Protestors speak out in Parliament Square against new transphobic guidance backed by government

Trans+ people and their supporters protest in London against transphobic guidance backed by the Labour government

Up to 200 trans+ people and their supporters rallied in Parliament Square on Saturday against the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) new guidance. 

The Labour government has backed the new guidelines, which instruct public institutions and organisations to deny trans+ people access to single-sex spaces.

The EHRC’s guidelines come in the wake of the Supreme Court’s transphobic ruling last April that the legal definition of a woman in the Equality Act 2010 is based on “biological sex.”

The protest in Parliament Square turned into a “speak out” with people getting up to slam politicians and the media—and urging a fight for trans+ liberation. 

Juliet Jacques, a journalist and film maker, said, “We all know the role of the media in manufacturing the consent that wasn’t there for the most hard-line, fascist-aligned, anti-trans groups. 

“That has been a key part in getting us to where we are now.” 

But she added, “The fightback here today is amazing and important. 

“When you look at the demographics and range of people here, it really makes you confident that in the long-term we will win.” 

Kate Alexander, a Socialist Workers Party (SWP) member, said, “What the government is doing is going to be terrible for trans+ people—it’s going to push us into the ghettos. 

“They are treating us as the villains when we’re the victims. 

“But we’re not only victims—we are victims who can stand up and fight back and involve other people in that struggle.” 

Kate added that we have to build “confidence to fight back” to “use whatever toilets we want to”. 

“Toilets are for peeing in, not discrimination,” she said. 

“We need to have that struggle and organise to fight back—victory!” 

Taking to the streets can build people’s confidence to organise. 

Trade unionists have to organise at work to demand bosses don’t adopt the new guidance–and if they do, to defy it. Union leaders can give confidence to worker if they declare that the union will back anyone who does so.