Professor Sullivan highlighted growing confusion between sex and gender identities, emphasizing that they are distinct variables. She argued that while gender can be legally changed, biological sex remains unchanged, which has implications for medical care. She called for sex to be recorded by default in data collection while also allowing for transgender identities to be recorded when relevant.
Her government-commissioned report raised concerns about policing, recommending that police record sex in their systems and stop allowing changes to sex markers on national databases. It also advised against issuing new NHS numbers and changing gender markers.
Sullivan urged the government to implement these recommendations broadly, stressing the need for clear leadership to address public confusion. A government spokesperson affirmed the importance of accurate data collection and confirmed that the report had been shared with relevant departments.
Compiled from: Aoife Walsh & Euan O'Byrne Mulligan, “ Public data should not conflate sex and gender, review says, ” BBC News, March 20, 2025.