Latest news with #genderidentity
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Trans ruling means every lavatory user will need to be checked, museums claim
Staff will have to check the sex of visitors using lavatories after the Supreme Court's trans ruling, museum bosses have claimed. Museums Galleries Scotland, a national body that represents 455 non-national museums and receives £1.7 million a year in public funds, claims organisations will have to close while they reassess lavatory provisions. In April, the Supreme Court ruled that 'sex' in law is a person's biological sex, not gender identity. However, the Scottish Government has so far failed to produce guidance for public bodies on single-sex spaces such as lavatories. In its submission, the museums body says it has concerns the EHRC's initial guidance does not 'uphold the spirit of inclusion' and that the human rights body did not consult with trans people or trans organisations in its development. Policing of toilets is 'unfeasiable' The response goes on to say: 'When there is a need to 'prove' your sex, what proof will be acceptable given gender recognition certificates are not, nor are altered birth certificates – but how would you know? It is likely this role would fall on front-of-house staff, which we believe puts undue pressure on them to do this 'in a sensitive way which does not cause discrimination or harassment'. 'The practical application of policing toilets is unfeasible as, to avoid discrimination, it would require every single person using toilets to be checked adding substantial workload and staff costs to undertake this role.' Museums Galleries Scotland also raised concerns the interim guidance does not make reference to people with intersex conditions and states there are 1.1 million intersex people in the UK. Susan Smith, co-founder of For Women Scotland, said the Museums Galleries Scotland submission is 'a masterclass in legal idiocy and scientific illiteracy'. She said: 'The EHRC guidance aims to protect organisations and ensure they adhere to law: it is not supposed to set out the best way for public bodies to evade or trash their responsibility to protect the public from discrimination or harassment. ''Inclusion' covers all protected characteristics and rights have to be balanced. The time of prioritising the demands of trans-identifying men over the real needs of women and other groups is over.' Ms Smith said the assertion that staff would have to police toilets is 'wilfully misunderstanding' that having policies that align with the law 'does not mean they are required to vet every user'. MGS accused of 'scaremongering' Instead it means if women complain about a man being in the women's lavatories, it will be investigated. 'What is clear is that MGS have had unlawful policies for some time. All parties at the Supreme Court understood that self-identification has never been lawful, including the Scottish Government, which funds MGS,' Ms Smith said. 'Finally, it is outrageous that MGS are happy to spread debunked lies and attempt to scaremonger about serious medical conditions which they call 'intersex'. Last time we checked, museum staff were not endocrinologists. 'The status of people with Differences of Sex Development is not affected by the Supreme Court ruling and the wildly inflated numbers MSG cite should embarrass whoever submitted the report.' The museums body also states that members of the public have been 'policing toilets' at heritage sites by 'making assumptions based on stereotypes' and has created an 'environment of suspicion'. Dr Kath Murray, of the policy organisation Murray Blackburn Mackenzie, said: 'It is deeply concerning that a major national institution signed off and submitted such an ill-informed response to the EHRC consultation. 'The response fails to consider the needs of women and instead repeats trans activist talking points. The figures cited on the 'intersex' population have been widely debunked and bear no relevance to the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment.' The Nationalist government released its response to the consultation late on Friday night, claiming that services needed to justify why they were single-sex.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trans toilet rules 'may force Scottish museums to close'
RULES banning trans people from using toilets aligned with their gender identity could force some museums and galleries to close, the industry body has warned. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) closed a consultation on proposed changes to statutory guidance last month, following the Supreme Court ruling in April that 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 refers to biological sex, and a Gender Recognition Certificate does not change a person's sex for the purposes of the act. An interim update from the EHRC, published in May, said that 'trans women (biological men) should not be permitted to use the women's facilities and trans men (biological women) should not be permitted to use the men's facilities, as this will mean that they are no longer single-sex facilities'. However, a response from Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS), which supports around 455 non-national museums and is funded by the Scottish Government, said EHRC's proposals may 'force some museums to close', or 'risk leaving trans people with no facilities at all' if changes could not be made. READ MORE: Kemi Badenoch: Pictures of starving children haven't shifted my support for Israel It urged the UK-wide watchdog to 'understand the impacts and needs of trans individuals and organisations committed to trans inclusion'. A consultation response from Museums Galleries Scotland said: 'We have concerns that the content and process of the EHRC Code of Practice does not uphold the spirit of inclusion. 