This is desperate stuff. For those who don't want to give them clicks, here are the things she is alleged to have said:
“It’s no longer about minority rights in terms of race any more or nationality,” Badenoch says in the recording, “it’s now, you know like, it’s not even about sexuality now, it’s now like the whole transgender movement, where, OK well we’ve got gay marriage, and civil partnerships, so what are transsexuals looking for?”
The phrase transsexual, like transvestite and transgenderism, is often considered outdated and offensive by many trans people.
“Even when, you know, so, people hear about, you know like the whole bathroom thing,” Badenoch continues, “it’s actually more of an American thing but they have a similar problem, that, right so now it’s not just about being free to marry who you want, you now want to have men using women’s bathrooms.”
Labour called the comments “disgusting” and questioned whether Badenoch should be in her post.
Misgendering trans women may go against UK equality laws. An employment tribunal ruling in 2019 concluded that, "Calling a trans woman a man is likely to be profoundly distressing. It may be unlawful harassment." An employment tribunal appeal in 2021 backed this up, ruling "the Claimant [cannot] go about indiscriminately “misgendering” trans persons with impunity".
In the recording, the minister also appears to mock gay marriage, and the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013, which was spearheaded by several of her predecessors as equalities minister.
- The first quote is a fair enough question. The GRA was brought in allow post-operative homosexual transsexuals to enter a same-sex marriage and to sort out pension age disparities.
- The term is neither outraged nor offensive. It has a specific meaning that transgender does not, and the latter term does not carry the same meaning. Transsexuals are certainly not finding the word offensive.
- That's what it boils down to. Ed Davey certainly seems to agree that there should be men in all women's spaces.
- Of course they would, but what is disgusting? I'd love to know.
- This is a misrepresentation of the law. Misgendering is not unlawful harassment outside of narrow and specific circumstances. The ruling itself is all about behaviour at work and/or towards colleagues. That does not apply here, especially because the comments are not referring to individuals. No matter what BH thinks, in this context we are entitled to call men men with impunity.
- Interesting to note that they claim she mocked gay marriage but curiously do not quote her. I wonder why that is...
All in all, bottom drawer stuff. The spin is much worse than the actual comments. As usual.