Sex Matters has initiated a legal claim challenging the Corporation's signage and self-identification policy that permits biological women and trans women with the protected characteristic of gender reassignment to use Kenwood Ladies' Pond. The pond has functioned as a male-free space for almost a century and has become the focus of protests and legal disputes over transgender access. The Corporation updated its gender identity policy in 2019 to comply with legislation and says it will review policies, engage pond users and stakeholders, and consider legal duties while aiming to provide a safe environment for all. A volunteer-led association failed to amend its constitution to restrict access to those born female.
Sex Matters has filed its claim in response to the Corporation, which owns and manages the Heath, erecting signs at Kenwood Ladies' Pond stating it is open to biological women and trans women with the protected characteristic of gender reassignment under the Equality Act 2010. Sex Matters had already threatened the Corporation with legal action if it did not drop its self-ID policy for Kenwood Ladies' Pond in June, before the signs were installed.
Fiona McAnena, Director of Campaigns at Sex Matters, said the Ladies' Pond had been a male-free haven for women and girls for almost a hundred years, but this policy has robbed women of their privacy and peace of mind. A spokesperson for the Corporation said it has committed to a careful review of its policies and will be engaging with users of the ponds and other stakeholders.
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