4 days Ago
After the surprise bombshell of last week’s Supreme Court ruling on sex and gender, Brighton is standing together in solidarity and getting ready for what’s next in the continued struggle for trans rights. People are writing to me already in huge numbers with their heartfelt personal reactions, all still trying to grasp the impact of the ruling. They talk of “shock and disbelief” and their deep concern about what the future may hold for themselves and the people they love.
I have heard from the parents of a 14-year-old trans girl about how this decision could affect her safety. From a parent of two young cis daughters, I have heard about how their future could hold daily difficulties if they don’t conform to ‘traditional’ gender norms. And I have heard from someone whose much-loved brother is trans, who is very fearful of rising hatred.
As your MP, I feel deeply the anguish in our community, which is proud to be one of the most inclusive places anywhere in the world. Trans inclusion runs through Brighton like its famous rock. We are the birthplace of the UK’s first and best Trans Pride, and so many trans people and allies make our city their home.
Superbly, every trans rights related e-petition I can find on the Parliament website reports Brighton Pavilion right at the top of the league table for responses. And whenever there are threats to human rights principles, our citizens show up. On Saturday, our streets were full of people demonstrating in solidarity with trans people, echoing last summer when demonstrators overwhelmed the racist far right who had targeted one of our refugee services.
Last weekend, addressing a large crowd around the Clock Tower, Green Councillor Raphael Hill spoke eloquently about her experiences as a trans woman forced to see some of the vicious media headlines about the ruling, and she encouraged trans people to look after themselves while the dust settles. It is great that my fellow Brighton MP, Chris Ward, has also spoken strongly about the impact on rights and protections and called for trans people to be heard. And in Parliament cross-party support has extended from the Labour backbench to the Liberal Democrat front bench, while my Green MP colleague, Carla Denyer has also challenged the Government about potential harm to trans people’s daily lives and dignity.
So, what’s next? I believe the campaigners who are celebrating this legal ruling will want to make sure its impact is felt as hard and quickly as possible. This means the many, many trans inclusive services, businesses and community facilities in Brighton are now at risk from heightened anti-trans activism and even potential legal cases. And this is despite comments from the original drafters of the Equality Act which stand by the assumption that the term ‘women’ as named in the Act always included trans women [1].
There will certainly be challenges from the LGBTIQ+ community, and more legal rulings to come but, for the time being, lawyers and campaign groups who support trans people are still grappling with the detail and implications of this decision. And right now, there is something every person reading this can do to help. Through its website, the brilliant trans-led and run organisation TransActual, is helping trans people, allies, friends, family members and anyone else to write to the Prime Minister, in the hope that he will learn about the huge support trans people have and gain a better understanding of their lived experiences.
In an interview with The Argus last week, Sarah Savage, the wonderful chief executive and co-founder of Brighton’s Trans Pride, said that right now it feels like trans rights are: “melting away because the people in power are not standing up for us.” I promise, as your MP, that I will stand with you. I will be here every step of the way.
It’s clear that this decision has offered no clarity but together we can stand up against this division and in eternal solidarity with our trans community..
