Trans activist slams Kemi Badenoch for launching a campaign that 'excludes trans people'

5 April 2023, 16:54 | Updated: 5 April 2023, 16:55

By Grace Parsons

Transgender activist and Liberal Democrat Helen Belcher criticises Kemi Badenoch's proposed changes to the Gender Equality Act.

In light of the Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch calling for a review to the 2010 Gender Equality Act, transgender activist and Liberal Democrat Helen Belcher told Shelagh Fogarty that the Tories have launched a campaign to "exclude trans women".

Mrs Belcher highlighted: "There are provisions in the Equality Act currently that, if there is legitimate reason to exclude somebody, they can try doing so."

Shelagh challenged: "I'm asking you whether you think the very biological fact of male genitalia - and I don't want this whole conversation to come down to genitalia - the very fact of that male genitalia going into, or seeking to go into, a lesbian support group because you identify as being a lesbian even though they are biologically male.

"I'm asking you whether you accept that that is troublesome for some people and it's breaking the law as far as they're concerned."

"It's not breaking the law, the situation has existed for decades. What's happening is there has been a Conservative campaign for years to try and redefine them in a way that can exclude trans people more exclusively," responded the Lib Dem MP.

"There is a point, not just in trans issues or sex-based issues, all our rights crash up against other people's rights quite often, don't they?" Shelagh quizzed.

"If I am discriminated against, are you telling me that I can't be discriminated against because I'm a woman?" argued the trans activist.

Shelagh responded: "No I'm not saying that at all."

"So try to define me out of that term, you are then saying that I can be discriminated against because I'm a woman. This is the fundamental question," Mrs Belcher replied.

"You're legally a woman but you're not biologically a woman are you?" questioned Shelagh.

"You have no idea what my chromosomal makeup is, or my hormonal makeup... I know my hormonal makeup is almost exactly the same as every natal woman out there," the Lib Dem hit back.