Petitions/Add birth sex to special category data under GDPR
StatusClosed
Opened10 Oct 2025
Closes10 Apr 2026
Government response
Parliamentary debateNot eligible
Milestones

Under UK GDPR, special category data is personal data that needs more protection because it is sensitive. It includes "sexual orientation", which can protect gay people; this does not protect transgender people. We urge the Government to add birth sex to the list.

A Supreme Court judgement found that a person's sex for the purpose of the Equality Act is their "biological sex" and that this describes sex at birth. We are concerned about how that information will be recorded and verified for transgender people. We feel making vulnerable groups easy to identify can increase the risk of harassment and discrimination. As with sexuality or religion, we believe birth sex should be "need to know", and protected from potentially accidental/malicious disclosure.

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Constituency engagement ranking

Rachael Maskell
1Rachael Maskell MP
York Central
3
Zarah Sultana
2Zarah Sultana MP
Coventry South
2
Linsey Farnsworth
3Linsey Farnsworth MP
Amber Valley
1
Liam Conlon
4Liam Conlon MP
Beckenham and Penge
1
Richard Tice
5Richard Tice MP
Boston and Skegness
1
Peter Swallow
6Peter Swallow MP
Bracknell
1
Barry Gardiner
7Barry Gardiner MP
Brent West
1
Darren Jones
8Darren Jones MP
Bristol North West
1
Daniel Zeichner
9Daniel Zeichner MP
Cambridge
1
Nigel Farage
10Nigel Farage MP
Clacton
1