Gransnet forums

News & politics

Trans women and single-sex spaces

(955 Posts)
RosieandherMaw Mon 14-Apr-25 07:58:00

Is this common sense at last?
From ‘The Times’ this morning
Organisations will be told that they can no longer call a space single-sex if they admit transgender people who do not have a gender recognition certificate.
Updated guidance from the equality watchdog will say that services described as being single-sex will not be able to make the claim if they also allow transgender women to use them on the basis of self-identification
Last week the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) sent ministers its updated code of practice, which guides organisations on how to apply the Equality Act. It is expected to be presented to parliament before the summer. The Times understands the recommendations include an overhaul of how single-sex spaces are defined.
A source said of the guidelines: “The upshot [of the guidance] means it's not lawful to have a self-ID service. The fact is that if you let a man in, it's no longer a single-sex service, and that includes trans people without GRCs [gender recognition certificates] .”
The change would prevent those who rely on self-ID from being able to access women-only care homes or domestic abuse refuges without an exceptional reason

My question is just why has this taken complicated legislation - and so long?

Luminance Sat 19-Apr-25 16:57:47

Doodledog I do not understand why you would ask me such a question to be quite honest with you. More or less are both options I wouldn't choose. I feel every one has a right to be safe and feel safe. Neither must take anything from the other to achieve that. Existing organisations such as Refuge feel that is achievable and rightly so. I believe on the whole the NHS is working to achieve that. On the topic of Easter Sunday, I do have an egg I am looking forward to so I will have to exercise patience.

Doodledog Sat 19-Apr-25 16:49:06

Luminance

Easter Sunday? It is Saturday is it not?

It is. I have been thinking it's Sunday all day though. A BH Friday has thrown me, I think grin

Doodledog Sat 19-Apr-25 16:48:17

Luminance

I think I wrote the wrong word once Doodledog that doesn't equate to "a lot". Everything else that rather concerns me is here in black and white. Is it a problem that I have those concerns or is it a problem that you don't agree I should have them?

I have no idea which word you wrote wrongly, but that is not the point. I am asking whether you see the rights to safe spaces for TW as more or less important than the same rights for women.

I didn't think I'd get an answer. This is all so familiar.

Luminance Sat 19-Apr-25 16:48:02

Easter Sunday? It is Saturday is it not?

Iam64 Sat 19-Apr-25 16:47:52

Yes Galaxy, it seems to be real. How to win friends and influence people

Galaxy Sat 19-Apr-25 16:45:54

Is it real? I just thought it was more nonsense.

Iam64 Sat 19-Apr-25 16:45:48

I’ve just glanced at the mumsnet responses to this, they’re on it in such a good way. As one poster says, nothing says male entitled behaviiur like a mass piss in - like spaniels marking their territory.
And on Easter Sunday

Mollygo Sat 19-Apr-25 16:44:33

I’m not Doodledog, but everyone is entitled to their own concerns, so why would it be a problem for you or anyone else to have them?
Weird question.

Rosie51 Sat 19-Apr-25 16:43:33

I saw the tweet that India Willoughby posted. Revolting.
This comment on the thread you link to says it succinctly grin
Nothing says “male to the core” like them pissing all over the place like a spaniel marking its territory.

Mollygo Sat 19-Apr-25 16:38:33

Grandmabatty

The mass urination protest by a very vocal group of trans activists will really help women support them. Not.

Read all about it here.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5317915-mass-piss-up

Is this an example of mutual consideration?

Luminance Sat 19-Apr-25 16:35:48

I think I wrote the wrong word once Doodledog that doesn't equate to "a lot". Everything else that rather concerns me is here in black and white. Is it a problem that I have those concerns or is it a problem that you don't agree I should have them?

Grandmabatty Sat 19-Apr-25 16:32:24

The mass urination protest by a very vocal group of trans activists will really help women support them. Not.

Mollygo Sat 19-Apr-25 16:31:08

That’s a good question Doodledog.

Doodledog Sat 19-Apr-25 16:29:23

Luminance

I think the comments on current threads I have visited that state that the actions of a few make "all" trans people look bad in some way or that all trans people should be standing up to condemn the actions of others are an issue. That type of thinking is rather what led us to the equality act in the first place. I also think it is a problem that anyone who has a positive thoughts about trans people or shows they want to ensure they have safe spaces being branded a "TRA" and hounded with things they haven't said nor thought are also an issue. I think those are enough to make "the middle" feel deeply uncomfortable on varying levels and it isn't productive. I have not seen any evidence of any "TRA" as being part of these discussions only reactions to what has been said.

Nobody said that TRAs are on these threads. What we are saying is that it is their actions which have moved a lot of people from being accommodating to transpeople to being wary.

For someone who has so much to say about being misquoted, you do it a lot.

Here's a simple question - if having a male-bodied person in a female space makes the women in there feel unsafe, is that more or less important than safe spaces for transwoman? Please don't say that they are equally important, as it is not possible for the man both to be there (and thus feel safe) and not be there (so the women can feel safe). Schrodinger's transwoman, if you like. I would be interested to know who you would support in this situation?

Mollygo Sat 19-Apr-25 16:23:47

^ Having the right to say something doesn't mean it is always appropriate to do so.^

Good point.

