In this blog, two of our Trauma Ambassadors, Indigo and Nix, share their thoughts on the recent Supreme Court hearing on the meaning of the word ‘sex’ in the equality act and what this ruling might mean for transgender people.
“If you are cisgender, you have won the gender lottery! Transgender people, wherever they sit on the spectrum, should not be punished for existing. Many already have gender dysphoria. People should not be punished for knowing internally that they do not align with the sex they were assigned at birth.
Artwork created by Indigo
How do people think this hearing makes thing better or fair?
Treatment for transgender people both publicly and in the Health Service is rapidly getting worse and more trauma inducing. Some women are born without a womb and others have gender realignment surgery. New guidance is that people have to go into the hospital bays of the sex they were assigned at birth. Imagine being sick and then being made to be even more vulnerable. I’m pretty sure women will not be comfortable with transgender men in their bays either.
How is this ruling going to be reinforced?
It cannot be ethically done. This ruling is for cisgender women to feel safer. Who will be looking in peoples’ pants to see who is a ‘woman by law?’ Does THAT notion or idea feel safer to ANYONE really?
All we want to do is exist in peace. An already marginalised community is literally fighting to stay alive and rights are being taken away. ‘Three hundred and twenty trans and gender-diverse people were killed this year, says a new report’ – Forbes (2023 and 2024). It’s utterly terrifying for us who do not align with the gender we were given at birth and we need to know we have a future.”
If you would like to access support around any of the issues mentioned in this blog, or to share your own lived experience, give the Healthwatch Essex Information & Guidance Service a call on 0300 500 1895, email [email protected] or text/WhatsApp on 07712 395398. If you would like to find out more about the Trauma Ambassador Group and our work, you can find out more here.
Written by Indigo
Edited by Nix