We’re disappointed and enraged to see the anti-trans and gender critical agenda of many of the Tory leadership candidates. We cannot allow gender equality and women’s rights to be used as an excuse to marginalise trans people. Anyone interested in fighting for gender equality should include everyone who is impacted by it.
Women are not at risk of being erased. Being “gender critical” will not progress rights for women. Excluding trans people from the gender equality fight is nonsensical and makes feminism weak. Excluding people is not validating; it is exclusion.
We are calling for Tory leadership candidates to adopt gender inclusive language and advocate for trans rights at all levels of government.
In response to the rise of anti-trans commentary in the Tory leadership contest, Jo Atkins-Potts, director of Feminists of_ said:
"We strongly oppose transphobia being used as a campaign tactic. Using 'women's rights' to punch down at trans people does nothing to get us closer to achieving gender equality. It is clear that this isn't about women's rights; it's about control.
There is nothing radical about excluding the most marginalised and vulnerable people in society in the name of equality.
To be very clear, if we do not fight for all then we fight for none."
Note: the term gender critical refers to the belief that sex is binary and an unchangeable biological characteristic. It rejects the concept of gender identity, aiming to invalidate and exclude trans people from society, feminism, and the gender equality movement.