Latest news with #HelenJoyce
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
We must arm ourselves, say trans activists
Trans activists have called for their community to be 'armed' after a Supreme Court ruling barred biological men from women-only spaces. A protester on the London Trans+ Pride march on Saturday carried placards reading: 'DIY or Die. Trans emancipation. Not rainbow capitalism. Arm trans people.' Another sign read: 'B---- trolls from hell,' with pictures of JK Rowling and the bosses of For Women Scotland, who won the Supreme Court case against the Scottish Government on gender in April. Saturday's march to Parliament Square Gardens was the biggest annual trans protest in the UK, with about 100,000 people in attendance, according to organisers. The ruling from the Supreme Court redefined 'biological sex' in a way that enables the exclusion of trans women from single-sex spaces and services. Organisers said this year's message was centred around the theme of 'existence and resistance'. Its key demands included an outright ban on conversion therapy, fully funded gender-affirming healthcare and a legal acknowledgement for non-binary people. Helen Joyce, the director of advocacy for human rights charity Sex Matters, which campaigns for clarity about biological sex in law and life, said the signs revealed the 'central hatred of women is to trans activism'. She said: 'The reason this movement treats JK Rowling and the grassroots campaigners of For Women Scotland as enemies is simply that they dare to say no to men who want to transgress women's boundaries. 'One side in this debate stands up for everyone's rights to safety, dignity, and privacy in single sex spaces. 'The other calls for violence against women. It shouldn't be hard for politicians and public figures to decide which side they are on.' Susan Hall, the leader of the Conservatives in the London Assembly, said: 'If trans activists are claiming that they should be armed and are calling JK Rowling (a wonderful woman) and women activists to b-----s in hell then they can't be surprised when people don't take them seriously and in fact are repelled by their odious stand.' Trans activists have called on Sir Keir to back transgender rights after Sir Sadiq Khan supported the march. The Mayor of London wrote on X: 'Today, our capital proudly marks seven years of London Trans+ Pride. 'As trans rights come under increasing pressure across the UK, this year's march is a vital reminder: London is a city that stands for equality, dignity and pride - for everyone.' The Prime Minister signed up to a pledge 'that trans women are women' when he was a Labour leadership candidate, but appeared to change his position following the Supreme Court ruling. 'The Supreme Court judgment has made clear that when looking at the Equality Act, a woman is a biological woman,' his spokesman said in April. 'Lost, scared and angry' Vicky Lee, the director and founder of the Way Out Club, said: 'Over the last 32 years, I have been a Labour Party member and a diversity advisor for the Metropolitan and City of London Police. 'I was proud of where we were under Tony Blair with LGBT liaison officers in every London borough, anti-trans hate policies, Trans inclusivity, and trans rights. 'Keir Starmer, I can tell you now, under your watch, we have lost 15 years of progress. 'Trans people are now lost, scared and angry. Trans Pride on Saturday is a celebration, but this year it will also be a protest. 'Please listen to the community of unique trans people. We are also nurses, doctors, scientists, lawyers, soldiers, and voters.' Lewis G Burton, one of the founding members of London Trans+ Pride, said: 'This year's London Trans+ Pride made history once again, with over 100,000 trans+ people and allies marching through central London – smashing our own world record of 60,000 and continuing our legacy as the biggest trans+ pride event in history. 'It was an emotional and powerful day. 'At a time when the Supreme Court is making sweeping decisions about trans people without consulting a single trans person or organisation, and when a small, well-funded lobby of anti-trans campaigners continues to dominate headlines and waste public resources, our community came together to show what real strength, solidarity and care looks like. 'The message was clear: we will not be erased. Our existence is natural, historic, and enduring. 'You can try to take away our rights, but you will never remove us from society. We are a part of humanity – and the public will not stand by while harm is done to our community.'
