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YouGov

YouGov / The Times transgender rights study, wave 1 · Dec 16–17, 2018 · UK national

Methodology

Pollster: YouGov commercial
Sponsor: The Times
Commissioned by: The Times
Fielded: Dec 16–17, 2018
Population: adults
Sample size: 1,660
Sample frame: online opt-in
Panel: YouGov panel
Mode: online panel survey
Margin of error: not disclosed
Weighting: weighted to be representative of GB adults (2017 general election vote, EU referendum vote, gender, age, social grade, region)
Geography: UK national
Base notes: Party breaks are 2017 general election vote (Con weighted n=548, Lab 513, Lib Dem 93 - the Lib Dem base is small and should be read with caution).

Sources

Verification note. Wording and all figures read directly from YouGov's published 2018 data tables PDF. First wave of the four-wave YouGov GB transgender series (Dec 2018, Jun 2020, May 2022, Dec 2024).

Figures below are transcribed from these documents. Where they disagree with the source, the source governs.

Questions asked (11)

Identity beliefsagree/disagreein a trend series

whether a trans woman is a woman

In the following questions a transgender woman is someone who was biologically male at birth, but now identifies as a woman. A transgender man is someone who was biologically female at birth, but now identifies as a man.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? A transgender woman is a woman

43%

25%

32%

Agree 43%32% Disagree

Wording notes: preamble defines trans people in terms of birth sex

neutral — bare identity proposition with symmetric agree/disagree and an explicit not-sure

Subgroup figures (39)

party

Group	Agree	Disagree	Not sure
Conservative 2017 GE	32%	41%	27%
Labour 2017 GE	55%	23%	22%
Liberal Democrat 2017 GE	45%	18%	36%

gender

Group	Agree	Disagree	Not sure
Male	39%	37%	23%
Female	46%	27%	27%

age

Group	Agree	Disagree	Not sure
18-24	55%	31%	14%
25-49	47%	29%	24%
50-64	41%	36%	24%
65+	31%	34%	35%

education

Group	Agree	Disagree	Not sure
ABC1	44%	33%	23%
C2DE	40%	31%	28%

other

Group	Agree	Disagree	Not sure
Remain 2016	54%	21%	25%
Leave 2016	32%	43%	25%

Legal documents & IDsforced choicein a trend series

doctor approval requirement for legal gender change

Do you think a person should or should not have to obtain a doctor's approval to change their legal gender?

Should have to obtain a doctor's approval

65%

Should not have to obtain a doctor's approval

14%

neutral — symmetric response set

Subgroup figures (26)

party

Group	Should have to obtain a doctor's approval	Should not have to obtain a doctor's approval
Conservative 2017 GE	74%	9%
Labour 2017 GE	60%	20%
Liberal Democrat 2017 GE	69%	5%

gender

Group	Should have to obtain a doctor's approval	Should not have to obtain a doctor's approval
Male	62%	14%
Female	67%	14%

age

Group	Should have to obtain a doctor's approval	Should not have to obtain a doctor's approval
18-24	54%	23%
25-49	60%	16%
50-64	71%	12%
65+	71%	9%

education

Group	Should have to obtain a doctor's approval	Should not have to obtain a doctor's approval
ABC1	65%	14%
C2DE	64%	15%

other

Group	Should have to obtain a doctor's approval	Should not have to obtain a doctor's approval
Remain 2016	62%	16%
Leave 2016	73%	11%

Legal documents & IDsforced choicein a trend series

two-year lived-experience requirement

And do you think a person should or should not have to provide evidence they lived in their new gender for at least two years before they are able to change their legal gender?

