Dear Liberator,
There’s a new Lib Dem definition of transphobia that is being hailed as a victory by gender critical people. Which only means they haven’t actually read it properly.
Well that's just rude.
Recent legal cases mean that gender critical views such as a belief in the immutability of sex are a protected belief under the Equality Act, Article 9 ECHR and Article 10 ECHR. But crucially the Forstater judgement only gave protection to those gender critical beliefs which do not seek to destroy trans rights.
I haven't met anyone, in the Lib Dems or outside it, who wishes to 'destroy trans rights'. "Trans rights are human rights" is a hollow, meaningless cliché. The author of this letter is - dangerously- conflating holding the view that sex is immutable with the view that trans people shouldn't exist, or are somehow inferior.
This doesn’t give transphobes the right to express any heinous opinion they like and claim protection.
As well it shouldn't. But 'transphobes' and 'people who hold gender critical views' are not the same thing.
The definition also contains the unequivocal statement from our preamble that the Liberal
Democrats “reject all prejudice and discrimination based upon… gender identity”.
Again, good. (And all the other protected characteristics too, but carry on)
Having a protected belief does not exempt anyone from this. And there is a very, very narrow range of ways that gender critical beliefs could be expressed that would “not harass or discriminate against trans people, nor create an environment which is hostile or discriminatory to trans people”
Very very narrow? I'm afraid this is bonkers. So called 'gender critical beliefs' are utterly mainstream. They are what your mum thinks, namely that boys aren't girls, and never will be. This is not discriminatory or hostile, it is just reality. Saying it is hostile doesn't make it so.
We all hear things we disagree with, all the time. Get over yourself.
The clarity of this definition will mean our
disciplinary system is more capable of dealing with transphobic behaviour.
Real Transphobic behaviour? Good. Don't waste the disciplinary committee's time attacking people who think preferred pronouns are a luxury in this age of people going hungry and unable to heat their kids bedrooms
And the legal advice received did say that we could hold our candidates to a higher standard - insisting for example that they agree with a set of key policies. Candidate approval and
selection is a matter for state parties, and this advice will be passed to them.
Asking candidates to agree with sensible policies is a good idea.
As a party we have excellent policies around trans
rights, all of which have been overwhelmingly
supported at our conferences.
This wouldn't have anything to do with a policy of no-platforming so-called 'Terfs' at Conference, and imposing a code of silence so strict that people who dissent are treated with the disciplinary code, a code which was based on a Definition of Transphobia that has - whoops! - just been found to be unlawful?
Ed Davey and Christine Jardine recently met a group of trans members in Westminster to hear about their experiences and what they need from our party, and I’m hopeful that this will lead to more positive statements from our parliamentarians.
Me, I'm looking forward to similar meetings with disabled members, gay and lesbian members, Asian members, black members, working class members, older members, single parents, women etc etc etc
I know that some people are disappointed that
the party has had to accept the implications of the Forstater judgement. I’m one of those people. But I firmly believe that our new definition is both legally sound (which is important to ensure the party doesn’t spend all its money on lawsuits with transphobes)
[... you didnt think to make sure it was legally sound before publication and implementation?]
and makes it clear that behaviour that hurts or
discriminate against trans people is not welcome in our party.
As well it shouldnt be.
There is an aggressively hostile environment towards trans and non-binary people in this country. It’s fuelled by the media, exacerbated by Tory politicians and makes our country a worse place for everybody.
Nothing to do with centring "trans ideology" as greater than everyone and everything else... Sacré bleu
The Liberal Democrats will always stand up for trans rights and work to make both our party
and the country a safe and welcoming space for trans and non binary people.
.... and Every member of a minority, yes?
Mary Regnier-Wilson
Chair, Federal People Development Committee
Letter here: Liberator 415 https://liberatormagazine.org.uk/back-issues/