Sunderland Minster refusing to comply with Supreme Court ruling

[labtest57]

This is from their Facebook page today. No consideration for the women who do not want men in their spaces.

Yes re the privilege.

I stayed recently with a vicar whose background is as privileged as it gets, and who was extremely concerned about the gender ideology movement but he wasn't a) gay or b) a middle-aged woman who sees it as her mission to be kind. Add to those c) clergy with trans-identifying family members and that is a good proportion of 'the cloth'.

I think it was @SexRealistic ?? who said that each minister is equally, personally and legally responsible for safeguarding, much the same way that school governors are individually legally accountable for decisions made by the Boards of Governors? @SingleSexSpacesInSchools

Perhaps we can get some clarification from them if they can respond at some point? Thanks!

Yes the minister is accountable for safeguarding, and this is not in line with Church of England safeguarding as you are asking random adults to take kids to the loos.

There is no training for that.

Aside from that this woman seems to follow the Jolyon school of law - oh wiggle wiggle guidance … needs properly sealed in wax and delivered by a stork…..

No you plainly stupid person. The law is the law. Even if the guidance is wrong you can be sued on the basis of the LAW. So never mind your 40 days your reference to FWS said you know the law and knowingly broke it.

Thanks for the clarification!

As a 78 yo woman who lives in south Northumberland and who attends my local church, can I just say that I talk to a lot of similar age women and I haven't come across anybody who thinks that TWAW: my poor DH is frequently subjected to my rants when I read of yet more cases like this.

As a 78 yo woman who lives in south Northumberland and who attends my local church, can I just say that I talk to a lot of similar age women and I haven't come across anybody who thinks that TWAW:

Similar for me, although 3 years younger but living in the South East.

But I have come across 50 year old women of the be kind school - some of the most discriminated against.......

I received this reply from Bishop of Durham's PA this morning. Let's see if they do 'investigate'. I didn't make a 'complaint' as such. I focused on the fact they were exposing themselves to risk of litigation and risk of reputational damage

Great to hear - 👀 will keep an eye out

Very odd. It sounds quite sinister.

So you feel uncomfortable using a facility that men are evidently going to be allowed in, so we will ‘escort’ you and stand outside the toilet while you have a p*s or a sht in the ‘women’s’ toilet.
Assuming this role will be taken on by a woman - or a transwoman - as you accept there’s no ‘threat’ - well that’s going to be fine and dandy.

Are they positing this as a ‘solution’ because they know most helpers/cleaners/volunteers in churches are women? Or is it that they wouldn’t dream of asking a busy, important man to do the menial task of standing outside the toilet while a transwoman takes a sht of a pis in the Men’s toilet? Unless that man was a transwoman in which case s/he could only possibly assist someone in the ‘women’s’ toilet - because no man would be free or prepared to stand guard to protect them in the ‘Men’s’ toilet - and round and round it goes…

I hope they’re inundated with requests to have an escort in the Women’s toilets. I imagine their veneer of Christian kindliness and acceptance would descend into a near mania 😂

Yes, well, the ex-Archbishop of Canterbury describing transition as a ‘sacred journey’ probably didn’t help matters.

Well his views on safeguarding etc were dodgy to say the least.

To think I used to laugh when the CoE was described as "The Conservative Party at prayer". No more, it seems, for better or worse.

Apart from the fact that the law was made in 2010 and clarified in 2025 - not to mention the H&S regulations for toilets at work whose date I can't be bothered to check.

[Not intending to shoot the messenger. Just thinking 'FFS'.]

The Diocese of Durham has issued a statement on the issues at Sunderland Minster. Making clear that the Minster is its own separate entity. durhamdiocese.org/diocesan-news/a-statement-from-the-diocese-of-durham-sunderland-minster.php

That reads to me as if the Diocese is taking a big step backwards 'nothing to do with me guv'!

Very much so. 'We aren't them'!

Exactly what I was going to say! 😀

Sunderland Minster has its own board of 16 trustees who bear responsibility.

They do. Although the clergy also have to obey their bishop. Durham only has an acting bishop at the moment, mind. Their suffragan (assistant) had gone to be Bishop of Ely and they're waiting for their new Diocesan to be installed.

An acting bish is still the bish at the moment though. Receiving a bish's stipend and therefore the responsibilities that go with that.

Sunderland Minster is a Grade 2 listed building. Even if they try to just make all their toilets mixed-sex, there will be building regulations to manage as well as health & safety regulations relating to mixed-sex toilets that they will need to comply with. And refurbishing any area of a Grade 2 listed building will be expensive.

The downside is that getting planning for refurbishment can take a long time and a lot of back and forth. So if they don't need to provide single -sex toilets for their staff (I think they do), they could hold up compliance with the law for quite a while.

It's made the Daily Mail!

Would you happen to have an archive link please?

https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-15858035/amp/Church-trans-women-female-lavatories-law.html

https://archive.ph/Fknig