Trans Women Urged to 'Call Police' If They Are Made to Leave Female-Only Spaces
UK’s largest child transgender charity, said it was 'not happy'
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Transgender "women" in the UK have been told to call emergency services and ask for the police if they feel unsafe after being asked to leave female-only spaces.
Mermaids, the UK’s largest child trans charity, said it was "not happy" with the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s ruling that transgenders can be excluded from female-only spaces if there is a legitimate reason, such as protecting privacy.
Last month the EHRC published guidance to help venues make lawful decisions on services they offer to women and men separately, such as toilets.
Mermaids said the guidance was "not the law and cannot be enforced" before listing tips on what to do if "someone asks you to leave a facility."
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It advises those "at risk of harm" to "call someone you trust, or... 999."
Naomi Cunningham, a discrimination law barrister, told the Daily Telegraph:
"The advice to call 999 is grossly irresponsible."
Amanda Jones, a barrister specializing in equality law at Great James Street Chambers, told The Telegraph:
“If an organization is lawfully providing single-sex facilities, refusing to leave would certainly be a problem.
"The provider would be entitled to use security or call the police.
“Anyone wishing to challenge such an organization’s policy should do so calmly and use the provider’s complaints policy.”
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“Being entitled not to suffer discrimination on grounds of gender reassignment is not the same thing as being entitled to be treated as the opposite sex,” Ms Cunningham said.
The EHRC ruled service providers "wishing to limit services to a single-sex are legally able to do so, provided the reasons are justified and proportionate."
These could include "reasons of privacy, decency, to prevent trauma or to ensure health and safety," it said.
Last week, Mermaids criticized the ruling, claiming it was "not inclusive enough of trans people."
It said:
"You cannot be excluded from a single-sex space without a fair reason.
"Someone being ‘scared’ of trans people is not a good enough reason."
