Last weekâs Supreme Court ruling was a blow to trans people and their allies. At best, it was short-sighted, ill-judged, and uninformed. The Court upheld a legal interpretation that allows trans women to be defined as men under certain provisions of the Equality Actâspecifically, in the context of single-sex services like womenâs shelters. This decision will not only affect trans and non-binary people across the UK, but also endanger cis men and women who donât conform to traditional gender norms.
Even before this ruling, there were reports of cis women being harassed, bullied, or even reported while using women-only spacesâsimply for being butch, having short hair, or being perceived as âtoo tallâ to be a ârealâ woman. The Supreme Court has, in effect, told transphobic and trans-critical individuals that this kind of behaviour is acceptable. It clearly isnât.
On 23 April, YouTuber and trans activist Katy Montgomerie hosted a three-hour livestream discussing the ruling and its broader consequences for both trans and cis people. Toward the end (linked here), she shared several ways that we, as trans folk and allies, can take action. Weâve included the links she shared below, but we also encourage you to watch the final section of her stream to hear her call to action directly. (If the link doesnât take you to the right moment, the relevant section begins at 02:48:00.)
Trans rights are human rights.
Learn
We Are QueerAF: Supreme Court Rules Trans Women Aren’t Women
Good Law Project: Supreme Court ignored Trans Voices
Petitions
What The Trans: Compalation of Petitions for Trans Rights
Protests
What The Trans: Complation of Protests Against Supreme Court
Politics
Transactual: Write To The PM
Trans Legal Project: Write To Your MP
Write To Your MP Template Letter