Should have to show they have lived in their new gender for two years

64%

Should not have to show they have lived in their new gender for two years

14%

neutral — symmetric response set

Subgroup figures (26)

party

Group	Should have to show they have lived in their new gender for two years	Should not have to show they have lived in their new gender for two years
Conservative 2017 GE	75%	8%
Labour 2017 GE	61%	18%
Liberal Democrat 2017 GE	69%	6%

gender

Group	Should have to show they have lived in their new gender for two years	Should not have to show they have lived in their new gender for two years
Male	60%	15%
Female	67%	13%

age

Group	Should have to show they have lived in their new gender for two years	Should not have to show they have lived in their new gender for two years
18-24	42%	34%
25-49	61%	15%
50-64	70%	11%
65+	73%	5%

education

Group	Should have to show they have lived in their new gender for two years	Should not have to show they have lived in their new gender for two years
ABC1	64%	15%
C2DE	64%	13%

other

Group	Should have to show they have lived in their new gender for two years	Should not have to show they have lived in their new gender for two years
Remain 2016	61%	18%
Leave 2016	73%	8%

Sportsforced choicein a trend series

trans women in women's sporting events

Do you think transgender women should or should not be allowed to... Take part in women's sporting events?

27%

25%

48%

Should be allowed 27%48% Should not be allowed

neutral — symmetric response set

Subgroup figures (39)

party

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
Conservative 2017 GE	16%	63%	21%
Labour 2017 GE	32%	41%	27%
Liberal Democrat 2017 GE	26%	41%	33%

gender

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
Male	22%	57%	21%
Female	33%	39%	29%

age

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
18-24	39%	37%	25%
25-49	32%	43%	25%
50-64	26%	51%	23%
65+	16%	58%	26%

education

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
ABC1	27%	48%	26%
C2DE	28%	48%	24%

other

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
Remain 2016	32%	40%	29%
Leave 2016	20%	60%	21%

Bathrooms & facilitiesforced choicein a trend series

trans women using women's changing rooms

Do you think transgender women should or should not be allowed to... Use women's changing rooms?

42%

25%

33%

Should be allowed 42%33% Should not be allowed

neutral — symmetric response set

Subgroup figures (39)

party

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
Conservative 2017 GE	25%	52%	23%
Labour 2017 GE	58%	19%	24%
Liberal Democrat 2017 GE	53%	15%	33%

gender

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
Male	36%	38%	26%
Female	48%	28%	24%

age

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
18-24	61%	21%	18%
25-49	49%	26%	25%
50-64	42%	34%	23%
65+	22%	50%	28%

education

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
ABC1	44%	32%	24%
C2DE	40%	34%	26%

other

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
Remain 2016	55%	21%	25%
Leave 2016	29%	47%	24%

Bathrooms & facilitiesforced choicein a trend series

trans women using women's toilets

Do you think transgender women should or should not be allowed to... Use women's toilets?

46%

23%

30%

Should be allowed 46%30% Should not be allowed

neutral — symmetric response set

Subgroup figures (39)

party

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
Conservative 2017 GE	28%	48%	24%
Labour 2017 GE	62%	18%	21%
Liberal Democrat 2017 GE	59%	12%	29%

gender

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
Male	41%	34%	25%
Female	52%	26%	22%

age

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
18-24	66%	18%	16%
25-49	54%	23%	23%
50-64	46%	31%	23%
65+	25%	48%	27%

education

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
ABC1	49%	28%	23%
C2DE	43%	33%	24%

other

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
Remain 2016	59%	19%	22%
Leave 2016	32%	45%	24%

Prisons & sheltersforced choicein a trend series

trans women using women's refuges

Do you think transgender women should or should not be allowed to... Use women's refuges for victims of rape or assault (if they are a victim themselves)?

47%

26%

27%

Should be allowed 47%27% Should not be allowed

Wording notes: conditions the item on the trans woman being a victim herself

neutral — symmetric response set

Subgroup figures (39)

party

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
Conservative 2017 GE	31%	43%	26%
Labour 2017 GE	60%	16%	24%
Liberal Democrat 2017 GE	51%	13%	36%

gender

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
Male	42%	31%	27%
Female	51%	24%	25%

age

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
18-24	69%	15%	16%
25-49	54%	20%	26%
50-64	41%	33%	26%
65+	29%	40%	31%

education

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
ABC1	48%	26%	25%
C2DE	44%	29%	27%

other

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
Remain 2016	56%	18%	26%
Leave 2016	34%	39%	27%

Sportsforced choicein a trend series

trans men in men's sporting events

Do you think transgender men should or should not be allowed to... Take part in men's sporting events?

