Despite evidence to the contrary, gender-critical group LGB Alliance UK recently claimed it was “silly” to suggest that cis people would be affected by a potential trans toilet ban.

The gender-critical group’s insistence that gender-non-conforming people wouldn’t be affected by a law banning trans people from the correct gendered facilities comes after claims that the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC’s) updated code of practice on public services was recommending banning people, based on nothing more than their appearance, from toilets and changing rooms.

In a Facebook post on Friday (20 November), a spokesperson for LGB Alliance branded concerns that the EHRC’s provisions would extend to all people, “silly speculation”, adding: “Those of us who don’t conform to hair and clothing stereotypes have occasionally been politely ‘challenged’. This is nothing new. A smile and quick vocal reassurance is all it takes for people to realise what sex we are.”

However, cases of harassment against all people – trans, cis and intersex – have risen in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling on the 2010 Equality Act’s definition of a woman.

A report, published by TransActual in August, showed that, based only on their appearance, people across the country are being denied access to toilets and changing facilities.

One respondent, a cisgender butch lesbian who said they “currently sport a short haircut” and who wears traditionally masculine clothing, was told she wasn’t allowed to use the relevant facilities.

“I felt invalid and embarrassed,” she said. “Going forward, I will be more hesitant and anxious about using public toilets but I will continue to do so. It’s sad that at 47 I’m back to my life and appearance being a political statement in the UK.”

Meanwhile, a trans man was barred from both male and female changing rooms at his local gym. He was forced to use the family changing room, which, he said. “makes me look like a creep”.

Cis teenager forced to unzip hoodie in anti-trans confrontation

TransActual’s report was published the same month as 18-year-old Gerika Mudra, a cisgender lesbian, filed a discrimination lawsuit against a restaurant in Minneapolis after being forced to expose her breasts to prove to a female staff member that she was allowed to be in the women’s toilets.

While Mudra was in one of the stalls, a staff member allegedly began banging on the door, yelling that the “man needs to get out of here”. After a brief argument, Mudra unzipped her hoodie and revealed her chest.

“She made me feel very uncomfortable,” Mudra said. “After that, I just don’t like going in public bathrooms. I just hold it in.”

The EHRC’s code of practice is currently being reviewed by equalities minister Bridget Phillipson.

According The Times, if service providers, such as hospitals, gyms and leisure centres, believe an individual is lying about their birth sex, the code of practice allows them to ban the person from using those services.

Good Law Project director Jolyon Maugham said the EHRC’s recommendations would extend far beyond trans people and result in “intrusive questioning of women who don’t conform to norms about how they should look”.

Writing on Bluesky, he said: “It shows no regard to the dignity or privacy of trans people. Whether this will detain a Labour Party which has shown itself willing to undermine the human rights of other groups attacked by the Far Right, is a moot point.”

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.   

The post LGB Alliance claims trans toilet ban won’t affect cis people – but it already has appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.