A huge, first-of-its-kind poll of every constituency in Great Britain has shown how levels of support for the rights of transgender teenagers differ across the country.
Ahead of the general election, Focaldata surveyed 21,000 people for UnHerd in the 623 seats.
People up and down the country were asked whether they agreed or disagreed with the statement: “It is acceptable for adolescent children to make their own decisions about their gender identity.”
The poll suggested a trans person growing up in Bethnal Green and Bow would be surrounded by people who were supportive. In the London seat, 52% agreed with the statement while 14% disagreed.
But a trans person growing up in Buckingham would find themselves in a much less supportive environment, where 31% agreed but 39.6% did not.
Buckingham is the seat vacated by former Commons Speaker John Bercow, a vocal supporter of LGBTQ rights.
Most supportive constituencies
Bethnal Green and Bow
Islington South and Finsbury
Poplar and Limehouse
Battersea
Lewisham
Deptford
Islington North
Hackney North and Stoke Newington
Bristol West
Manchester Gorton
Croydon NorthLeast supportive constituencies
Buckingham
Bracknell
Brecon and Radnorshire
Folkestone and Hythe
Carmarthen West and Pembrokeshire
Doncaster North
Thurrock
Bury St Edmunds
Hastings and Rye
South East Cornwall
Freddie Sayers, the executive editor of UnHerd, said the map “lays bare just how divided a country we are, and will still be no matter what happens with Brexit”.
“The figures reveal how a trans person living in central London will have a totally different experience to a trans person living not far away in Buckingham or Bracknell,” he said.
“There are differences in attitude that may take generations to reconcile.”
In its manifesto launched on Thursday, Labour committed to reforming the Gender Recognition Act 2004 to introduce self-declaration for transgender people.
The Conservative Party has yet to publish its election manifesto. But Liz Truss, the Conservative women and equalities minister, has said she will “not be rushed” into changing the law to remove the requirement for medical reports to be submitted.
The Lib Dems have committed to reforming the act and also to recognise non-binary gender identities.