Thousands of protesters are expected today in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling on Wednesday that the term ‘sex’ in the Equalities Act 2010 refers to biological sex.

Time: 1pm, Saturday 19th April
Place: Parliament Square

Under the ruling, trans people could be systematically mis-gendered – forced to use services and facilities for their birth sex despite having transitioned. The status of intersex people is left completely unclear.

The judgement is part of a trend against trans rights in UK society, which has seen increasing hostility from much of the media and policymakers.

The protest is being organised by a broad coalition, including trans groups such as Trans Kids Deserve Better, Trans Action for Housing Justice, FLINT, Trans*Mission, political groups, and trade unions, including the RMT, CWU Equity and UCU, and local, regional and LGBT sections of UNISON, Unite, NEU and PCS.

Echo Fortune from Trans*Mission said:
“The Supreme Court judgement is wrong. Trans women are women, trans men are men, and non-binary people are non-binary.

“Trans people just want to live our lives with dignity. We are being used as a punching bag by a political elite whose agenda is becoming increasingly aligned to the far right.

“They are waging war on trans people – like they are waging war on migrants, and benefit claimants – to distract from their own role in cuts and falling living standards. Our rights aren’t opposed to anyone else’s – we stand together.”

Ruth Cashman from Lambeth UNISON, who initiated the call said:
“This Supreme Court ruling will not do anything to ‘protect women’. It will stoke an attack on the trans community, all for the sake of restating rights that already existed.

“Transphobes will now try and apply this ruling as widely as possible around the country to stop trans people accessing toilets, changing rooms and shelters, and use it as a springboard for further attacks on trans rights.

“The government must amend the Equality Act to explicitly defend trans people, reverse the ban on puberty blockers and invest in the NHS so that trans people can get the treatment they need.”