Equalities Minister promises to protect single-sex spaces

The Minister for Women and Equalities has confirmed that single-sex spaces will be protected when any changes are made to gender recognition law.

Liz Truss MP was responding to a letter from Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, who had raised concerns about the distortion of the “traditional rights to privacy, dignity, personal identity and honour” of women and girls.

The Equalities Office is set to outline its plans for changes to the law in the summer, following a consultation which took place in 2018 but it has faced a number of delays because it has proven “divisive”.

‘Clear message’

In her response, Truss wrote: “I am grateful to you for raising your concerns. I have made my commitment to protecting single sex spaces for women and girls clear.

“As part of this work I will ensure that Government guidance gives a clear message to service providers, schools and others, putting their ability to provide single sex spaces beyond doubt.

“I will be able to say more about this important issue when I publish the Government’s response to the Gender Recognition Act consultation in the summer.”

Irreversible treatments

Last month, Truss announced several changes to gender law, including restricting irreversible treatments for under-18s, to mixed response.

She suggested that under-18s may soon be prevented from having sex-change surgery, that single-sex spaces would be protected, and that transgender adults should be free “to lead their lives as they see fit”, but did not provide any detail on how the Government would proceed.