Accusations of transphobia are pure misdirection
by Ann Sinnott, Artillery Row:
Barrister Robin Moira White of Old Square Chambers is a masterful illusionist, as can be seen in this interview. Illusion relies on diverting attention to what the magician wants you to see, and away from what else could be seen. A closer look below, but first the aspersion cast by White on me and my organisation AEA (Authentic Equity Alliance).
White said that I am an “anti-trans-campaigner” in an “anti-trans movement”. Neither I nor AEA are anti-trans. While AEA’s founding aim is to promote the interests of women and girls, our consultancy and training is based on the law and thereby impartial. The 2010 Equality Act (EA2010) single-sex exception permits exclusion of transwomen from women’s services, provided it is a proportionate means to achieve a legitimate aim.
The single-sex exception is a bane for transwomen like Robin White. Clashes of interests around single-sex services can be a quagmire. AEA helps organisations navigate a route through the swamp. To apply the single-sex exception, service providers need to weigh the rights of all relevant protected characteristics. In its May 2022 guidance, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) set out legitimate grounds for exclusion: “for privacy, for decency, to avoid trauma, to ensure health and safety”.
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