UNISON calls out EHRC over trans guidance

"Members of the public service union heavily criticised the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) over its interim guidance on 'single-sex' facilities. The since-scrapped policy was brought by the UK equalities regulator in response to the Supreme Court's verdict on FWS v Scottish Ministers, which ruled the 2010 Equality Act's definition of a woman excludes trans women. In response, the EHRC recommended that trans people be banned from facilities and services aligned with their gender identity and, in "some circumstances", their birth sex, too."

"Since the update was published, numerous businesses have begun implementing policies banning trans women from using female facilities which have caused multiple women, cisgender and transgender, to face discrimination based on their looks alone. Despite the recommendations being scrapped in October, the High Court ruled earlier this month that the interim update was not unlawful and called for trans people to be excluded from the correct spaces at work. The motion accuses the regulator of having stoked "confusion and division" with its interim update, saying that all women were being "scrutinised, challenged, and interrogated" at work based entirely on how they look."

UNISON's National Women's Committee unanimously passed a motion opposing the Equality and Human Rights Commission's interim guidance that recommended excluding trans people from single-sex facilities. The interim policy followed the Supreme Court ruling in FWS v Scottish Ministers that the 2010 Equality Act's definition of a woman excludes trans women. The EHRC's recommendations led businesses to implement bans on trans women using female facilities, causing discrimination against cisgender and transgender women. The EHRC later scrapped the guidance in October, but the High Court ruled the interim update was not unlawful and supported excluding trans people from certain workplace spaces. UNISON called for union-led inclusive guidance with Black, disabled, and LGBTQ+ activists.

Read at PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news