Council statement on TDoR and affirmation of solidarity following SC ruling

[GCburneraccount]

I'd love a second opinion on this one before I start writing letters.
My council send a weekly email. Last weeks one triggered me, because I think its a nonsense for a British council to make a big thing of TDoR.

On closer reading I wonder if this is just weaselly words to keep a small but vocal minority from kicking off, and they aren't actually doing anything?
The council has a very diverse population, and they make a lot of effort to highlight/celebrate the different parts of it through the year.

[From the email]
Yesterday was Transgender Day of Remembrance, a time to remember the lives lost by anti-transgender hate crime. This summer the Leader of the Council made clear we stand in solidarity with our trans people and communities and will continue to do all it can to ensure their rights to safety.

[This is from the statement the leader made in July]
We want to affirm our solidarity to our LGBTQ+ and specifically transgender community. It is impossible to ignore the discrimination, victimisation and hostility trans people face simply for being who they are. ONS data shows reported hate crimes against trans people rose by 186 per cent nationally in the five years up to 2023. We remain committed to standing against any harassment and discrimination of trans people and stand unequivocally against transphobia.
The council is committed to providing inclusive and accessible services for all, ensuring anyone who needs to can use services as easily as possible. We know that some residents will be concerned about recent developments following the Supreme Court Ruling and interim guidance issued by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). As a council, we have submitted a response to the public consultation on Monday 30 June, and wait with interest to see how public bodies will be required to respond to the Supreme Court judgement once guidance is passed in law. Currently no changes have been made as to how we operate.

Lol. That's a hostage announcement. They missed the date and are being harassed into making amends. 😂

And, if they're allowing men to use women's spaces, they're saying they've been breaking the law and they're going to continue to do so.

The response they've submitted have they published it for their bosses, the people who live there, to see and possibly contribute to?

Ask them to provide the names of the people they are remembering since the last TDOR.
According to GPT5 there have been none since Brianna Ghey in 2023

Should have been a screenshot attached

There was Tiffany Scott that bloke who died in prison in Scotland in February 2024.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-68442073

I'd never noticed before, in that photo he had two-tone hair. I was probably distracted because he seemed to have survived harakiri.

TDOR is about trans people who died of apparent transphobia not just people who died. Is there any evidence this guy was killed for being trans?

I'm not aware if they have any services where they allow men to use women's spaces - if they aren't you could read this as 'Phew, we aren't breaking the law so we dont need to change what we do or draw attention to it, but heres some words to make it sound like we hear your concerns and are standing with you."

They are Labour led and have a small but vocal 'progressive' population, but I'd say the personality of the council is still more influenced by practical British working class types which have been the majority in the past.

Need to see if I can find their SC ruling response to see if its got any substance or if its just more meaningless words.

There seems to be nothing sure about the manner of his death. It could have been suicide. Many trans sources claim the day also commemorates those that have sadly taken their own lives.

Have they ever done anything similar for Violence against Women and Girls, International Women’s Day, or anything about domestic violence? If not, there’s your answer. If they have, bravo, but otherwise, maybe worth writing to them to ask what they’re going to do about those various causes having a day and some awareness of their own? Particularly about keeping women safe in single sex spaces? I’m sure there would be up to date stats of all the women killed in the last year, though not sure if you could demonstrate them for that council area.

I don’t mean to put it all on you OP, but you know, play them at their own game.

@MotherOfCatBoy they do spend a lot of time highlighting key dates/events - faith, race etc as well as protected characteristics. Wouldn't be fair to say they are doing this at the expense of women, or anything else.
I suspect their strategy is to do everything in response to exactly that kind of criticism.

But doing that leaves you open to the risk that your comms person doesn't know much about something and every now and again you put out some sincerely worded rubbish, perhaps thats whats happened here. I don't really like that approach because I think its a bit shallow - I'm in favour of doing nothing rather than everything, but thats an easier position to take for a business than a council.

As a council, we have submitted a response to the public consultation on Monday 30 June, and wait with interest to see how public bodies will be required to respond to the Supreme Court judgement once guidance is passed in law. Currently no changes have been made as to how we operate.

If they think the guidance needs to be 'passed as law' before the judgement takes effect I would be wondering what other laws they are breaking. Do they have indemnity insurance? Who will be responsible for funding any court cases and damages? you and other residents?

Ach, well I've not been able to find the response to the consultation, but in looking I found a comment on reddit specifically about this council, the statement made in summer I posted above and the consultation response (edited for clarity):

"I’m really proud to have been part of the people at the council working on this statement. it isn’t perfect but hopefully shows there are still politicians and official bodies willing to put their heads above the parapet and stand up for LGBTQ people.
We have also submitted our consultation response. I know of about 20 other local authorities that have also submitted responses in support of the community, with many calling the guidance unethical, legally messy and fundamentally unworkable."

Looks like I need to write some letters!

Every year during the parliamentary debate of ahead of International Women's Day Jess Phillips reads out a list of women murdered by men in the UK in the past year. Perhaps one of the TRA MPs could read out a similar list of "lives lost by anti-transgender hate crime"? Assuming they could actually find any.