At the Council’s Full Council meeting on 15 July, councillors supported a motion from Cllr Alison Whelan reaffirming the council’s commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion.
The motion included the council believes:
- Women and girls, including trans women, must be protected from gender-based violence, with appropriate support structures in place.
- Trans men and non-binary individuals face unique challenges that must be addressed in all council policies, services, and initiatives.
- Trans and non-binary people must be able to access services safely and equitably, without fear of discrimination or exclusion.
- The loss of rights conferred by Goodwin v United Kingdom represents a regressive step, and the council must act to uphold protections at the local level to the extent permitted by law.
- The laws to protect trans people from discrimination and harassment remain in place, and trans people are still protected under the Equality Act 2010.
- Schools must be safe spaces for all students, with policies ensuring trans and non-binary young people can access facilities, participate fully in education, and receive appropriate support.
- The Kite Trust plays a crucial role in supporting LGBTQ+ youth, and the council should work closely with them to strengthen local services.
- Healthcare services must be accessible and affirming, ensuring trans men and non-binary adults receive appropriate reproductive, sexual health, and general medical care.
- All people across Cambridgeshire, regardless of their protected characteristics, are valued and are supported by this Council.
The council resolved to:
- publicly reaffirm its commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, ensuring that women and girls, trans men, trans women, and non-binary individuals are protected from gender-based violence and systemic discrimination.
- ensure that the strong specialist services for survivors of gender-based violence, are available to women, including trans women and that all women, including trans women receive appropriate care and safeguarding.
- ensure that all policy decisions are fully inclusive for all people irrespective of their protected characteristics.
- instruct the Adults and Health Committee to work with healthcare providers to seek to ensure trans men and non-binary adults have access to appropriate medical care, including gender-affirming reproductive and sexual health services.
- instruct the Communities, Social Mobility and Inclusion Committee to receive a report on its ongoing equity, diversity, and inclusion work, including a review of partnership opportunities with The Kite Trust and other LGBTQ+ organisations to strengthen our offer of safe spaces and mental health support for young LGBTQ+ people, and to put in place education policies for the protection of LGBTQ+ people.
- ensure that all County Council buildings and facilities are open to all without discrimination and that single-sex spaces, where required, remain available while protecting the dignity and rights of all individuals.
- work with suppliers to ensure that they have appropriate EDI policies and that single-sex spaces, where required, remain available while protecting the dignity and rights of all individuals.
- write to the health minister and the minister for women to advocate nationally for stronger protections for women, girls, trans men, trans women, and non-binary individuals, ensuring their rights to education, healthcare, and social support are safeguarded and for their assurance that they will oppose any further legislative or policy changes that seek to erode the rights of trans and non-binary individuals, particularly those affecting education, healthcare, and access to gender-affirming spaces.
The motion can be viewed on our website
