Gay London Life | April '25 Edition - Magazine - Page 46
Topher
Talks
GLL’s columnist
responds to the UK
Supreme Court’s recent
ruling and the terrible
implications it has for
trans people
no accountability. Like with MAGA in
aren’t). They’ll convince themselves
America, the cruelty is the point.
that excluding trans people from
It gives permission for anyone
to decide, based on a hunch or a
feeling, that a trans person doesn’t
society is just “reasonable concerns”
rather than open cruelty.
The EHRC guidance is
belong, which invites confrontation,
intellectually dishonest and presents
humiliation, and degradation. It makes
itself as fairness! When in reality,
every bathroom, every changing
this is about control and creating a
room, every refuge another place
world where trans people are always
where trans people have to defend
second-guessing whether they
their existence.
are allowed to exist in the spaces
And it’s completely unworkable.
everyone else takes for granted.
Are (some) trans men, who look like any
And if they think trans and non-
other stereotypical man, supposed to
binary people (and their allies) will just
be forced into women’s toilets now?
accept it, they are wrong. Trans people
Are trans women meant to walk into
are not going anywhere. Neither are
the men’s and hope they don’t get
their allies (me).
attacked? None of it makes sense.
The ruling, and money behind
It’s also important to be extremely
clear about legalities at this stage.
it, is ALL ABOUT humbling a loud
These guidances are not statutory or
Hi queers! On Friday 25th April, the
circumstances” trans people shouldn’t
minority and making life unlivable for a
law. It is advice and nothing more. No
UK’s Equality and Human Rights
even be allowed to use facilities that
group of people who politicians have
organisation is legally forced to follow it.
Commission issued new guidance that
match their biological sex. No one
decided are an easy target. Because
No business or service is legally obliged
strips away any remaining pretence
knows what these circumstances are.
the uneducated electorate would love
to start excluding trans people right now.
that trans people are respected in this
No one knows who makes the call. A
it. And they are absolutely loving every
country. Great Britain, eh? It just keeps
barman? A receptionist? A security
moment of the cruelty. Gross.
getting better (/sarcasm).
guard? A retail assistant? And how
The EHRC isn’t protecting rights
Until then, the most important thing we
do they verify? Tell people to show
with this ruling. This ruling is handing
can do is be loud about it. We need to
organisations to exclude trans women
their genitals? No one knows what the
out a state-sanctioned licence to
make it politically impossible for them
from women’s spaces and trans men
process is when it happens. It’s vague by
discriminate, where the quiet parts are
to roll out this attack quietly. We need
from men’s spaces. But it doesn’t
design, so organisations and individuals
being said out loud. And it’s happening
to protect each other however we can.
stop there. It also says that in “some
can make it up as they go along, with
in a Britain that already treats trans
The guidance encourages
The full version of the EHRC’s
new guidance is expected in June.
Write to your MP, even if you think
lives like political entertainment: where
it won’t make a difference. Force them
newspapers run endless horror
to know this is happening. If they don’t
stories about them; where MPs throw
reply? Ring them and chase it up. Do
them under the bus for votes; where
not be complacent because this is
trans and non-binary people’s right to
how snowballs turn into avalanches.
exist in public spaces is treated like an
Complain to the EHRC directly. Make
opinion to be debated, not a basic fact.
them see that we are not passive, and
There was a time when the
EHRC stood for something and
we are not accepting this.
Support the legal challenges
had credibility. Now it’s just another
already being prepared. The Good
tedious and pathetic weapon in the
Law Project are currently raising funds
culture wars. Another institution
to challenge the UK Supreme Court’s
captured by people who think
redefinition of sex — and they’re
equality is a dirty word, and dignity is
preparing to fight this EHRC guidance
something you have to earn. Another
too. Donate to them, if you can. And
MAGA-like attack on institutions
donate to trans charities in the UK.
that have sold their integrity to the
If you haven’t processed what’s
bloodlust of a hateful electorate.
happening in the world right now, the
What this guidance will actually do
alleged ‘unimaginable’ is becoming
is put more people in danger. It will give
true… and fast. We cannot wait for the
abusive individuals more opportunities
media to save us. They won’t! We are
to harass. It will force trans people to
not ‘in vogue’ anymore. We cannot
think twice about leaving the house,
rely on institutions that have already
travelling, exercising, or seeking help.
decided trans and non-binary people
It will turn simple everyday needs
are expendable.
into risks. It will isolate people. It will
We have to be louder, faster,
humiliate people. And it will be brushed
and more stubborn than the people
off as “just policy”, as if the human cost
who want to push us out of public life.
doesn’t matter.
We fight. We organise. We protect
And the worst part is that so many
people will let it happen. They’ll say
each other. Because no one else will.
Buckle up.
it’s complicated. They’ll pretend there
are two equal sides (there, objectively,
46
@tophertaylor
