Quakers refuse to ban trans women from female lavatories
QUAKERS have been accused of “destroying” their reputation as pioneers on women’s rights by refusing to provide female-only lavatories.
The group said its lavatories in Britain would remain “trans inclusive” despite the ruling by the Supreme Court that the word “sex” in the Equality Act refers to biological sex and not gender identity.
It said it was not desirable to monitor who uses its facilities, adding: “We can- not guarantee any shared space as exclusive for one group of people.”
The Quakers have gained a reputa- tion for their progressive attitude towards women, having allowed them to preach as early as the 17th century. But Helen Joyce, the director of advocacy at Sex Matters, a women’s rights group, said they appeared to have abandoned that legacy by adopting “textbook trans activism”.
“Early Quakers were famously supportive of women’s rights – they would surely be shocked and ashamed if they could see the destruction of that proud legacy,” she added.
Last month the Supreme Court ruled that transgender women are not legally women, and clarified that the word “sex” in the Equality Act means biological sex and not gender identity.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission then put out interim guidance to organisations, underlining that in places such as hospitals, shops and restaurants, “trans women (biological men) should not be permitted to use the women’s facilities”. A growing number of public bodies have changed their guidance in light of the judgement. The Football Association has said trans women could be banned from women’s sport.
But other organisations, including the Houses of Parliament, are awaiting final guidance from the EHRC.
The statement from Quakers in Britain dismissed the EHRC’S interim guidance, which it said “goes beyond the scope and actual statements” in the Supreme Court ruling. Paul Parker, the recording clerk, said: “This is already contested and subject to legal challenge.”
He said the faith group would “welcome and affirm trans and non-binary people in Quaker spaces”, adding: “We must respect the dignity of each person to live with integrity, informed by the truth of their lived experience”.
Like LGBTQ charity Stonewall, Mr Parker said the Supreme Court judgement did not have “the force of law”.
In a statement the religious group stated: “It is not possible or desirable to monitor who uses our facilities and therefore cannot guarantee any shared space as exclusive for one group of people.
“We will not label something as a single-sex space if we cannot truthfully guarantee that it will be single-sex.”
But Ms Joyce said: “British Quakers’ announcement that it will continue to allow trans-identifying men to use female facilities is textbook trans activism. It is also in breach of the law. The organisation would be wise to consult legal expertise without delay.
“It is not ‘inclusive’ to seek a way around labelling toilets and changing rooms as male and female in order to avoid having to monitor whether people comply with common-sense rules that are there to protect everyone. It places the desires of those who seek to transgress boundaries over the needs of the most vulnerable.”
A spokesman for the Quakers said: “Quakers in Britain welcome and affirm trans and non-binary people in all [our] spaces. Our values of equality and integrity guide every decision we make.”