Let firemen be firewomen if they want to, urges union

THE Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has recommended that male firefighters be allowed to identify as female, prompting a backlash from some female members.

The all-male national executive last night voted in favour of allowing gender self-identification, The Telegraph understands. The vote will now go out to each region for consultation.

Female members say they were not consulted ahead of the vote and warned it would have huge implications for women, who make up just seven per cent of the force, on matters including changing facilities and single sex dormitories.

They claim the head of the national women’s committee showed her support ahead of the vote without consulting the FBU’S 2,000 female members.

Lucy Masoud, a London regional official and London’s LGBT secretary, said: “We absolutely understand that the Gender Recognition Act is in need of reform and that transgender individuals should have rights and be protected and understood.

“But these rights should not be at the expense of women’s rights. We need an open and frank discussion but in doing so, we need to consult women.”

However. Yannick Dubois, chair of the FBU’S LGBT group, claimed there had been a misunderstanding on what the decision meant.

“Self-declaration is a long and complex process. People don’t go through it just so they can use the women’s toilets,” she said.