A large-scale lobby by trans people and their allies will take place in Westminster on 25 June, in direct response to the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) proposed revisions to its Code of Practice on single-sex spaces.
The action, organised by the Trans+ Solidarity Alliance as part of its Unite for Trans Rights campaign, will take place in the Central Lobby of the Palace of Westminster. Organisers expect it to be the largest LGBTQ+ parliamentary lobby since the fight against Section 28, and the biggest ever led by the trans+ community.
A mass lobby is a coordinated action where constituents contact their local MPs and arrange to meet them in parliament to press for political change. These events are typically used to demonstrate the strength of public feeling on critical issues.
Reaction to EHRC’s Interim Guidance
The protest follows April’s UK Supreme Court ruling that the definition of “sex” in the 2010 Equality Act refers exclusively to biological sex. In the wake of that decision, the EHRC released interim guidance stating that trans people should be barred from single-sex facilities that align with their gender identity, and in some instances, also those that match their biological sex.
The EHRC controversially suggested that “reasonable objection might be taken” when a visibly masculine trans man — legally classified as “biologically female” under the ruling — uses female-only spaces, such as bathrooms or changing facilities. Critics say this places trans people in impossible situations and exposes them to discrimination.
The guidance has provoked an outcry among LGBTQ+ advocates, human rights groups, and trans-led organisations. Initially, the EHRC allowed only a two-week public consultation period on its proposed updates to the Code of Practice. Following pressure from activists and charities, this was extended to six weeks, running from 19 May to 30 June.
“Unworkable and Dangerous”
With the deadline fast approaching, the upcoming lobby on 25 June aims to urge politicians to reject what many are calling a “bathroom ban” and safeguard the rights of trans and gender non-conforming individuals.
Jude Guaitamacchi, founder of Trans+ Solidarity Alliance, said in a powerful statement:
“We are going to parliament to tell politicians that if this bathroom ban becomes law, it will have a devastating impact on the day-to-day lives of trans and gender non-conforming people and make the UK a global outlier on LGBT+ rights.”
Guaitamacchi warned that the guidance could turn workers in everyday settings like pubs and shops into “gender police”, tasked with judging people’s gender based on appearance and potentially requesting birth certificates. They also pointed to the “great expense” the changes would impose on businesses forced to alter their facilities.
“Unworkable and dangerous proposals like this show exactly why the LGBT+ community has no confidence in the leadership of the EHRC,” Guaitamacchi added. “They cause permanent damage to the organisation’s credibility as a regulator.”
“Politicians must act to prevent trans people like me from becoming second-class citizens. There is no dignity and respect in a bathroom ban: we now need real political leadership.”
The final version of the EHRC Code of Practice is expected to be submitted to the UK Government shortly after the end of the consultation period on 30 June.
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