'There is no guidance on how to include trans people, there is only information on how to exclude them. This has not made sufficient effort to offer advice to organisations who wish to remain or become trans inclusive.' It warned that due to 'lack of clarity' from EHRC, 'there is a significant potential that human rights of trans people will be impacted for example, being banned from toilets that align with lived gender', and also raised concerns about the responsibilities of front-of-house staff. The response said: 'When there is a need to 'prove' your sex, what proof will be acceptable given gender recognition certificates are not, nor are altered birth certificates. It is likely this role would fall on front-of-house staff, which we believe puts undue pressure on them.' It added: 'To avoid discrimination, it would require every person using toilets to be checked, adding substantial workload and staff costs. 'The guidance implies that to allow trans people to use toilets that fit their identity would put organisations at risk of legal consequences. Yet, to not check everyone could lead to individuals in museums taking decisions to exclude trans people based on subjective tests, related largely to appearance.' It warned this could 'potentially put trans and non-trans people in humiliating and offensive situations', and that some museums may be forced to close 'while they invest time and resources to ensure adequate facilities', and if changes could not be made 'this risks trans people having no facilities to use at all'. The response said it was aware of the public 'policing toilets at heritage sites by making assumptions based on stereotypes', and said this created an 'environment of suspicion and policing of everyone's gender presentation, and increases the risks of harassment, distress, and offence'. It added: 'For some museums, they may need to change their toilet facilities to avoid the higher risk of legal consequences, however, there is unlikely to be capacity or resource for many of them to do this, putting them in a difficult position.' The response concluded: 'We strongly encourage the EHRC to review their processes around this guidance and take the necessary time to understand the impacts and needs of trans individuals and organisations committed to trans inclusion.'
CNN
4 days ago
- Health
- CNN
See where gender identity care is restricted and where it's protected
LGBTQ issues FacebookTweetLink The US Supreme Court's decision to uphold Tennessee's ban on gender identity care for transgender minors earlier this summer has fueled ongoing polarization around LGBTQ issues and controversial policies across the nation. The high court has also agreed to take on more cases dealing with trans rights in its next session that begins in October. Twenty-seven states have passed laws limiting access to gender identity health care for transgender children and teenagers, according to KFF, a nonpartisan health policy think tank. An estimated 40% of trans youth ages 13 to 17 live in these states. There have already been more anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in state legislatures so far this year than in any full year since at least 2020, a CNN analysis of American Civil Liberties Union data found. These bills span various aspects of everyday life, including bathroom access, school sports and identification documents. CNN is tracking where these laws are being passed and where these bills are being introduced. This story will be updated. Gender identity care includes medically necessary, evidence-based care that uses a multidisciplinary approach to help a person transition from their assigned sex— the one the person was designated at birth — to their affirmed gender, the gender by which one wants to be known. Most of the states limiting gender identity care for trans minors adopted their bans in 2023, a record-breaking year for such laws. So far this year, one state — Kansas — has passed a ban, prohibiting the use of state funds to provide or subsidize health care for transgender youth. Not all laws are currently being enforced, however. The ban in Arkansas has been permanently blocked by a federal court, though the state said it would appeal the ruling. Montana's ban is also permanently blocked, according to KFF. Though Arizona has a 2022 law on the books banning surgical care for transgender minors, Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs signed an executive order in 2023 ensuring access to gender identity health care. Nearly 600 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced into state legislatures as of July 11, which is already more than any other year on record, according to the ACLU. Education and health care continue to be key targets. There were more bills restricting student and educator rights — enforcing school sports bans and targeting students' access to facilities consistent with their gender identities, for example — than any other category of bills, according to a CNN analysis of ACLU data. Legislators in Texas have introduced 88 anti-LGBTQ bills so far this year, more than double the number of bills being considered in any other state. Four of those — including one that limits changes to gender markers on state medical records — have been passed into law. In late July, Texas lawmakers are reconvening for a 30-day special session. On the agenda is a transgender bathroom bill. Lawmakers in every state, except for Vermont, have filed at least one anti-LGBTQ bill in 2025, according to a CNN analysis. Twenty-two states have signed those bills into law.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Richard Branson's daughter Holly, 43, reveals she identified as a boy for SEVEN years as she praises parents for 'never making me feel strange'
