UK's New Digital ID: No Gender, Minimal Data

0:00On April 10, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's new digital ID for government services won't include whether you're a man or woman. Officials say that info just isn't needed to verify it's really you. What started as a mandatory card for anyone working in the UK got scaled back to voluntary after a huge pushback from his own labor MPs back in, January. Now there's an eight-week public consultation on the plan, wrapping up May 5th. The idea is to make accessing services quicker and safer, plus prove your right to work like a passport does. But after the backlash, they're ditching any forced rollout. Critics are fired up, especially shadow equalities Minister Claire Caltinho, who calls it a dodge on recording biological sex. Independent MP Rosie Duffield agrees, saying skipping sex and gender data turns the whole thing into a joke. Folks worry it erases clear definitions after years of debates. Starmer's own views on women have shifted over time, from dodging questions in 2021 to

1:02aligning with the Supreme Court's biological sex, ruling last year. Meanwhile, the consultation stresses keeping personal data minimal, using biometrics instead. They're inviting everyone to weigh in if they want more details added, aiming for ID's people actually choose. This could reshape how we prove who we are in the UK, so keep an eye on those responses.