A woman was prevented from asking a Green Party-led council whether “predatory men” presenting as trans women could enter female-only spaces.
The woman had put the question to Bristol City Council ahead of its full council meeting on Tuesday, November 4, evening.
She asked for the authority to share its view on the statement: “Predatory men will be able to enter female spaces if people are allowed to use the facilities in which they feel most comfortable (ie if self ID is allowed).”
However, she was told the question was “offensive” and it therefore could not be asked, according to The Times.
The woman told the newspaper she felt the council was “essentially cancelling debate” on women’s safety.
Bristol City Council passed a motion on July 5, 2022, to “recognise and affirm trans men are men, trans women are women” and said it would not be “taking advice from or awarding contracts to organisations that promote an anti-trans agenda or propaganda”.
Women’s rights groups voiced their fury earlier this year after officials at the local authority insisted pregnant women should be referred to as “people with ovaries”.
Green Party-led Bristol City Council did not allow the question to be asked at its full council meeting
|
GETTYCouncil officers demanded support for biological men wishing to engage in “chestfeeding” for their babies and called for the term “maternity” to be more inclusive to transgender individuals.
It follows April’s landmark Supreme Court ruling, which determined the terms “woman” and “sex” in gender legislation only refer to a biological woman and biological sex.
At the local authority’s full council meeting on Tuesday, leader Tony Dyer was asked by a member of the public gallery whether councillors will “positively tolerate listening to women with respect who express sex-realist views and who may quote the Supreme Court ruling that trans women are biological men and trans men are biological women”.
The woman requested a show of hands from the councillors who would back the statement, but this was denied.
A Supreme Court Ruling in April determined the terms ‘woman’ and ‘sex’ in gender legislation only refer to a biological woman and biological sex
|
GETTYIn response, Councillor Dyer said: “I am prepared to listen to any statements any comments but I also respect the rights of those who feel those statements are offensive and therefore may want to take actions of their own.
“This is a democracy. You have the right to come here and make statements.
“Councillors have the right to decide whether those statements are offensive to them and how they want to respond.”
The council stated: “A question about single-sex spaces was rejected from yesterday’s (November 4) full council public forum because it was worded in a way where some readers may have reasonably inferred it equating trans women to being ‘predatory men’.
“In line with our duty to give due regard to the need to foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it, we considered that it could not be allowed and published by the council.
“The question was not rejected due to the topic itself, and indeed many questions on the issue were asked and answered.
“Following the Supreme Court ruling about the legal definition of ‘woman’ and its relation to biological sex, we recognise that there has been a lot of discussion, and also some concern or distress especially for members of the trans community.
“As a local authority we will continue to navigate the topic of sex and gender sensitively, with respect for differing beliefs, an adherence to the law, and with continuing support for women, trans residents and people with different gender identities.”