I was responsible for leading Plymouth’s Violence Against Women and Girls Commission, so I know how important it is to protect female-only spaces.
It is right that we have in place provisions and protections for those whose sense of self does not match their biological sex. This is fair and compassionate. However, it is important not to allow the safety and privacy of women and girls to be undermined. It has been more than a decade since the Equality Act was passed by a Labour Government. It has not kept pace with evolving interpretations and is not sufficiently clear on when it means sex and when it means gender. The next Conservative Government will introduce primary legislation to clarify that the protected characteristic of sex in the Equality Act means biological sex. This will guarantee that single-sex services and single-sex spaces can be provided, for example in healthcare and sports settings, to ensure women and girls are protected.
We will also complete the implementation of the Cass Review, protecting young people questioning their gender from ideologically driven care and ensuring that NHS services follow evidence-based best practices. We have already stopped the routine use by the NHS of puberty blockers for gender dysphoria and will legislate to permanently prevent their private prescription and supply.
