Response from my MP

[Tiggering]

I wrote to my MP about my concerns about the removal of single sex spaces. I did not mention the article in the Times which makes me thing I got a copy-and-paste response. I’m disappointed that it doesn’t really say anything other than to dismiss the concerns. I’m tempted to write back.

Thank you for your e-mail.

I am afraid that there has been some misunderstanding on the part of the Times.

When Mrs May was Prime Minister a consultation was launched on the proposals to enable transgender people to change their birth certificate without a medical diagnosis. The 2018 consultation received more than 100,000 responses. The Government has not yet published its response. On 17 October 2019, Elizabeth Truss, Minister for Women and Equalities, said that the issue of the response to the consultation was very important and needed time for consideration.

There are no ‘laws’ in place regarding single sex lavatories or indeed changing rooms. It has been the custom to have them because many women and girls do not feel comfortable having men in such close proximity. Many shops and restaurants have unisex facilities already. Any establishment may choose to have single sex or unisex facilities and this will very much depend on the wishes of their clientele.

The stories in the media are speculation and should be taken as such. I understand that the Minister will announce the Government’s response to the consultation in late July.

Yours sincerely

[ThinEndoftheWedge]

Agreed - go and see her.

Show her the result (in these threads) which show the majority of the population do not think self ID is a good idea and support for TW in single sex spaces completely plummets when it is explicitly clear that it refers to full bodied adult males - changing alongside young girls.

[wellbehavedwomen]

Had a response from my MP.

Thank you for your thoughtful email regarding the Gender Recognition Act and women's rights. I have read it with care, and agree with a great deal of what you write.

On the issue of Gender Recognition Act reform, I know that colleagues in the Government Equalities Office have been doing a lot of work on this recently to formulate their response to the consultation. Understandably, the Coronavirus outbreak has complicated things somewhat, but I have received reassurances from the department that they plan to publish their response this summer.

Women's rights is an issue I have campaigned on in Parliament for many years, and I am proud of the Domestic Abuse Bill. Although domestic abuse can affect men too, it is overwhelmingly women who fall victim.

I am committed to protecting women’s rights and freedoms. I am particularly glad that the Minister for Women and Equalities has recently said that any reforms will ensure the protection of single-sex spaces.

I also want to touch on the subject of abuse that you have mentioned. I do not think anyone should face abuse at any time, and I am aware that JK Rowling has received dreadful threats. These are not acceptable in any circumstances. In any event, I don't see that she has said anything on the issue of LGBT rights deserving of such vitriol.

If you would like to meet to discuss this important issue, please do not hesitate to contact me and my office will make the necessary arrangements.

Should add that I've been to see him before, about SEND provision. He was really well informed, set a lot of time aside, and was genuinely listening and engaged. He's an excellent constituency MP.

My email said exactly what I say here on Mumsnet: that this is about a conflict of rights. Women need and deserve to retain our threatened separate provision, but the law does, and should, also protect trans people from hatred, discrimination and disadvantage, which I agree exists, and needs to be considered and addressed. It is, however, never acceptable for women to lose ground in order to serve the interests of another group.

I raised prisons, women's shelters and changing rooms, and sport. That the existing exemptions are being ignored, and should be strengthened, and that making GRCs too easy to obtain impacts us, as it lowers thresholds for those exemptions under the EHRC's own existing guidance. Pointed out that passports can be changed fairly easily, so alternative ID options are available. And also pointed out the abuse those raising these issues are subjected to.

[Loveinatimeofcovid]

We should all probably write a letter to our MP and send them out in the same day. Maybe they’ll give a shit then.

[wellbehavedwomen]

I think my MP's response was good, honestly. None of them are ever going to be gung ho on such a contentious issue but he was very clear that he recognises this is a women's rights issue (that was his framing of my email - I didn't say that myself) and he's raised what was said and done to Rowling, and explicitly stated that he sees nothing in what she said that deserved vitriol, anyway. In the present climate, that's actually quite brave. I also believe him on the concern for single sex spaces, because he's been involved in getting the Domestic Abuse Bill through for a while.

He's aware of the issues and has confirmed the commitment to single sex provision being secured - not Labour's sleight of hand in saying that yes, they will retain single sex spaces; they'll just remove the exemptions and bring in self-ID. If we have clarity on that issue, then that could also help defend Scots women, depending on how the issue is framed. (The dream would be for it to be made unlawful, under the Equality Act, to deny funding to any women's provision that relies on Equality Act exemptions. That would mean providers could genuinely have the option to choose remain open to them. Very much doubt they'll do that - the SNP would go nuts - but it would protect women north of the border so much more.)

If Stonewall really cared about trans people facing domestic abuse, they'd use some of their money tree to fund dedicated provision. There's a huge shortage of spaces for everyone right now - why not create new provision, which meets specific needs to the best extent possible, and increase availability in the sector for everyone? Rather than increase pressure, and harm some women in the process? It really shouldn't be a zero sum game.

Politics is always about compromise. I was pleased with my MPs response, overall.