Scotsman
7 days ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
Council rejects complaints about 'anti-trans' library books
Local authority bosses in Edinburgh have dealt with several complaints in recent years Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Complaints about library books and authors perceived as critical of transgender rights have been dismissed by Edinburgh Council. A freedom of information (FOI) request shows several challenges have been made in recent years over books in its library collection. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Of the eight complaints about specific books dealt with from 2019 to 2024, five related in some way to the trans debate. A general view of a bookshelf | PA Trans: When Ideology Meets Reality by Helen Joyce was among the titles subject to challenge. 'A complaint was raised by a service user that this book criticises transgender rights,' the council said. 'The title was not removed from stock as Edinburgh libraries holds other books that provide alternative views on the subject of transgender rights – a specific example being The Transgender Issue: An Argument for Justice by Shon Faye.' A separate complaint about the book Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters by Abigail Shrier was not upheld for the same reason. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Meanwhile, one library user complained about the books Feminism for Women by Julie Bindel and Difficult Women by Helen Lewis featuring in an International Women's Day display. 'Complaint made by service user regarding books by 'anti-trans activists' in the Leith Library International Women's Day display,' the council noted. 'These titles form part of our citywide adults' non-fiction collection within our range of resources that aim, where possible, to give access to a variety and balance of opinions. 'This enables readers to do their own research and draw their own conclusions. Our process of selection for this particular display was to feature a variety of relevant books on the topics of feminism and celebrating women and offered a variety of opinions. Therefore, the complaint was not upheld, and the books were not removed.' However, Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin, which features interviews with six trans or gender-neutral young adults, was moved from the teen to adult section following a complaint about its content. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Service user complained at branch about language and sexually explicit references,' the council said. 'Description of oral sex and suggestion that it was enjoyed by a child. It is a book based on true life trans experience. It was held in the teen book section, so was transferred to the adult section.' Elsewhere, a complaint about the children's book Grandad's Pride by Harry Woodgate, which is about an elderly man's memories of attending Pride events, was partially upheld. 'Complaint raised by a parent regarding concerns about the appropriateness of the images and ideas in the book,' the council said in its FOI response, which was published on its website. 'After investigation, the complaint was partially upheld based on some of the illustrations, but not the content and storyline of the book. It was established that a later edition had been edited and images replaced by the publisher to make it more suitable for the age group concerned and the original copies were replaced with later edition copies.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The book was previously withdrawn from a nursery in England amid controversy over its depiction of "leather fetish gear".
Scotsman
7 days ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
Council rejects complaints about 'anti-trans' library books
Local authority bosses in Edinburgh have dealt with several complaints in recent years Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Complaints about library books and authors perceived as critical of transgender rights have been dismissed by Edinburgh Council. A freedom of information (FOI) request shows several challenges have been made in recent years over books in its library collection. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Of the eight complaints about specific books dealt with from 2019 to 2024, five related in some way to the trans debate. A general view of a bookshelf | PA Trans: When Ideology Meets Reality by Helen Joyce was among the titles subject to challenge. 'A complaint was raised by a service user that this book criticises transgender rights,' the council said. 'The title was not removed from stock as Edinburgh libraries holds other books that provide alternative views on the subject of transgender rights – a specific example being The Transgender Issue: An Argument for Justice by Shon Faye.' A separate complaint about the book Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters by Abigail Shrier was not upheld for the same reason. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Meanwhile, one library user complained about the books Feminism for Women by Julie Bindel and Difficult Women by Helen Lewis featuring in an International Women's Day display. 'Complaint made by service user regarding books by 'anti-trans activists' in the Leith Library International Women's Day display,' the council noted. 'These titles form part of our citywide adults' non-fiction collection within our range of resources that aim, where possible, to give access to a variety and balance of opinions. 'This enables readers to do their own research and draw their own conclusions. Our process of selection for this particular display was to feature a variety of relevant books on the topics of feminism and celebrating women and offered a variety of opinions. Therefore, the complaint was not upheld, and the books were not removed.' However, Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin, which features interviews with six trans or gender-neutral young adults, was moved from the teen to adult section following a complaint about its content. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Service user complained at branch about language and sexually explicit references,' the council said. 'Description of oral sex and suggestion that it was enjoyed by a child. It is a book based on true life trans experience. It was held in the teen book section, so was transferred to the adult section.' Elsewhere, a complaint about the children's book Grandad's Pride by Harry Woodgate, which is about an elderly man's memories of attending Pride events, was partially upheld. 'Complaint raised by a parent regarding concerns about the appropriateness of the images and ideas in the book,' the council said in its FOI response, which was published on its website. 'After investigation, the complaint was partially upheld based on some of the illustrations, but not the content and storyline of the book. It was established that a later edition had been edited and images replaced by the publisher to make it more suitable for the age group concerned and the original copies were replaced with later edition copies.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The book was previously withdrawn from a nursery in England amid controversy over its depiction of "leather fetish gear".
