LGBT+ Labour has broken ranks with the government to condemn the Supreme Court’s ruling that sex only relates to biological women under the Equality Act, saying it will “never stop fighting for trans equality” and stands in solidarity with trans members.
Dozens of Young Labour and Labour Students officers and other youth activists with positions in the party, including the youth rep on Labour’s national executive committee Elsie Greenwood, have also signed a statement urging Labour to protect trans people.
Meanwhile former Labour-turned-independent MP Rosie Duffield said the Prime Minister should apologise for his past criticism of her gender-critical views, and suggested the verdict may make like-minded Labour MPs “braver” speaking up.
A UK government spokesperson had responded yesterday by saying it had “always supported the protection of single sex spaces based on biological sex” and would continue to do so, adding that the ruling brought “clarity and confidence” for women and service providers such as hospitals, refuges, and sports clubs.
LGBT+ Labour’s comments mark a notable intervention by Labour’s official affiliated group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans members and rights, which has sometimes attracted flak for being slow or declining to challenge the party on high-profile controversial developments in recent years.
The group’s recent challenges balancing competing strongly held views across the party was thrown into stark relief recently by the launch of two diametrically opposed unofficial splinter groups – the gender-critical LGB Labour group and trans-inclusive Pride in Labour group.
READ MORE: Labour LGB: Affiliate stung by second splinter group over trans rights
LGBT+ Labour’s national committee said in a statement late on Wednesday: “We are deeply disappointed by today’s Supreme Court judgement, which narrows the Equality Act’s definition of “sex” to no longer include transgender people with gender recognition certificates.
“This ruling risks undermining trans people’s access to vital services, workplaces, and spaces where they have long been included. We know this will be a deeply worrying time for members of the trans community, who are already facing rising levels of hate crime, hostility, and misinformation.
“We stand in full solidarity with our trans members and the wider community, and we will never stop fighting for trans equality. We are committed to working urgently with the government and across the Labour Party to address the consequences of this judgment.
Supreme Court: ‘Labour women were shut down. But we won’t concede rights won in a century of feminist struggle’
“While today’s decision affects the interpretation of sex, it is crucial to note that the Equality Act will continue to protect against discrimination on the basis of gender reassignment. We will continue to defend this protection, alongside pushing for a comprehensive programme of LGBT+ rights reform under the Labour government.
“This includes a comprehensive, trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices, making anti-LGBT+ hate crime an aggravated offence and investing in and improving trans healthcare. Trans rights are human rights, and as trans people continue to face abuse and discrimination, we will continue to push for progress in the years to come.”
Rosie Duffield hopes gender-critical Labour MPs will now feel ‘braver’
Meanwhile Rosie Duffield, the independent MP who left Labour partly over longstanding tensions with other parts of party over her gender-critical views, told Sky News the Prime Minister should apologise for his past criticism of her position.
Asked whether the Supreme Court’s ruling will lead to a change in the way the Labour Party approaches the issue, Duffield says: “I’d like to think so.
“Certainly women like me and all of the gender critical, so-called, feminists who’ve been very silent, very quiet in Labour and haven’t supported me – perhaps they’ll feel braver now about speaking out.”
READ MORE: Government welcomes ‘clarity’ but Labour tensions flare
She also said: “A proper and sort of genuine sorry would nice, but that isn’t going to happen under Keir Starmer’s leadership.”
It comes after yesterday Labour peer and former women and equalities minister Harriet Harman, also chair of the Fawcett Society, said the verdict “correctly interprets” current legislation and ministers’ intentions when it was drafted under the last Labour government. ”
She added: “Single sex spaces for women are important and can exclude trans women but only where necessary. The Act, and ruling, protects rights of women while also respecting the rights of trans women.”
Scroll to keep reading the story below…But a statement criticising the Supreme Court verdict coordinated by Young Labour LGBT+ officer Chloe Brooks has been signed by dozens of Young Labour and Labour Students activists, as well as some National Policy Forum youth representatives. NEC member Elsie Greenwood is among the signatories.
Part of the letter reads: “We share the deep concerns of our LGBTQ+ members, particularly our trans members, about the potential implications of this ruling.
“The Labour Party must stand firmly behind the LGBT+ community. We will continue to fight against all attempts to strip trans people of their rights, and will use all levers within the Labour Party to make trans voices heard.
“Labour must protect the Equality Act – one of Labour’s proudest pieces of legislation – and its legal protections for trans people.”
‘The Supreme Court Equality Act ruling raises more questions than it answers’
“Labour must not follow the example of Donald Trump, and must instead protect the Equality Act – one of Labour’s proudest pieces of legislation – and its legal protections for trans people. The Labour Party must stand firmly behind the LGBT+ community.”
The gender-critical campaign group Labour Women’s Declaration said it welcomed the ruling however, adding: “This is what the law has always been, but thanks to the bravery and tenacity of For Women Scotland and the interveners (the lesbian groups and Sex Matters), today’s ruling brings an end to the many years of confusion and misinformation.
“The government now needs to instruct all government departments to bring their policies, training and guidance into line with the judgment. The ‘clarity and confidence’ the ruling brings must also be applied to all positive action initiatives and associations for women within the Labour Party, such as women’s branches and committees.
“Our gratitude and respect goes out to all women who have courageously spoken out within the party. As Labour women, we have stood by our party, and now look to Labour to do the right thing and stand by us.”
At the heart of the case was a decision by the Scottish government to count trans-women with gender recognition certificates as women as part of legislation to establish gender quotas for public boards.
The issue was challenged in the courts twice by gender critical campaigners – who lost twice – until the matter was escalated to the Supreme Court in London. The court unanimously ruled in favour of the appeal brought by the gender rights campaigners.
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