And women and quiet trans have suffered from an increasing number of excellent examples of people ignoring the truth of that point over the last few years.

It will be interesting to see whether those who caused the trouble will agree with you and cease saying or doing those inappropriate things which they are no longer entitled to do.

So far, I have seen as much abuse of women, famous or not since the day as there was before, with some new voices adding to the you can’t stop me/make me swell.

Galaxy Sat 19-Apr-25 16:23:03

I think if people think describing biological reality is harmful then they are the harmful one. As I mentioned before the damage done to society by this belief system is extensive.

ViceVersa Sat 19-Apr-25 16:20:52

Yes, this may well be those who will use this to cause harm - but that applies to both sides.

Luminance Sat 19-Apr-25 16:10:44

What concerns me, is not that this ruling has happened, such boundaries were needed. It is what happens next. Because I would have to be rather short sighted not to see that there are those who will use this to cause harm. Having the right to say something doesn't mean it is always appropriate to do so. Trans people are people's friends, their family, their children and their grandchildren. Where we use our beliefs to protect is entirely different from using them to cause harm. Finding that balance will be up to the individual in all cases.

Rosie51 Sat 19-Apr-25 15:47:16

I posted this on the other thread but think it applies here as well.
Harriet Harman who helped bring the Equality Act into being has confirmed that yes she always intended that the category sex meant biological sex. Shame she didn't think to confirm this the first time Stonewall said it wasn't eh? Might have stopped this whole shambles before it gained momentum.

Of course transpeople exist and good luck to them living their best lives but I won't be compelled to believe or say the farce that males can change sex to become females nor the other way round. I want things designated as female or women's things to be for females only. That includes prisons, hospital wards, changing rooms, sports, clubs, awards and quotas.
Luminance I really don't think anyone wants transpeople not to have safe spaces, it's just that many of us don't agree that should be achieved by using women's safe spaces. Third spaces are the answer but for many transpeople, transwomen in particular, this is not acceptable, they want full access to female spaces.

Galaxy Sat 19-Apr-25 15:29:53

I think we also have to address the damage done by this movement to society in general. That people willingly tried to force people to believe what everyone knew wasn't true. It was terrible behaviour in terms of politicians, organisations, etc, it has absolutely weakened faith in institutions.

Wyllow3 Sat 19-Apr-25 15:20:22

OldFrill

Ilovecheese

In answer to the question "where can I go for refuge from domestic violence"
The domestic violence charity Refuge is going to continue with its policy of including trans women.
Nothing has changed there.

Refuge also supports men who are victims of abuse and, l assume, trans men.

I look up Refuge and yes they do support abused transmen.

Wyllow3 Sat 19-Apr-25 15:17:51

Doodledog

I think everyone feels they are 'in the middle' though. I haven't seen evidence of transphobia on here - in fact there is barely a post that doesn't reiterate that the poster is not anti-trans, just pro safe spaces for women. The extremism comes from those who accuse us of hatred, Nazism and so on.

On a spectrum which has at one end total acceptance of transwomen going anywhere they wish and a belief that if someone says they are a woman this is, in fact, the case, and at the other a fear of transpeople and a refusal to engage with them, I think that most posters on here are very much 'in the middle'.

You are right we don't see the spectrum here. I have in mind people on another board who hate and fear any transpeople or/and deny they exist, or say it's an illness (as some did/do for gay people).

And transpeople do experience attacks on that basis.

Yes of course its made worse by aggressive terfs

but its the reason why I think its a "society" issue too - when the Equality Guidelines come out - that meeting the needs of transpeople in a reasonable manner in everyday life should be addressed by society as a whole, now we have this ruling, difficult tho it is.

Resources are going to be an issue, aren't they?

OldFrill Sat 19-Apr-25 15:03:00

Ilovecheese

In answer to the question "where can I go for refuge from domestic violence"
The domestic violence charity Refuge is going to continue with its policy of including trans women.
Nothing has changed there.

Refuge also supports men who are victims of abuse and, l assume, trans men.

Luminance Sat 19-Apr-25 14:49:31

I think the comments on current threads I have visited that state that the actions of a few make "all" trans people look bad in some way or that all trans people should be standing up to condemn the actions of others are an issue. That type of thinking is rather what led us to the equality act in the first place. I also think it is a problem that anyone who has a positive thoughts about trans people or shows they want to ensure they have safe spaces being branded a "TRA" and hounded with things they haven't said nor thought are also an issue. I think those are enough to make "the middle" feel deeply uncomfortable on varying levels and it isn't productive. I have not seen any evidence of any "TRA" as being part of these discussions only reactions to what has been said.

Doodledog Sat 19-Apr-25 14:39:38

I think everyone feels they are 'in the middle' though. I haven't seen evidence of transphobia on here - in fact there is barely a post that doesn't reiterate that the poster is not anti-trans, just pro safe spaces for women. The extremism comes from those who accuse us of hatred, Nazism and so on.

On a spectrum which has at one end total acceptance of transwomen going anywhere they wish and a belief that if someone says they are a woman this is, in fact, the case, and at the other a fear of transpeople and a refusal to engage with them, I think that most posters on here are very much 'in the middle'.