Bridget Phillipson admits EHRC’s trans guidance ‘will not satisfy everyone’
Bridget Phillipson, the minister for women and equalities, addressed the "deeply unpleasant targeting" of trans people, stating the government's position on single-sex spaces is "the right place to be" despite not satisfying everyone. Her comments followed the Equality and Human Rights Commission
By Millie Cooke
Bridget Phillipson, the minister for women and equalities, addressed the "deeply unpleasant targeting" of trans people, stating the government's position on single-sex spaces is "the right place to be" despite not satisfying everyone.
Her comments followed the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) publishing updated guidance, which confirmed that single-sex spaces, including toilets and changing rooms, must be used based on biological sex, in line with a 2025 Supreme Court ruling.
Ms Phillipson acknowledged that the guidance is expected to face further debate, legal challenges, and scrutiny, but stressed her belief that the rights of women and trans people should not be in conflict.
She expressed a desire for trans people not to be constantly targeted on social media and for women to access necessary single-sex services, asserting that these goals can be achieved without conflict.
Trans campaign groups, such as the Trans+ Solidarity Alliance (TSA), intensely criticised the code, comparing it to US bathroom bans and warning it could be a "Section 28 moment" for the government, with over 100 MPs signing an early day motion to reject it.