Tag Archives: transgender

Supreme Court Ruling on the definition of woman

My thoughts on the Supreme Court Ruling on the definition of woman.

I am feeling shock, sadness and utter disappointment by the recent Supreme Court ruling concerning the definition of ‘woman’. There are already many posts out there going into the details of what the ruling says. 

What I’d like to highlight is how unhelpful this ruling is to women. All women.

No evidence, science or lived experience-based knowledge that contradicted the group’s view was accepted into this court hearing. So, non-trans people made decisions for and about trans people without hearing a single trans voice. Where is the democracy in that?

Biology is not binary

The hearing was based entirely on the premise that biology is binary. We know this to be incorrect. Anyone  who has studied human biology in the last 40 years will have a basic understanding that there are essentially three biological categories: female, male and intersex (there are approx. 40 different ways of being intersex across approx. 1.7% of global population). [The term intersex is a western word and other cultures use different language to describe this category.] Biology is determined by three aspects: physical characteristics, hormones and chromosomes. Each is independent of the other and determined at different stages during gestation. [Here is a more in-depth explanation.]

Many assume only physical characteristics fully determine biological status but all three areas are required. The majority of the worlds population therefore will not categorically know their biological status. If we simply use something such as certain body parts to determine biology, what does this say about those born without those elements? Or those who have had those body parts removed/no longer functioning? 

Focus on trans women

So, why does the court ruling focus on trans women? Why are trans women feared? There doesn’t seem to be the same level of concern regarding a male attendant in the women’s toilet. Or that a female attendant serving the men’s toilet might be in severe danger (all those men!). So why the insistence that trans women are dangerous? Is it because trans women are being viewed as men? I don’t have all the answers. I suspect that it is related, in part at least, to the ongoing mis-information that gay and trans people are held by certain faiths as immoral and that society at large is under threat from them. From what exactly? My thoughts are that church and state together collude with the knowledge that if gay and trans people are no longer ridiculed, if they are afforded equal rights to cisgender and heterosexual folk, that it will further highlight gender hierarchy. Church and state need society to keep the status quo. If all people are equal, irrespective of gender, what will happen to patriarchal society? 

If those who are intersex are recognised in law it will mean costly changes to systems, forms and, of course, gender hierarchy. Who would pay for this? Who would benefit? I can see similarities with advocacy for equal rights for people with disabilities. The government didn’t want to pick up this bill. They don’t want to pick up the bill to allow intersex people to be legally valid.

Perceptions of definition of woman

This Supreme Court Ruling on the definition of woman dictates that anyone who is perceived as trans can be excluded from women-only spaces. Basically this means that anyone who doesn’t fit a rigid idea of woman/femininity potentially could be excluded. We’ve seen this play out in women’s athletics where competitors are now expressing in what might be described as ultra-feminine ways so as not to be considered ‘too masculine’. They don’t want to risk being humiliatingly investigated like in Casta Semenia’s case. Maintaining binary categories for biology and competition but then denying someone from competing is detrimental for all women. In Semenia’s case, she was accused of having an unfair advantage and prevented from competing, even though she is assigned female. There are all sorts of natural variations between competitors which have to be lived with as part of competition. So why is this different? 

Since the court hearing we have already seen additional hostility towards trans women, intersex folk and anyone who doesn’t fit a certain standard. 

If you need support please do get in touch.

Be a trans and intersex ally

A number of people have reached out in the last few days asking how they can help. If you’d like to be a trans ally, please consider:

  1. writing to your MP (see template below)
  2. challenge incorrect information around binary biology, and the perceived danger that trans, non-binary and intersex people pose
  3. support intersex individuals and advocate for visibility and equality. Help fund change where you can. 
  4. support non-violent protests
  5. increase your own knowledge about the discrimination faced by intersex, trans and non-binary folk

To find your MP list search your postcode here: https://lnkd.in/eygrZGvb

Email template:

Protect Trans, Non-Binary and Intersex People in Wake of Supreme Court Ruling

Dear [MP’s Name],

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to express my serious concern regarding the recent UK Supreme Court ruling which defines the legal term “woman” as based solely on biological sex. Whilst the court framed this as a matter of legal clarity, the wider consequences are troubling and risk undermining the rights and dignity of transgender, non-binary and intersex people across the UK.

Although the ruling states that transgender people remain protected from discrimination, it opens the door to a narrower, more exclusionary interpretation of those protections and opens the door to further discrimination down the line. This leaves many feeling increasingly vulnerable, particularly those who have undergone legal transition under the Gender Recognition Act. The ruling also fails to recognise the existence and rights of non-binary people altogether, and places intersex people in legal limbo.

There is clear consensus amongst leading medical and psychological bodies, including the British Medical Association, the World Health Organisation and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, that gender identity is a real and deeply held aspect of who someone is. Trans women are women, trans men are men, and non-binary people exist and deserve legal recognition. Supporting people to live in alignment with their gender identity significantly improves mental health and wellbeing outcomes.

