 Gender Recognition Act. However, this episode makes clear the extent of progress in trans rights ebbs and flows.