1. “If ‘woman’ doesn’t mean biological female, women’s rights lose meaning.”

It is understandable to feel that the word “woman” needs a clear definition. The Equality Act protects both sex and gender reassignment, meaning women’s rights remain protected, and trans people’s rights are also protected¹. The Act does not erase protections for women but clarifies how they coexist with protections for others.

2. “The local Trades Union Council called the ruling hateful and ‘anti-trans’.”

Trade unions are designed to protect workers, particularly those facing discrimination. Supporting trans rights does not erase support for women’s rights. For example, a union can defend a woman facing sexist treatment while also defending a trans woman who experiences harassment at work². Both require protection.

3. “Hastings Women’s Voice said ‘there is no feminism without trans women’.”

Feminism has a history of exclusion that it later corrected. In the early women’s movement, women of colour and working-class women were often marginalised³. In the 1970s, lesbians were dismissed as the “lavender menace” before later being recognised as integral to the feminist movement⁴. Each time, feminism became stronger through inclusion. Including trans women today follows this same pattern, recognising that they too face sexism and violence.

4. “Women who speak out are bullied, smeared and shut down.”

Bullying and threats are unacceptable. Women and trans people alike deserve respectful discussion, not smears or abuse.

5. “Biological sex does matter. That’s why single sex services exist.”

Biological sex is important in healthcare and safeguarding. However, violence against women overwhelmingly comes from cisgender men, not trans women⁷.

The evidence is clear:
– In the 2021 Census, about 0.5% of people aged 16+ in England and Wales identified as transgender (262,000 people), with Scotland reporting 0.44%⁸.
– Only 0.078% of the trans and non-binary population was incarcerated in 2021, compared with 0.314% of cis men and 0.013% of cis women⁹.
– The Ministry of Justice recorded around 230 trans prisoners in 2022, mostly trans women, out of a prison population of more than 80,000¹⁰.
– In 2023, 78% of those dealt with by the criminal justice system were men and 22% were women¹¹.

Trans people are such a small proportion of the population that they cannot be driving violence statistics. Safeguarding should be based on behaviour and risk, not identity. Services can offer single-sex and gender-neutral options, ensuring safety and dignity for all.

6. “Letting males compete in women’s sport causes real harm.”

Fairness in sport matters, and governing bodies already have policies on trans participation. These are being reviewed as evidence develops¹². Sports vary: some rely on size and strength, others on skill or endurance. Blanket bans are not evidence-based. A fair approach considers each sport individually, protecting women’s sport while avoiding unnecessary exclusion.

7. “The slur ‘TERF’ is openly used to silence women.”

Insults like “TERF” are often experienced as slurs and can silence women, which is wrong¹³. At the same time, the term arises from trans people feeling excluded by arguments that deny their identity. Both misogyny and transphobia are real problems. Respectful debate requires rejecting insults and ensuring both women’s and trans voices are heard.

It also means making sure services are properly funded. Too often, women’s services and trans healthcare are both underfunded, creating competition and resentment. When rape crisis centres, reproductive healthcare, or gender identity clinics are stretched to breaking point, frustration grows. The real issue is not inclusion but a lack of resources. Proper funding is essential to meet the needs of cis women and trans people alike.

8. “Public bodies say ‘it’s complicated.’ It’s not. A woman is an adult human female.”

The law accepts complexity because ignoring it leaves people unprotected. Some live their lives entirely as women but were not born female. They face harassment and violence like other women and need access to services¹⁴. The Equality Act protects both sex and gender reassignment to balance these realities.

9. “By putting males in our spaces, you exclude the women those spaces were built to protect.”

This concern reflects real fears of vulnerable women, particularly survivors of violence. But inclusion of trans women does not automatically mean exclusion of others. Services can provide women-only spaces when needed while also creating gender-neutral options. With care, protection can be offered to both groups¹⁵.

10. “Biology is not bigotry.”

Discussing biology is not hateful. But when biology is used to deny dignity or safety, it becomes harmful. Recognising trans women does not erase biology; it acknowledges an additional layer of experience and protection¹⁶.

Conclusion

History shows feminism has at times excluded women of colour, working-class women, and lesbians. Each time, the movement became stronger by including them. The same is true today. Women’s rights remain protected. Trans rights remain protected. The real task is to make fairness, dignity, and safety a reality for all women — including trans women — without division.

Endnotes

1. Equality Act 2010, Schedule 3 (UK Government).

2. Trades Union Congress, Supporting Trans Workers (2022).

3. bell hooks, Ain’t I a Woman? (1981).

