Transgender Policy

Guidance on assisting and supporting transgender visitors and other users of Parliament Buildings

1. All visitors to and users of Parliament Buildings have a right to be treated with equality and dignity, and to be free from harassment and inappropriate behaviour.

2. The Northern Ireland Assembly Commission (the ‘Assembly Commission’) is committed to equality of opportunity and to creating an environment where everyone is treated with respect.

3. The Assembly Commission will not tolerate discrimination, bullying or harassment on the grounds of gender reassignment. 

4. Transgender[1] visitors and users of Parliament Buildings can expect to be treated with the following considerations:

• They will be addressed by their chosen name.
• They will be addressed using their chosen pronouns.
• They are free to use restrooms and facilities belonging to the gender with which they identify from the point at which they begin to present permanently in the sex to which they identify.

Record-keeping for Transgender Visitors and Users of Parliament Buildings

5. Visitor passes do not contain gender-based honorifics (e.g. Mr, Mrs etc.).

6. Where records are held for visitors or users of Parliament Buildings, for example, a list of names attending an event, these records will reflect the name and expressed gender identity of the person concerned.

7. Such records will be retained in line with the appropriate Assembly Commission Data Retention and Disposal Schedule.

Complaints

8. If a transgender visitor feels that they have been subjected to unfair or inappropriate conduct related to their gender reassignment, they may raise their complaint using the Assembly Commission’s Complaints Procedure. Details of this procedure can be found on the website of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Annex

• Read the consultation report to the draft Guidance on Assisting and Supporting Transgender Visitors and Other Users of Parliament Buildings