Single-sex spaces campaigners meet South Shropshire MP in Parliament
Two Shropshire women were among 400 constituents who confronted MPs in Westminster to call for single-sex spaces to be protected.
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Laura Williams and Sally Leighton took part in the initiative last Wednesday organised by the charity Sex Matters.
The pair met their local MP Stuart Anderson, who listened to their concerns over what they call the “erosion” of female-only spaces.
Laura, who lives in Brown Clee, said: “He was extremely receptive and understanding of our concern regarding the conflict surrounding sex and gender and the importance of protected women-only spaces.
“We wanted all MPs to understand that as a constituent, we are concerned that single-sex spaces, services and sports are being lost, and that something must be done about this.
“We had one ask for the meeting and that was for MPs to commit to contacting the Sex Matters team for a meeting to discuss what needs to be and can be done to clarify sex in the Equality Act.
“Myself and Sally explained how we were worried about how female-only spaces and services are being lost. Women and girls need female-only services, spaces, sports and associations for privacy, dignity, fairness and safety. But in practice single-sex provision is being eroded and becoming unavailable.
“The Government needs to make the Equality Act clear so that it properly protects everyone’s rights. This means being clear that the terms male, female, man and woman refer to people’s sex,” she said.
Laura, who says she is fully supportive of transgender people's rights, added: “We are in no way opposed to transgender rights. Everybody should have rights, but one person's rights should nor trump other people's rights.”
She added that they are seeking a one-line amendment to the Equality Act of 2010 so that the word 'sex' means biological sex and is not modified by the Gender Recognition Act (GRC).
Stuart Anderson MP said he backed the pair's campaign.
He said: "I fully supported our manifesto commitment to clarify that the definition of sex in the Equality Act means biological sex, which would have guaranteed that single-sex services and single-sex spaces for women and girls could be protected."
