Giving trans clients use of M&S fitting rooms ‘puts women at risk’

MARKS & Spencer’s policy of allowing men who identify as women to use female changing rooms is putting girls at risk of voyeurism, campaigners have warned.

The supermarket has faced protests from customers for opening its female changing rooms to anyone who describes themselves as a woman, The

Mail on Sunday reported.

In a letter to to the retailer’s chairman, Archie Norman, Baroness Emma Nicholson, a Lib Dem peer who advocates single-sex spaces, warned that allowing anyone who says they are a woman to enter female changing areas puts women and girls at risk of being spied on and photographed by sexual predators.

“Since changing of clothes can lead to voyeurism, newer legislation (the upskirting law) calls this laxness of provision into question,” she wrote.

The supermarket has defended its approach, insisting “as an exclusive retailer and in line with most other retailers, we allow customers the choice of fitting room in respect of how they identify themselves.”

M&S said it had assured Baroness Nicholson its fitting rooms provide secure and private spaces with individual lockable cubicles. Ms Nicholson warned Mr Norman that the retailer’s position is at odds with law after the Equalities Minister Liz Truss said the Government was rejecting “trans-inclusive” policies because of concerns they may threaten women’s rights.

Ms Truss has made clear that shops and service providers are legally entitled to deny male-born people access to female spaces, and plans to issue new guidance. In a letter published by her office, she said: “I will ensure that government guidance gives a clear message to service providers, schools and others, putting their ability to provide single-sex spaces beyond doubt.”

Baroness Nicholson claimed that M&S had “misunderstood” the law on equality and single sex space.