Councils urge authorities to ‘shield trans folks’s rights’ as new coverage ‘excludes’ them
Leaders of six London boroughs have urged the government to protect trans people’s rights amid concerns the revised EHRC code will “exclude” them from community services
The leaders of six London boroughs have made a stand with the transgender community
The leaders of six London boroughs have pledged to stand with the transgender community and ignore the government’s updated Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) guidance as it came into force earlier this week.
Leaders of Hackney, Haringey, Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark and Waltham Forest – boroughs with some of the highest trans and non-binary communities in the country – have told the government the new code “will feel like an attack” on trans+ (including trans, non-binary and intersex) people in their communities.
In a joint commitment to ensure the services they provide for over 1.7million Londoners remain inclusive, the leaders have demanded the government clarifies that the code must not be used to exclude trans people from services. They have also warned that council staff should not be placed at risk of “inadvertent discrimination”, where no third spaces are available to trans+ people.
In an open letter to Women and Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson, the six leaders and other senior councillors said: “It is simply unacceptable that the Code of Practice is harmful to the rights of trans people and will make their exclusion from public life more likely, not less.
“As councils who are proud to be boroughs of sanctuary, with significant LGBTQ+ communities, we are committed to being safe, welcoming and inclusive places for all residents, regardless of their background or identity. We have an unshakeable commitment to ensuring that trans+ residents can access services safely, with dignity and free from discrimination or harassment.”
The councils have underlined their commitment to providing safe, welcoming and inclusive places for all residents, regardless of their background or identity. With all six councils now “reviewing all of our internal practices to ensure that no trans person is excluded on the basis of our actions”.
They also warned that “the government is failing trans people when they need its support the most” and claimed that the code “introduces a dangerous lack of clarity for us as service providers, leaving our staff at risk of inadvertent discrimination where no third spaces are available to trans+ people.”
“We stand in solidarity with trans people, an already marginalised community subject to increasing discrimination. This government claims it is standing up for equality. That can never be the case while the rights of trans people are treated as an afterthought.”
In June, Ms Phillipson reiterated her view that the new code delivers clarity for service providers including gyms, leisure centres and cafes, and voiced her hope that progress can be made on the basis of the published code, but added that she does not want trans people “to be constantly pilloried on social media for being who they are and wanting to live the lives that they want to lead”.
As the code came into force on August 5th, a government spokesperson told The Mirror of its commitment to upholding single-sex spaces while protecting the rights of trans people, with clear laws in place to protect trans people from discrimination and harassment, which it plans to uphold.
“We have strengthened protections for trans people against hate crime and just a month ago published our trans-inclusive conversion practices ban, as well as promoting LGBT+ rights internationally and improving LGBT+ healthcare.”
If you have been affected by this story, contact Mindline Trans+‘s emotional and mental health support helpline for anyone identifying as trans, non-binary, gender variant, and their families, friends, colleagues and carers. Their phone line is open Mondays and Fridays, 8pm to midnight. Ring 0300 330 5468.