37%

25%

39%

Should be allowed 37%39% Should not be allowed

neutral — symmetric response set

Subgroup figures (39)

party

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
Conservative 2017 GE	24%	54%	22%
Labour 2017 GE	44%	30%	26%
Liberal Democrat 2017 GE	39%	26%	35%

gender

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
Male	31%	47%	22%
Female	42%	31%	27%

age

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
18-24	47%	30%	24%
25-49	41%	34%	25%
50-64	37%	41%	23%
65+	25%	49%	26%

education

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
ABC1	37%	38%	25%
C2DE	36%	39%	25%

other

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
Remain 2016	44%	28%	28%
Leave 2016	28%	51%	21%

Bathrooms & facilitiesforced choicein a trend series

trans men using men's changing rooms

Do you think transgender men should or should not be allowed to... Use men's changing rooms?

45%

25%

30%

Should be allowed 45%30% Should not be allowed

neutral — symmetric response set

Subgroup figures (39)

party

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
Conservative 2017 GE	27%	49%	24%
Labour 2017 GE	60%	17%	23%
Liberal Democrat 2017 GE	59%	9%	33%

gender

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
Male	39%	36%	25%
Female	50%	25%	25%

age

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
18-24	63%	19%	18%
25-49	50%	25%	25%
50-64	47%	31%	22%
65+	26%	45%	29%

education

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
ABC1	47%	29%	24%
C2DE	42%	33%	26%

other

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
Remain 2016	59%	17%	24%
Leave 2016	30%	45%	24%

Bathrooms & facilitiesforced choicein a trend series

trans men using men's toilets

Do you think transgender men should or should not be allowed to... Use men's toilets?

48%

25%

27%

Should be allowed 48%27% Should not be allowed

neutral — symmetric response set

Subgroup figures (39)

party

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
Conservative 2017 GE	31%	45%	24%
Labour 2017 GE	62%	15%	23%
Liberal Democrat 2017 GE	61%	8%	31%

gender

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
Male	43%	32%	25%
Female	53%	23%	24%

age

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
18-24	65%	17%	18%
25-49	55%	20%	25%
50-64	49%	29%	22%
65+	27%	44%	29%

education

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
ABC1	51%	26%	23%
C2DE	45%	29%	26%

other

Group	Should be allowed	Should not be allowed	Don't know
Remain 2016	61%	15%	23%
Leave 2016	33%	42%	25%

Bathrooms & facilitiesforced choicein a trend series

whether trans women in women's spaces present a risk of harm

Do you believe that allowing transgender women to use spaces reserved for women, such as women's toilets or changing rooms, does or does not present any genuine risk of harm to women?

Does not present any genuine risk of harm

43%

Does present a genuine risk of harm

29%

Don't know

28%

Wording notes: introduces the concept of 'genuine risk of harm to women' into the item stem

loaded_terms — the stem supplies the harm frame itself rather than asking open-endedly what concerns respondents have

Subgroup figures (39)

party

Group	Does not present any genuine risk of harm	Does present a genuine risk of harm	Don't know
Conservative 2017 GE	30%	41%	29%
Labour 2017 GE	57%	19%	24%
Liberal Democrat 2017 GE	52%	17%	30%

gender

Group	Does not present any genuine risk of harm	Does present a genuine risk of harm	Don't know
Male	39%	32%	29%
Female	48%	26%	26%

age

Group	Does not present any genuine risk of harm	Does present a genuine risk of harm	Don't know
18-24	54%	22%	24%
25-49	48%	24%	28%
50-64	46%	29%	26%
65+	28%	42%	30%

education

Group	Does not present any genuine risk of harm	Does present a genuine risk of harm	Don't know
ABC1	45%	28%	27%
C2DE	42%	30%	28%

other

Group	Does not present any genuine risk of harm	Does present a genuine risk of harm	Don't know
Remain 2016	53%	22%	24%
Leave 2016	32%	37%	30%

Every figure on this page is transcribed from the source linked above. How to read this data →