Hundreds of transgender people and allies showed up at Westminster to lobby their member of parliament, in what has been a history making day of action for trans rights.

The huge number of attendees spoke to their MP about the rights of the trans community and shared their concerns about the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) proposed changes to its Code of Practice on single-sex spaces, which look set to be implemented in the wake of the UK Supreme Court’s gender ruling.

The mass lobby, staged on Wednesday (25 June), was organised by the Trans+ Solidarity Alliance as part of its Unite for Trans Rights campaign.

A mass lobby is when a large number of people contact their MPs and members of the House of Lords in advance and all arrange to meet them at parliament on the same day. Such activities are often organised by campaign groups to show the strength of feeling about an issue.

The Supreme Court judgement, handed down in April, decreed that the definition of the protected characteristic of “sex” in the 2010 Equality Act referred to “biology” only and specifically excluded trans people. In response, the EHRC issued interim guidance which called for transgender men and women to be banned from single-sex facilities which matched their gender and, in some cases, from using those which matched their “biological sex”.

When the guidance was published, the EHRC said it would give the government an updated version of its Code of Practice by the end of June, to “support service providers, public bodies and associations to understand their duties under the Equality Act and put them into practice”.

The EHRC was criticised for making the public consultation period for the changes just two weeks and eventually – after pressure – the equality watchdog extended the time frame to six weeks, which runs until 30 June.

So many people turned up on Wednesday that the queue to enter the Houses of Parliament stretched along the side of the Palace of Westminster.

Although not officially confirmed, organisers estimate around 900 people attended, making the mass lobby as big as those which took place during Section 28.

Trans+ Solidarity Alliance founder Jude Guaitamacchi told PinkNews 1,400 people had signed up but they were unsure if everyone made it on the day. However, given the number who did arrive, they “would not be surprised if it broke a record”.

Guaitamacchi went on to say: “We achieved exactly what we set out to do, which was to bring trans people [and] allies from across the country to meet their MP and to challenge the EHRC draft guidance, with the hope they speak up for the trans community and stop it becoming law.”

Politicians “have the power to do that” but if implemented, the changes would have “devastating impacts” on the trans community, an emotional Guaitamacchi warned.

“People have been queuing up for hours to get in, to meet their MP. I didn’t expect to see so many people and it’s quite honestly given me a real sense of hope. I really hope people feel encouraged and a sense of camaraderie, a sense of community because that is needed right now. We are stronger together.”

The mass lobby comes just a day after a change to the toilet policy was implemented at the Palace of Westminster, similar to a those made in the Scottish parliament building in May, to bring the rules in line with the Supreme Court’s decree.

The UK parliament’s official website now says: “Members of the public should use facilities that correspond to their biological sex or the gender-neutral toilets.” The rule covers both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, as well as Portcullis House which provides Westminster offices for MPs and their staff.

As recently as Saturday (21 June), the same page of did not include any reference to who should use what facility, based on “biological sex”, an archived web page shows.

Guaitamacchi said the alteration gave the trans community and allies “even more of a reason to turn up today”, adding: “That is an indicator that we need to be here, we need to be vocal. It is entirely unworkable, the whole thing.

“It is in violation of trans people’s human rights and that is what politicians really need to know. We need them to speak up on our behalf and advocate for this community.”

Issuing a message directly to MPs and the Lords, they said: “This sends a very clear message that we’re not powerless, we have come out today to defend our rights and we have allies [who] have done the same.

“There is a movement that is seeking to push trans people out of public life, they won’t be successful because we are not going anywhere, they can’t erase us.”

“I feel there is more outrage now. People are recognising what is happening and we’re seeing more solidarity, more people showing up for us. We are exercising our democratic right. This is only the beginning.”

Musician Kate Nash was just one of those who lobbied her MP.

When the mass lobby was announced earlier this month, Guaitamacchi said: “We are going to parliament to tell politicians that if this bathroom ban becomes law, it will have a devastating impact on the day-to-day lives of trans and gender-non-conforming people and make the UK a global outlier on LGBT+ rights. 

“The EHRC’s proposals would force workers in shops and pubs to become ‘gender police’, told to demand birth certificates from anybody they think doesn’t fit gender stereotypes, and require major facilities changes at great expense for businesses across the country. 

“Unworkable and dangerous proposals like this show exactly why the LGBT+ community has no confidence in the leadership of the EHRC. Politicians must act to prevent trans people like me becoming second-class citizens.”

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