Green Party candidate for Mayor of London Sian Berry has pledged that she will launch a commission into the needs of trans and non-binary Londoners if elected, to create a trans rights action plan for London.

The action plan will seek to remove the barriers to accessing material needs like healthcare, employment and housing, as well as acting on discrimination faced by trans people every day.

National research from Stonewall published in 2017 highlighted the many barriers and discriminations which trans people face, such as that 41 per cent had been victims of a hate crime in the prior 12 months and that 25 per cent have been homeless at some point in their lives.

Green Party-led Brighton and Hove Council set up a groundbreaking trans rights scrutiny panel which published a report in 2013. It contained a range of recommendations to make the city more inclusive for trans people.

At a London borough level, Lambeth Council commissioned a study in 2011 with the aim of better understanding the lives of trans people in Lambeth. One of its recommendations was to work with other councils and the GLA on trans equality work, pointing to the value of a London wide approach to this issue.

Greens in City Hall have also already helped introduce policies that allow for gender-neutral honorifics (including Mx) in official documents within the GLA.

However, London Green Party recognises a lack of meaningful London wide research which has been undertaken on the issue of trans people’s experience, leading Sian to pledge to front a commission to form the basis of a full action plan for trans rights in London.

Sian’s pledge will be published in her upcoming manifesto as candidate for Mayor of London, and is just one measure which she will take to make London as inclusive as possible for all LGBTIQA+ people. [5]

Sian Berry said:

“I want London to be the most trans inclusive city in the world.

“Trans people are currently among society’s most marginalised communities, facing discrimination every day, and unacceptable barriers to the basic necessities of life like housing, employment and healthcare.

“I am proud to say that trans men are men, trans women are women, and non binary identities exist and are valid. I will make it clear that transphobia has no place in this amazing city, and it is my duty to make sure every Londoner has their rights protected.

“I promise to do everything in my power to ensure every single trans person in London has a safe, fulfilling and joyful life”.

Ria Patel, co-chair of the LGBTIQA+ Greens said:

“It’s been heartbreaking to see the awful backlash against trans rights and it’s a disgrace to see newspapers and some politicians fuelling the flames of bigotry.

“Our action plan would look to address societal transphobia and counter the culture of misrepresentations, misinformation and prejudice”