Unison union conference delegates back trans+ rights

The union is committed to protect trans+ members and lobbying the government to introduce self-identification (Photo: unisontheunion/X)

Delegates at the Unison union’s national conference this week voted resoundingly to defend trans+ rights.

The Supreme Court’s transphobic ruling on the definition of sex under the Equality Act and subsequent Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) guidance is attempting to restrict trans+ rights. 

The motion Organise for Legal Protection for Gender Identity and Trans Rights argued that the Equality Act 2010 was outdated on gender identity.

The motion called on the National Executive Committee to campaign for better legislation to protect trans+ members and lobby the government to introduce self-identification for trans+ people.

Despite hundreds of delegates supporting the motion, there were six speeches against it. Their speeches included the use of transphobic tropes to vilify trans+ people, particularly trans women.

The chair made one speaker apologise to the conference for saying, “I do like the idea of women only spaces, it feels like a bloke’s taken over being a woman now.”

Laura, from Unison AQA exam board branch, rejected the arguments made by speakers against the motion. 

“The point of the so-called EHRC guidance and the Supreme Court ruling last year, was to be cruel and to make the lives of trans+, gender diverse and non-binary people a living hell,” she said.

“There is no reality in which this judgement upholds the dignity and the rights of trans+, gender diverse and non-binary people at work.” 

Laura took apart the lie that there is a conflict between women’s and trans+ liberation. And she argued that attacks on trans+ people would reinforce sexism too.

“It is deeply sexist to suggest that what I am is defined by my womb. If you want to find out about who I am, that’s the last place you should look,” she said.

“It is not fair that anyone should be asked to prove whether or not they are a woman before they access any single-sex spaces. 

“And if that means unions empowering members to not enforce that guidance, then so be it.”