Several thousand demonstrators gathered on Saturday April 19, in London for the defense of the rights of transgender persons, after the decision of the British Supreme Court, made Wednesday, to found the legal definition of a woman on biological sex and not on gender. The dispute has opposed the Scottish government since 2018 since 2018, which has strongly committed to the rights of transgender people in recent years, and the association for Women Scotland.
“Trans women are women”,, “Trans people are not the enemy”,, “Me, a man? The farm! »»could we read on signs brandished by demonstrators, most of them aged twenty or thirty years. They gathered in the center of London, on the Place du Parliament.
The decision of the Supreme Court will certainly have major consequences for transgender women, paving the way for their exclusion from places reserved for women, such as toilets or accommodation centers. The Supreme Court assured that the judgment did not decrease the protections from which transgender persons benefit against discrimination or harassment. Nevertheless, the concern rises among them.
“The extremists feel reinforced by the decision” of the Court
“Everything in my transition will be more complicated”fears Joe Brown, a 29 -year -old transgender woman. She thinks that transgender children will have “More afraid” to come out. She also fears that transgender “Are no longer able to access health services”.
Eevee Zayas, also transgender, fears for his part that “The extremists feel reinforced by the decision” of the Supreme Court, saying that transphobia is already up. Eevee Zayas has lived for fourteen years in the United Kingdom, but has decided to return to his country of origin, Spain, deeming him more progressive.
Avery Greatorex, co -chair of the organization Pride in Labour, explains that the event was organized “To put pressure on the government and the population”so that they act for “Guarantee the rights of transgender persons”.
Another demonstration took place in Edinburgh, Scotland. Lauren Yeoman, 38, said “Disgusting” by the decision of the Supreme Court. “They point to people who do not hurt anyone, while ignoring the real problems”she said.
This is an extremely divisive subject, at the origin of a violent quarrel between, on the one hand, the defenders of the rights of transgender persons and, on the other hand, activists believing that the rights of women cisgenres are threatened by certain claims of the former.
The memorable world
Test your general culture with the writing of the “world”
Test your general culture with the writing of the “world”
Discover
At the heart of the debate was the interpretation of the British equality law (Equality Act) of 2010. For the Scottish government, this text was clear: if a transgender woman obtained a certificate of gender recognition, she is considered a woman, and has the right to the same “Protections that those declared woman at birth”. After a first victory before the Scottish justice, For Women Scotland was dismissed twice in 2023.
This subject has always been particularly thorny in Scotland. In 2022, the local government had voted a law to facilitate gender change without medical advice from 16 years old. This text had been blocked by the conservative government in London. In January 2023, the Scottish authorities had also had to announce the suspension of the transfer of any transgender detainee with history of violence against women to a prison for women, following two cases which had shocked public opinion.
In total, some 8,500 people have obtained a certificate of gender recognition in the United Kingdom since the creation of this system, in 2004, reported the Scottish government in November 2024.
The decision of the Supreme Court could find an echo to the United States. Since his return to the White House, in January, Republican Donald Trump has targeted transgender people, notably wanting to expel them from the army or restrict transitional procedures for minors.
Source: Lemonde