Call for evidence outcome

Annex C – summary of the responses to the government’s call for evidence

Updated 30 July 2026

This call for evidence sought information on the experiences and needs of people in the UK who have variations in sex characteristics. 

Most questions were aimed primarily at those with VSC or with lived experience of personally caring for someone with VSC. Another group we asked to respond was those who work with or provide services to people with VSC in a professional capacity. This could include:

• healthcare professionals
• academics
• teachers
• employers
• support services
• service providers 

We received 80 responses from professionals or organisations who provide services for or work with people with VSC. This was an extremely diverse group, and responses varied widely, though some themes were consistent with those from people with VSC and or those who care for them. The responses are summarised below.

Terminology 

Respondents were asked whether they agreed or disagreed with the government using the umbrella term ‘variations in sex characteristics’ to describe people who have a body that is not typically male or female, and also to list any other term(s) that they would prefer were used.

Responses could be grouped into the following 4 themes:

• preference for the term ‘intersex’

• preference for ‘disorders or differences of sex development’ as these described a medical condition rather than something that could be politicised

• use the specific terminology for specific conditions, as broader terms could be misconstrued as generalising

• suggestions that, as stakeholders, have diverse and opposing attachments to terminology in this area, using a new term (VSC) was a good idea and the most inclusive

Healthcare

Medical interventions 

Respondents were asked, with regard to medical interventions or procedures, how the care, support, and information provided to people with VSC could be improved, if at all. 

Issues which emerged in the responses included:

• variations in the quality of information and care depend on the geographic area

• the need for better information available to parents about what surgeries are necessary and which ones can wait until a child is able to give their consent

• the need for increased and better training for all medical practitioners

• the need for more specific psychological services for children, adolescents and adults with VSC

• the need for better support for parents and carers

• more support for organisations in the voluntary sector and self-run organisations that support individuals with VSC

• that there is no one-size-fits-all approach for children with VSC

• peer support and connection are important for young people (could be delivered by voluntary organisations)

Healthcare services

Respondents were asked how healthcare services could be improved to better support the needs of people who have VSC, if at all. 

Issues which emerged in the responses included:

• the need for healthcare services to be aware that VSC and LGBT identities are completely distinct from one another, despite the fact that some individuals might identify with both

• the need for specific training for doctors and other medical staff, including psychotherapists

• the need for early access to experienced counsellors for parents and young people

• the need for better psychosocial care for families

• better IT infrastructure so that healthcare teams, patients and families can communicate better across specialist departments as families access different parts of the system

• a need to be able to capture sex other than male or female on paperwork and IT systems

• better transition from paediatric to adult care

• a need to link support groups with healthcare services

Education 

Respondents were asked how educational institutions could be improved for pupils with VSC and their families, if at all. 

Issues which emerged in the responses included:

• that understanding of VSC could be built into the curriculum across subjects in primary and secondary education to promote greater understanding among all pupils

• where appropriate, staff should be made aware, on a need-to-know basis, of pupils with VSC so they can support them

• that schools should aim to use inclusive language around sex and gender, potentially by receiving training on VSC (which could be delivered by voluntary organisations)

• the need to provide support or appropriate adjustments for those who have missed school due to health needs

• the need to allow for separate changing rooms for pupils with VSC in some cases

Support services

Respondents were asked how support services or organisations could be improved for people with VSC and those who care for them, if at all. 

The most common response related to the need for better funding for support organisations. Other issues included:

• the need for multidisciplinary support services

• for some, the need for support organisations and services which are distinct from LGBT organisations

• the possibility of improving understanding of VSC in religious organisations

• the importance of accessible support groups for parents

• the opportunities for organisations to come together to work on shared priorities and to work with government

• the need to engage with people with VSC to better understand the types of support needed 

Workplace, benefits, sports and leisure

Respondents were asked how the workplace, the process of claiming benefits, and sport and leisure services could be improved for people with VSC and those who look after them, if at all. 

Issues which emerged in the responses included:

Workplace

The need for broad awareness raising about VSC in workplaces, and more specific issues, such as:

• how current legislation protects people with VSC, as well as potentially more explicit protections being introduced

• a need for reasonable adjustments for people with VSC in work and more widely

• the potential need for communal services in workplaces, as well as more bathrooms for disabled people

• the opportunity for the government to provide information and resources to companies and workplaces about VSC

Benefits

• the need for training for staff who work in benefits processes so they can better support people with VSC in navigating the system 

Sports and leisure

• the potential need for changes to changing facilities in leisure services

• the potential need for sporting bodies to introduce explicit frameworks that ban discrimination in sports based on sex characteristics

• the opportunity for sports clubs and organisations at all levels to be more inclusive across gender and sex, and for people with VSC 

Respondents were also given the opportunity to share anything they wanted about working with or providing services to people with VSC in the UK. The responses to this question were extensive and varied and have been considered carefully, but are not presented here.