This matters to me for a number if reasons:
1) Because I am a sexual abuse survivor and do not want to be forced into private spaces with males.
2) I do not think it’s fair that males are taking spaces reserved for females in leadership, training, scholarships etc.
3) My experience as a woman is totally different to that of a transwoman – I nearly died from severe early onset pre-eclampsia and then my work tried to make me redundant shortly afterwards! We are women because of our female bodies and that matters a lot.
4) The reinforcement of the stereotypes of what constitutes femininity and masculity is harmful to women. Women are not defined by clothing, grooming, mannerisms and behaviours – we all have different personalities and presentations.
5) I am utterly sick of the misinformation and inappropriate content being taught in schools and workplaces in relation to this issue.
6) I am concerned that publicly funded bodies are not recording sex, so can longer measure sex inequality.
I’ve challenged policies at work with incorrect protected characteristics. I’ve challenged monitoring categories for a research project I am working on – sex has been replaced with gender. I’ve spoken to women and men I trust to discuss the issues. I’ve shared information on social media and written to my MP.
I have been denounced as a ‘transphobe’ on social media for stating my belief in the reality of sex and the need to record it.
M, Floating voter swayed by women’s rights issues