Dear Chloe,
Thank you for getting into contact with me with regard to gender identification.
As you may be aware, the Labour Party is committed to supporting transgender equality. It is clear that our current legislation needs to be updated and it is important that we hear from the transgender community about how this can be achieved.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), their survey found that within the LGBTQ community, transgender people face the most alarming rates of sexual violence.
The Women and Equalities Committee created a very well received and in-depth report on the issues facing trans individuals, entitled: House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee Transgender Equality First Report of Session 2015–16. In regard to segregated spaces, the report found: “We heard from Ashley Reed that: In gendered refuge centres, it is worth noting that trans people will often be turned away from ones that are protected for either gender, so a trans woman could be rejected from a women’s shelter but would also be rejected from a men’s shelter. Were they to go to a men’s shelter, they would be at serious risk of harassment or physical or verbal abuse, and that would be a major onset of dysphoria.”
Moreover, the report also found that: “The NUS stated that students who had experienced transphobic harassment in higher education were two to three times more likely to consider leaving their course.” If you would like to read the report further, I have included a link for your reference.
www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmselect/cmwomeq/390/390.pdf
In regard to your concern of predators taking advantage of the proposed changes, UCLA School of Law's Williams Institute, a research group that focuses on sexual orientation and gender identity law and policy, is working on a study to learn if the proposed changes would lead to more crimes by predators. Jody Hermann, a scholar stated: "As far as we know there hasn't been some sort of, you know, devolving into chaos in restrooms. The only solid evidence of any such attacks in public restrooms are those directed at trans individuals, a significant percentage of whom report verbal and physical assault in such spaces.”
According to the Law Society, a transgender employee must be able to use the toilet or changing room of their expressed gender identity without fear of harassment. People should not be made to use unisex disabled toilets.
LGBT have a blog where Tran’s members can share their views if you want to read about the experiences of others I have linked both websites below:
www.lgbtlabour.org.uk/
www.lgbtlabour.org.uk/trans
Thank you for taking the time to write to me about this important issue. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any further questions you may have.
Yours sincerely,
Roberta
Office of Roberta Blackman-Woods
Member of Parliament for the City of Durham
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Disappointing but predictable reply. Apparently looking into if biological males are a risk to biological females.
But there aren't instances of 'transwomen' (or those posing as them) committing crimes in sex segregated areas apparently, proof exists of transwomen being assaulted in mens rooms though.
Another idiot who thinks sex and gender are the same, by the looks of it. And doesn't realise sex segregated areas are segregated by sex not gender. Its like banging my head against a brick wall...