Opinion divided as policing boss weighs in over trans access rights
LEICESTERSHIRE’S Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) has sparked a debate with a social media post about trans women’s rights to access female spaces.
Rupert Matthews tweeted his comments in support of his Surrey counterpart, Lisa Townsend.
Ms Townsend recently called for Surrey police to halt their employment of Stonewall, a charity often employed by organisations to give advice on trans equality.
The Daily Mail reported that she felt Stonewall’s position on allowing trans females access to female-only spaces, including prisons, changing rooms and toilets, put women and girls at risk.
She said: “Stonewall, which has drifted so far from its original mission, is now a threat to women and risks putting feminism back 50 years.
“Police forces, in an attempt to correct many of the wrongs committed against minorities in the past, are being naive if they believe that Stonewall is anything but a wellfunded lobby group for a dangerous ideology that threatens the safety of our women and girls.”
Mr Matthews wrote on Twitter: “I couldn’t agree more with my PCC colleague from Surrey.
“We must support everyone in an appropriate way, but we cannot allow a one size fits all approach to gender identity that could put women and girls at risk.”
However, Mr Matthews’s tweet has divided social media users.
One person, who identified as transgender, said: “So now as a trans woman living in Leicester I am being abused by the police commissioner who advocates my segregation from safe spaces.
“What next – are they going to round us for camps? How about you do your job and stop abusing a minority?”
A second added: “Oh great, thanks so much, this’ll increase anti-LGBTQIA+ hate crime in Leicestershire. I didn’t want to feel safe, anyway.”
There were others who praised him for raising the issue.
One user wrote: “Thank you for voicing this. Women are being threatened and dehumanised for raising safeguarding issues.
“This is serious, and it has to stop. It’s very frightening indeed.” Another said: “Thank you so much for saying this. A lot of women I know have been feeling silenced and disregarded for years.
“I’m so relieved to see people speaking up for the safeguarding of women and children.”
Mr Matthews said: “As my tweet made clear, I feel that we must support everyone in an appropriate way, but I don’t want to see women and girls put at risk.
“I’m pleased to see that the majority of comments concur with my view.”
Police are running a hate crime survey, intended to help them better understand hate in Leicestershire, the barrier for reporting incidents and the impact hate crimes have on communities.