Sir Richard Branson 's daughter Holly has praised her parents for allowing her to identify as a boy throughout her childhood, describing their open-mindedness and unconditional love as 'empowering'. The 43-year-old daughter of the Virgin billionaire CEO shared a heartfelt Instagram tribute to her mother Joan to mark her 80th birthday on Tuesday, recalling how she lived as a boy from the age of four until nearly eleven - and how her parents never once made her feel 'strange'. Posting a throwback photo of her mum, Holly wrote: 'The last few weeks have been filled with so much love and magical family moments. 'As a family, we love to be surrounded by people (strangers and friends alike), great food, good music, bad dancing, and lots of laughter. 'My heart is full after an early celebration of [brother] Sam's 40th birthday onboard... quickly followed by wonderful mum's 80th birthday.' She continued: 'My mum hates to be in the spotlight, but I'd love to share some of the most precious lessons I've learnt from her. 'The most amazing quality my mum has is the ability to love unconditionally... Having a daughter who decided from the age of four that she wanted to be a boy must have been difficult to navigate back then. 'Mum (and Dad) never made me feel like I was strange in any way, and I am so thankful to them both for this.' Holly, who has three children with husband Freddie Andrewes, added: 'Mum has always been so open-minded, empathetic and kind. 'Truly letting me and Sam be totally free to become the people we wanted to be... I've realised that unconditional love and support also comes with a large helping of patience – thank you for teaching me that, Mum.' Holly, who is Chief Purpose and Vision Officer at Virgin, has previously described how as a child she 'dressed like a boy, stood up to pee, and even gave myself different male names'. Speaking on TV presenter Natalie Pinkham's podcast in 2021, she said: 'At the age of four, I decided I was a boy. It wasn't that I wanted to be a boy - it was that I was a boy. It was just after my brother was born and… maybe I wanted to be like him. 'This wasn't just a quick thing that stopped after a few months or years, it lasted until I was nearly 11.' She added: 'I was so lucky to have parents that were really accepting of it, that they didn't question any of it, they let me be who I wanted to be.' Her mother's acceptance, she explained, extended to her eventual decision to return to wearing girls' clothes. A pivotal moment came when she asked for a dress for Christmas: 'Mum thought, 'I'm not going to give Holly a dress from me as it feels too pressurised,' so she got one of our family friends to get me a dress... and that was the turning point.' Holly now shares her mother's patient and loving approach in raising her own children - twins Etta and Artie, ten, and daughter Lola, six. She has previously spoken of her 'difficult and distressing' fertility journey, revealing she endured two miscarriages and two failed IVF attempts before considering adoption and surrogacy. In recent years, the number of children identifying as the opposite sex has surged. While some experts believe long-term identification is indicative of being transgender, others argue it can be a temporary phase.
Reuters
5 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
US government says Virginia school gender policies unlawful
July 25 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Education on Friday said five school districts in Democratic-leaning northern Virginia were violating federal law by allowing transgender students to use bathrooms and other facilities matching their gender identity. The agency gave the districts which educate about a third of Virginia's public school students, 10 days to agree with its findings or face possible "enforcement actions" by the Department of Justice, the education department said in a statement. The department's action followed an investigation into the districts based on a complaint by the conservative America First Legal Foundation, whose founder is senior White House aide Stephen Miller. "It's time for northern Virginia's experiment with radical gender ideology and unlawful discrimination to come to an end," Craig Trainor, a civil rights official at the education department, said in the statement. In a series of executive orders, Republican President Donald Trump has banned transgender people from serving in the military, barred transgender girls and women from competing in female sports and ordered an end to federal funding for school programs that include 'gender ideology.' Prince William County Public Schools, one of the five districts named, said on its website it was reviewing the agency's conclusions. It and another of the districts, Alexandria City Public Schools, issued separate similar statements saying they were committed to providing safe learning environments for all students. Arlington Public Schools, Fairfax County Public Schools and Loudoun County Public Schools did not immediately respond to requests for comment. LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD, which monitors Trump's administration, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Virginia's Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin has fought to abolish policies at school districts in largely Democratic areas that allow transgender people to be treated according to their gender identity. In a statement, Youngkin said the education department's findings showed "commonsense is back." Among other actions, the education department called on the five school districts to "voluntarily agree" to tell schools that bathroom-access policies must separate students on the basis of sex at birth. Separately, a complaint by another conservative think tank has triggered a U.S. Education Department investigation into Oregon schools for allowing transgender girls to compete in female-only sporting events. The America First Policy Institute, whose former chair is Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, alleged Oregon's Department of Education prohibited schools from excluding transgender athletes, violating federal sex discrimination laws, the federal agency said in a statement. The organization applauded the probe announced on Friday, with executive general counsel Jessica Hart Steinmann saying it was "a vital step toward restoring equal opportunity in women's athletics." Supporters of Trump's ban on transgender girls from female sports believe the action restores fairness. LGBTQ+ advocates say transgender athletes comprise a small minority of school athletes and bans on their participation further stigmatize a vulnerable population. A spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Education declined to comment, citing ongoing litigation filed against the agency by parents of female student athletes.
