The text below is adapted from a motion going to the RMT rail union AGM. You may find it useful to adapt for CLPs and other unions.

Notes

• the Supreme Court judgement of 16 April declaring that sex in the Equality Act 2010 refers to sex assigned at birth and an undefined term “biological sex”

• that the Women and Equalities Minister, who is also Education Minister, Bridget Phillipson, stated that people must use single-sex spaces according to sex assigned at birth.

• that the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) issued an “interim update” on the implementation of the judgement on 24 April

Further notes

• the resident doctors’ conference of the British Medical Association described the Supreme Court ruling as “scientifically illiterate”

• the EHRC “interim update” goes way beyond the Supreme Court judgement and is not official guidance

Believes that

• trans men are men, and trans women are women.

Further believes that

• the EHRC’s “interim update” is incoherent, unimplementable, and discriminatory.

• it contradicts current practices, which allow workers to use the gendered spaces appropriate to them.

• this is another attack that contradicts the human rights and dignity of trans, non-binary, and other gender-diverse workers.

• the judgement fails to acknowledge the existence of intersex people.

Resolves to

• support all our trans, non-binary and gender-diverse members and their right to gender identity and self-identification

• condemn the Supreme Court ruling

• demand that employers:

– support the right to use gendered facilities which match gender identities.

– develop and implement trans, non-binary and gender-diverse inclusive policies urgently, negotiated with this union.

– assist workers who are transitioning by amending all relevant workplace documentation (eg. staff ID, rosters) immediately a worker advises a change of name and/or gender.

– support any member who faces action for refusing to comply with the 24 April EHRC “interim update”.

• call on the government to introduce

– a self-ID system of Gender Recognition, as has existed in Ireland for nearly 10 years.

– legal recognition of non-binary genders (as in 19 countries) and intersex people (as in 22 countries).

– campaign for trans, non-binary and gender-diverse people to have better access to necessary health services.

• support Trans Pride events

• publicise this resolution via the union website and in a press release clearly stating the union’s support for trans rights.