In addition, intersex people, whose lived experiences challenge the notion of a strict binary sex framework, have been overlooked in both the legal judgement and in much of the public discourse that surrounds it. Their continued invisibility in law contributes to stigma, confusion, and a lack of appropriate healthcare and protections.

This is not a victory for women’s rights. Real equality cannot be achieved by denying the rights of others. We must be able to hold space for all marginalised genders, and ensure that legislation reflects the lived realities of those it affects. I urge you to take this matter seriously and to use your platform to call for stronger, clearer protections for trans, non-binary and intersex people. This includes ensuring that the Equality Act and its guidance uphold inclusive practices, and that future legal definitions are grounded in compassion, scientific evidence, and human rights.

I hope you will do everything you can to stand up for the rights, dignity and safety of all your constituents.

Kind regards,

[Your Full Name]

Template courtesy of https://lnkd.in/eWkZanqA

Trans adolescents and adults in a therapeutic setting

Many therapists are fearful of the idea of working with trans adolescents and adults in a therapeutic setting. I was recently invited to take part in a study designed to investigate how psychologists and psychotherapists who see trans adolescents in their practices assess their clients’ capacity to make decisions about their treatment and how to approach this subject in an ethical manner. Inevitably it got me thinking…

Is gender exploration any different to any other area in therapy?

No client, adolescent or otherwise, voices questioning their gender if they are not. No one can be made trans simply by talking about possibly being trans. I approach this area as simply as I do with any other. I trust the client knows themself better than anyone. Hopefully I attune to what they are expressing. We explore together how they feel, when they first felt this way, what their understanding of themself is. I affirm who they say they are in the same way I would affirm someone who tells me they have experienced a bereavement, an assault or anything else. I educate myself so I have the most current knowledge about different identities and all the different biological possibilities.

Many possibilities

My client will be one of the many possibilities in terms of biology, identity and expression. It’s our work to discover who they are at that time. Knowing that identity and expression can change during the life span along with everything else. Adolescents are rarely given the opportunity to have surgery or take cross-sex hormones before they are emotionally mature enough to make that decision. In the same way they are mature enough to make a decision to join the army, for example. Puberty blockers are designed to buy time and play a valuable role. See High Court Ruling blog.

Looking for certainty

Often, it’s parent’s and/or therapist’s attitudes that generate fear and friction. Often, they’re looking for a level of certainty that cannot be provided. Some clients will explore and decide they want to press forward with further treatments and others will decide not to. In many ways it’s really that simple. In terms of process, the long waiting lists provide copious time for reflection, pausing if needed or even halting the process altogether.

What clients need is to be heard and seen for who they are now and into the future.

Clear ethical guidance is essential in working with trans adolescents and adults in a therapeutic setting. However, there is no need for fear. Just an open mind to the range of possibilities.

Please get in touch for further information via the contact page or here.

High Court Ruling on Puberty Blockers

I have huge concerns over the recent High Court Ruling on puberty blockers for transgender young people. One person’s experience will set back transgender rights for all.

Keira Bell was assigned female at birth. Following several appointments with the specialist services at the Tavistock clinic she takes puberty blockers. Keira is subsequently prescribed testosterone and undergoes top surgery. At this point Keira identified as male. Later, she made the unusual decision to de-transition and now lives and identifies as female.

Longer waiting lists

As a result of the High Court Ruling on Puberty Blockers case individuals aged 16 or under will no longer have access to puberty blockers without the intervention of a further court case. For anyone on the waiting list their treatments are now paused and those already taking blockers are having their medication reviewed.

The Media

The media have reported that booking an appointment with a gender clinic is as easy as booking a GP appointment. It really isn’t. They also report that clinics actively encourage young people to transition and that puberty blockers are prescribed at will. This is incorrect information. There’s a very rigorous process involved. Individuals essentially have to prove to several practitioners that they are transgender before being offered any medication and/or surgical intervention. Assessments are carried out at every stage of the process. So the individual has ample opportunity to reflect on the changes happening to them, their body and their identity.

Over several years Keira had first puberty blockers, then testosterone and finally top surgery. At no stage did she raise concerns about the process or the ‘speed’ of the process. That she regrets her decision is heart-breaking. As yet, it is unclear why she felt unable to raise concerns along the way. This one court case will now negatively impact many transgender individuals who are absolutely sure of their need for puberty blockers, hormone treatment and surgery.

Puberty blockers are not new

The courts have given the impression that puberty blockers are new and dangerous. These drugs have been used for many years to stall early-onset puberty. The medication is simply stopped once the child reaches the age when they would more naturally go through puberty. There is only one difference with transgender people. Puberty blockers are used to gain time for the individual to explore their identity before going through irreversible procedures. Going through a puberty out of alignment is traumatic beyond belief.

The anti-trans lobby now uses Bell as a poster girl. I understand the entire case has been crowdfunded by anti-trans supporters.

