

Theresa May has pledged to press ahead with plans to let people officially change gender without medical checks, as she said “being trans is not an illness and it should not be treated as such”.

The prime minister said she was committed to improving trans rights as she spoke at the Pink News awards dinner in central London.

May has previously said before the election that she wanted to reform the gender recognition act to look at allowing people to self-certify their gender, but the pledge was absent from the Conservative manifesto.

Over the summer, Justine Greening, the education secretary, said the government would consult on the reforms to the Gender Recognition Act, removing the need for medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria before someone can officially change gender. These proposals have met with opposition from some Conservatives, such as MP David Davies.

May told the awards: “We are determined to eradicate homophobic and transphobic bullying. We have laid out plans to reform the gender recognition act, streamlining and demedicalising the process for changing gender because being trans is not an illness and it should not be treated as such.

“I am proud to be a member of one of the most diverse parliaments in the world and of the long way we have come as a country on LGBT+ issues – from the Sexual Offences Act 50 years ago to the Same Sex Marriage Act, which I was proud to sponsor as home secretary.

“But there is still much more to do and I am committed to seeing that work through – for instance, eradicating homophobic and transphobic bullying in schools, and reforming the Gender Recognition Act – so that we can build a better future for everyone in our society.”

May also pledged to raise the issue of LGBT rights next April at the next heads of government meeting of Commonwealth countries, some of which have restrictive laws on homosexuality.

The prime minister’s deal with the socially conservative DUP means she could struggle to push through reforms to the Gender Recognition Act without opposition backing.

Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, has said May would have his support if she scrapped the requirement for trans people to undergo medical tests, and instead allowed them to self-identify their gender, saying legislation could be passed with Labour’s help.

In July, Corbyn said: “Discrimination has gone on too long. The Gender Recognition Act does not allow trans people to self-identify their gender and forces them to undergo invasive medical tests. This is wrong.

“Labour recognised this in our manifesto, pledging to update the act. Theresa May told Pink News that ‘changes need to be made’ but failed to include anything on this in the Conservative manifesto.

“So, I say to her, Labour will help you keep your promise. Bring forward a bill to update the act and improve trans rights and Labour will back you. You can give your MPs and the DUP a free vote and Labour will make it law.”

• This article was amended on 19 October 2017. An earlier version referred to “gender dysphasia”. This has been corrected to “gender dysphoria”.

