By Cllr Misty Burgess.
Sent to MPs Satvir Kaur, Darren Paffey and Caroline Nokes,
I am writing to you on behalf of the Southampton & District Green Party councillors regarding the Draft Code of Practice on Services, public functions and associations, in particular the impact it will have on trans people in Southampton and throughout the UK.
I am Southampton’s first trans councillor and the mood among my community can only be described as one of dread and distress. I have received many worried emails from my constituents, as have councillors in other wards. Trans people are worried that they will face increased harassment and exclusion from spaces and services they have been using without problems for years – effectively freezing them out of public life. Many will be afraid to go out at all due to anxiety about being challenged and reported when using bathrooms and other facilities.
The code as it stands is full of contradictions: it is supposed to protect trans people from discrimination yet advises service providers to discriminate against people based on appearance. Trans men will in many cases be left in a position where they are unable to use any available facilities because they are barred from both men’s and women’s spaces. It threatens trans people’s dignity and privacy, while leaving the legal situation for service providers extremely unclear and risky.
The code will also exacerbate existing barriers to healthcare faced by trans people. Both from the experience of personal acquaintances and published studies, I know that trans people who fear not being treated in their own gender, as the code stipulates must now be done, are less likely to access healthcare until it becomes an emergency. There have already been previous cases where this has tragically resulted in avoidable deaths, and this code will only lead to more.
More than 100 of your parliamentary colleagues, including Sarah Owen MP (Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee), have signed Early Day Motion 240 calling for the draft code to be disapproved.
I, on behalf of the other signatories to this letter, am writing to you to request
(1) that Darren likewise signs Early Day Motion 240, and that Satvir commits to oppose the adoption of the code;
(2) that you meet with me and the other signatories as a matter of urgency to discuss the concerns raised in this letter before the code becomes statutory guidance; and
(3) that you all push for legislative change to protect trans people and remedy the intolerable current situation.
I look forward to your response and urge you to stand with your trans constituents in this terribly difficult time.
Councillor Misty Burgess
Green Party Councillor for Banister & Polygon
Councillor Matt Renyard
Southampton Green Group Leader
Councillor Lori Foster
Green Party Councillor for Portswood
Councillor Kat Barbour
Green Party Councillor for Portswood
Councillor Sam Pryce
Green Party Councillor for Freemantle
Councillor Luke Reynolds
Green Party Councillor for Bargate
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