4. Susan Brownmiller, In Our Time: Memoir of a Revolution (1999).

6. Office for National Statistics, Crime Survey for England and Wales (2023).

7. ONS, Census 2021: Gender Identity in England and Wales (2023); National Records of Scotland, Census 2022 (2024).

8. TransLucent, Transgender People, Crime and Prisons in the UK (2021).

9. Ministry of Justice, Safety of Transgender Prisoners Policy Review (2022).

10. UK Government, Women and the Criminal Justice System 2023 (gov.uk).

11. International Olympic Committee, Framework on Fairness, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination (2021).

12. The Independent, “Debate over the term TERF and free speech” (2019).

13. Equality and Human Rights Commission, Technical Guidance on the Equality Act (2020).

14. Stonewall, Supporting Trans People in Single-Sex Services (2021).

15. World Health Organization, Gender and Health (2020).

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DOGS PERMITTED RETURN TO OLD TOWN BEACHES IN SUMMER

At last night’s meeting, our all-Green cabinet voted unanimously to uphold the results of the dog PSPO consultation, which saw Option 2 – removing the exclusion zone from both Rock-a-Nore and Stade beaches – favoured by 64% of respondents. The news heralded applause from members of the public who were in attendance.

Officers remarked that this consultation had seen an unprecedented interest with 2850 respondents – the council’s biggest consultation to date. However it was noted that this still only represents 2.5% of the borough’s total population. Cllr Adele Bates, whose portfolio includes Community Engagement, asked what could be learned from the relative success, and officers replied that they had used “local networks”, such as the Coastal Users Group, to help spread the word, along with seafront posters advertising the consultation.

Deputy Leader Glenn Haffenden commented,

“This issue is very specific. With the changes we’re making to the way we hold consultations, I’m hopeful that, for issues that impact a wider proportion of the population, such as the Corporate Plan, we’ll see an even greater engagement.”

FINANCE

Other items on the agenda included an update from Finance that the recent Government budget would cost the council an extra £250,000 for employer’s National Insurance. Leader of the Council, Julia Hilton, noted that no change to the Local Housing Allowance was a “huge gap in the budget”. Julia remarked,

“There is no rental housing available in Hastings at LHA rates. This will have a real detrimental impact on our residents.”

Cabinet also agreed to new local fees and charges, with many areas seeing little or no increase. Green Leader Julia Hilton said,

“The removal of charges for charity and community hire of our event spaces is most welcome”.

Cllr Darren Mackenzie, lead member on Finance, explained that the council were taking a different approach by conducting a “sensitivity analysis” of their rates to “strike the balance between ensuring financial stability and considering the needs of the town.”

PERFORMANCE

Cabinet welcomed the council’s new, easier-to-view performance monitoring dashboard, which is available on the council’s website for everyone to view.

Cllr Bates commented that it was “much easier to read” and Cllr Mark Etherington praised the team, stating, “this really improves our transparency”. You can view the dashboard here.

GET INVOLVED

30 minutes of each cabinet meeting are reserved for public questions – come along and ask yours!

The post Cabinet Update 4 Nov 24 appeared first on Hastings Green Party.

Hastings is a proud community of sanctuary and embraces people of all races and faiths: there is no place for hatred, racism, or fascism in our town. Hastings Greens stand side-by-side with every person who feels the threat of these attacks. 

We support our police and emergency services who are working to protect our communities, and we commend and support all our volunteer organisations and individuals who are working to bring our communities together, to prevent division and hatred from taking hold here in Hastings.

As a political party, we are horrified that some politicians, as well as media commentators, have sought to justify and excuse this violence. There is no excuse for such acts. The rise of far-right fascism has been fueled by toxic and divisive rhetoric used within the previous government. For too long, people seeking asylum here have been used as a convenient diversion from the real truth: that austerity has shredded the fabric of our society, whilst lining the purses of the super-wealthy. It is therefore imperative that this new Government calls for Ministers to unite and condemn these attacks on our civil, peaceful democracy. We urge our MP and Government to call it what it is: it is not ‘protest’. Nor is it simply ‘thuggery’: these are organised, racist, political acts of terror, incited by those with fascist ideology and designed to create fear, division and oppression within our society. 

Hastings Greens say No to Fascism. We call for all perpetrators to face the full force of the law. 

Please join us at the Stand Up to Racism rally this Saturday 10th August in Hastings town centre (outside Owens) at 12pm.

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