Telegraph
15-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Staff at financial regulator revolt over female-only lavatories
Staff at the financial regulator have revolted over a decision to make lavatories single-sex in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling on gender. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is changing several office spaces after judges ruled in April that the terms 'woman' and 'sex' in the 2010 Equality Act 'refer to a biological woman and biological sex'. The ruling prompted new guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Under new internal FCA guidance, lavatories and showers should only be used by colleagues of that 'biological sex'. However, transgender men and women will still be able to use 'accessible toilets' under the changes. Disgruntled staff have now chosen not to represent the FCA at Pride events and attend individually instead. An FCA source said some employees feel 'uncomfortable' about the decision. They concluded: 'We will be attending as individuals, united in our support of the transgender community.' 'Sideline and ignore them' Helen Joyce, director of advocacy at human rights organisation Sex Matters, said: 'No doubt some activists, both inside and outside the FCA, will now noisily oppose the new policy. 'Senior managers should sideline and ignore them, just as they would with any other group advocating for breaking the law.' A FCA spokesman said it understood colleagues had been 'impacted' by the 'sensitive issue'. He added: 'In light of the Supreme Court ruling, the EHRC interim update and existing facilities in all offices, we concluded we needed to change our approach. 'We did this promptly to give clarity to colleagues on which facilities to use, which in itself offers individuals confidence, privacy and dignity when using our facilities.' Ther spokesman said that the FCA 'respects the decision some colleagues have taken not to represent the FCA at Pride'.
The Herald Scotland
15-06-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
UCU academics oppose Glasgow Uni trans rights consultation
The review of the institution's gender policies is being carried out in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling on the legal definition of a woman in late April. In the wake of the judicial decision, which ruled that the term 'woman' derives its legal definition from biological sex, not gender identity; transgender women have been banned from a range of female-only toilets and sports teams, including at the Scottish Parliament. The UCU is a prominent supporter of trans rights. (Image: Andrew Milligan/PA)The email, sent last Thursday, reads: 'Communication with our membership is already evidencing that this consultation is causing distress and fear for trans, nonbinary and other gender diverse staff and students, by exposing them to scrutiny and debate about their rights, and requiring them to feel obliged to respond in defence of those rights – rights that the University is already on record as stating it supports as 'an inclusive community'. 'We recommend that UCU members do not respond to this consultation until we can issue further guidance. We are also preparing to ask UofG EDU to cancel this consultation and to discuss with us better ways of supporting staff and students around the Supreme Court decision. Read more: The communique goes on to state that the UCU 'unequivocally' promotes the rights of trans and nonbinary staff and students, adding: 'We believe that this type of consultation on the rights of marginalised groups increases their marginalisation, severely impacts their wellbeing and safety, and does not provide a sound basis for determining policy or practice. 'Human rights are not up for debate. It also increases the atmosphere of fear and uncertainty that has already been engendered by the Supreme Court ruling.' For Women Scotland took the Scottish Government to court in April. (Image: PA) A spokesperson for campaign group For Women Scotland has hit out at the union, telling The Herald: 'UCU appears to inhabit an alternate reality where universities can pick and choose which laws they obey. It benefits none of their members if the union or the university stick their fingers in their ears like a petulant toddler. It also reflects poorly on their capacity to understand pretty basic concepts. 'This is not a consultation on rights, it is about the application of the law. Women who understand the reality of sex-based violence and discrimination and work at the university also have human rights, and it may astonish the UCU to learn that they also have a responsibility to represent those members as well as the select elite they prefer to pander to.' Meanwhile, Helen Joyce, director of advocacy at human rights charity Sex Matters, said the 'era of no debate' was over. She told The Herald: 'Gender ideologues' attempts to thought-police and silence gender-critical academics in recent years have been shameful. It's hard to understand how this can continue even after the Supreme Court judgment. 'This letter raises an obvious question: what is UCU Glasgow afraid of? Could it be that it cannot counter gender-critical arguments on their merits, and must resort to shunning and ostracism instead?' Protestors blocked a screening of Adult Human Female in Edinburgh in the spring of 2023. (Image: Levi Pay) The academic union is no stranger to facing criticism over its position on trans rights. Two university lecturers behind the gender-critical film Adult Human Female recently sued the UCU over claims they had been discriminated against because of their views. Dr Deirdre O'Neill of Hertfordshire University, and Michael Wayne of Brunel University, told the Employment Tribunal that the union's public opposition to the film amounted to unlawful discrimination. Members of the UCU Edinburgh branch objected to the film being shown on campus in 2022 and 2023 over 'misinformation' relating to trans and nonbinary people. However, in a ruling handed down this week, a judge dismissed the claim, ruling that the pair had not been treated detrimentally under the Equality Act 2010. Read more: Mary Senior, Scotland official UCU, said: "This is a sensible and common sense decision, and we thank Judge Laidler and the tribunal for their careful deliberations. 'It cannot be right that a trade union is not able to protest peacefully within the law and to employers when material is presented on campus which it believes attacks the human rights of others.' Asked for comment on the UCU declining to participate in the consultation, a University of Glasgow spokesperson refused to be drawn. Instead, they repeated a statement previously issued to The Herald, noting: 'The University is committed to being an inclusive community and ensuring that everyone on our campuses is treated with care and respect. We are actively considering the Supreme Court ruling and are consulting with colleagues and students.' UCU Glasgow has been contacted for comment.
