UK government seeks examples of bad guidance on single-sex spaces

Where certain conditions are met, businesses and other organisations can legally provide single and separate-sex services such as toilets, changing rooms, and female-only fitness classes, which exclude transgender people of the opposite biological sex who do not have a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC). Where it is justified, they are also able to exclude transgender people with GRCs.

In some cases organisations believe they are required to allow self-identifying transgender people to access these services. Now, as part of raising awareness and to understand how well single-sex spaces are maintained, Kemi Badenoch is calling on the public to submit their examples to the UK government.

The call for input builds on previous government action in this area, including:

• The NHS’s announcement that proposes patients be empowered to request that intimate care is carried out by someone of the same biological sex and reinforcing the NHS’s commitment to providing single-sex wards, including the legitimate and proportionate basis for providing separate accommodation for transgender patients in accordance with the Equality Act 2010
• proposals to ensure every new building in England is required to provide separate male and female facilities
• guidance for schools to remove any confusion about the protections that must be in place for biological sex and single-sex spaces

Ms Badenoch said: “Single-sex spaces are essential for ensuring privacy and dignity for women. I do recognise, however, that the law in this area is complex, and I know that some organisations are confused and afraid of backlash if they are seen to get it wrong.

“So I am asking people to submit real-world examples of organisations using incorrect guidance, so that our policymaking continues to tackle any confusion and we ensure single-sex spaces are maintained.”