Something that really concerns me is that, following this case, many will come away with the idea that somehow transitioning is a dangerous thing that should be put off into adulthood. There are some concerns here:

  1. Your child may not live to see adulthood if gender dysphoria is not recognised and treated
  2. The myth is that more people de-transition than they do and therefore we should prevent transition in the first place
  3. That therapists will, having read incorrect information in the media, support the idea that transition is wrong and will not provide the best care and support to their clients/patients.
  4. That not enough is being done within the NHS or private gender clinic arena to fully support those whose gender sits somewhere between the binary of male and female. See: https://bainesballcp.co.uk/uncategorized/thinking-outside-gender-binary/

This really useful link provides much needed information for people wanting to access gender clinic services.

https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/news/luis-hormone-blockers-qa-for-trans-young-people/

JK Rowling’s open letter

I have some thoughts about the recent media row between JK Rowling’s open letter and some trans activists…

Fear seems to be at the heart of the argument. Fear of difference, fear of the unknown, fear of harm and fear of erasure.

Inclusive language

In the initial Tweet, Rowling takes umbrage with the inclusive language “those who menstruate” which includes trans men and non-binary individuals who are not women but who may still menstruate. It’s hard (for me) to see why the inclusion of these groups seems to undermine a sense of ‘woman’ for those who were assigned female at birth and feel that’s the right category for them (cis-gender).

Rowling has clearly had some awful experiences in the past. However, she seems to be confusing all trans women (those assigned male at birth) as predatory and male as though these are linked. They are not. People of all genders can be predatory and abusive. Rowling talks about being ‘triggered’ and it sounds like she might need some additional support for that so she isn’t assuming all men are evil or trans women might want to harm her. One point she seems to miss completely is the vast majority of trans women feel shame around certain parts of their bodies. The last thing on their minds is to expose themselves others.

Binary thinking

It appears she is also operating from a binary male/female perspective in terms of sex which is long outdated and incorrect. Whilst the two most common categories for sex characteristics and chromosomes are male/female, there are also a number of intersex categories. This is aside from any sense of gender identity which is more of a felt experience rather than something that can be ‘tested’ for. What it immediately highlights is that sex and gender is not a binary system, much as it might be safer to think in these terms.

Equality for all genders

Far from eroding the category of woman, supporting equality for all genders adds weight to equality for women. First we need to widen the legal definition of sex so that intersex individuals are included rather than excluded. This will undoubtedly complicate areas of research where so much focus is placed on the binary sex marker. I have no doubt that what we’d see is simply variation within any given category.

JK Rowling’s open letter voices concern re safeguarding children as though by being more inclusive of trans rights we somehow make children less safe; this is simple scaremongering tactics based on her own fears. We are all entitled to our own opinion; we also need to understand the emotion behind the position. It’s no wonder Rowling feels so strongly given her early experiences. Trans individuals feel equally strongly because of the oppression they face day after day.

De-transition rates

Rowling talks about de-transition rates. There will always be people who find it wasn’t the right approach for them. Many of these might be non-binary rather than trans. The more support we can give these individuals the less regret we might see. However, the de-transition rates remains very low. Currently the system still favours those who transition from one side of the binary to ‘the other’ rather than enabling the freedom to simply be whoever they are with all their complexities. Rowling also talks about people transitioning rather than living with the oppression of being gay/lesbian. Surely our efforts need to focus on making it OK to be gay/lesbian rather than to further oppress a particular group?

Is it OK to disagree with Rowling? Sure. Is it OK to be hounded with death-threats? Quite frankly, no! She is entitled to her opinion. Whilst it’s one I do not share, behaving in an abusive way towards her simply feeds the negativity. It also confirms for her that trans women are indeed scary beings who want to harm her. As someone with such a high profile I do think she has a duty of care to better educate herself and to be more aware of the impact of her comments on those who face oppression. Her books have given many people the hope that love and respect will win in the end. Even though not a single character of hers was trans or non-binary.

Transition rates

JK Rowling’s open letter speaks about being concerned about the increase in people seeking transition. It is inevitable that the numbers will increase as people see that it is a possibility for them. Surely this is a positive step; to know that people previously desperately unhappy are now able to receive the support and interventions they require.

Rowling suggests she might have become a man herself “to turn into the son her father always wanted”. Like that’s the reason people are transitioning and would be supported by the health care system. The suggestion is that transitioning is an easy process! Perhaps she is not aware of the incredibly lengthy, and oft times humiliating hurdles that need to be overcome to arrive at a point of transition. Particularly if medical and/or surgical interventions are required.

The way forward

So, I’m left wondering what the way forward might be. We have a situation where some women are deeply frightened of being attacked by someone they have placed into a non-woman category. We also have trans and non-binary people needing safe spaces. Especially to go to the toilet and use changing rooms without being attacked. Instead of attacking each other, how can we work together with an understanding that both groups feel the terror of oppression and abuse?

I’m back to thoughts around fear and erasure. The way forward is surely in ensuring visibility and equality for all? In terms of equality, it might be difficult for women to think of themselves as both oppressed and privileged. Oppressed by men and also with privilege that trans and non-binary individuals don’t yet have. With greater visibility for women (including trans women) and non-binary people, there’s a greater sense of empowerment for all. It’s important to know where we have privilege and where we experience oppression. Together we are stronger.