By Glyn Oliver, Branch Secretary, Unite Community Southampton Area.
I am a cis man in my 70s and have spent my life standing with minorities against oppression. I was so delighted to give my solidarity to the trans+ march in Southampton last Saturday. There was so much joy and love, so much colour and expression shown by so many coming together.
Against this, transphobes have already seized on the Supreme Court definition of sex and the reactionary EHRC’s transphobic guidance around single-sex spaces to further attack trans people.
So instead of progressing to a society in which people’s rights are increased, we are seeing transphobes celebrating the taking away of minority rights.
For Women Scotland says the ruling is a victory against sexism. But it will do nothing to protect women – and transgender women are women – from the bigots and the far-right who want to further control women’s bodies, conditions and aspirations.
They want to push women back into the home and trans people out of society.
Additionally, trans people will live in fear of being outed or be subject to transphobic attacks.
How is this a victory for anyone?
Trans people will not be abandoned. As a trade unionist, I will help organise with my union and within the labour movement to build resistance to this ruling, using our power to fight for trans rights.
We need to step up to build a society where we are not controlled, where everyone is free to be whoever they want to be.
That was what was so brilliant about last Saturday’s march: we were doing just that!
Solidarity,
Glyn Oliver,
Branch Secretary, Unite Community Southampton Area
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