Women in trans rights row 'shocked' by council ban

Two women's rights campaigners who were barred from a council chamber said they planned to launch a legal challenge as they felt they were "being picked on" for their gender-critical beliefs.

Phoebe Beedell and Wendy Stephenson have been excluded for at least six months after attending a Bristol City Council meeting in November which became confrontational after Green Party councillors waved trans rights placards.

The council, led by Tony Dyer, claimed the women's conduct after the meeting had left some people feeling "intimidated".

Describing the ban as "unbelievable" and "shocking", Dr Beedell said: "They didn't give me the opportunity to say my side of the story".

The row centred on a ruling by the Supreme Court in April that the word "woman" in the Equality Act 2010 refers to biological sex.

The council has a Trans Inclusion and Gender Identity Policy 2023 which is currently "under review" as it awaits updated guidance on single-sex services from the government following the ruling.

Dr Beedell said she had been motivated to attend the meeting after several Green Party councillors walked out of an earlier meeting in September, accusing members of the public of making offensive remarks.

She asked Mr Dyer whether those councillors would listen with "respect, attention and tolerance to the lawfully-expressed views of people they disagree with, including questions and statements from women who have concerns about the erosion and disregard of their hard-won, sex-based rights?"

In response Mr Dyer said the authority listened to all views and concerns raised by citizens.

Dr Beedell said councillors were paid to listen to people with differing legally-held views with respect.

"What I find intimidating is standing up in front of a bunch of strangers and then to have people waving placards theatrically," she added.

"I just thought that's a massive abuse of power.

"There's no law that stops you being offended," she said.

Labour councillor Kaz Self, who is a trans woman, said the Green Party's response had "made the issue worse" by making it more prominent.

She said it had been "difficult" to listen to repeated questions on the same issue.

But she added: "As a politician I think we do need to be able to listen to opinions, even opinions that we don't agree with, so I've now steeled myself to listening to these people and just getting through it."

Mr Dyer has said he backed his Green Party colleagues walking out of the council meetings, suggesting some felt "under attack for their very existence".

Asked whether she believed that trans people should be able to live full and free lives, Dr Beedell said: "Yes, of course, but I am worried about men who say they are women because they're not.

"It's just not fair that men are encroaching on women's spaces. Women are entitled to single sex spaces."

Ms Self said she believed there were spaces for women in Bristol.

"I don't think women are being erased but it does feel to me at the moment that trans people are being attacked for belonging in society," she said.

A spokesperson for the Bristol Green Party has said while members of the public had a right to make statements to the council, councillors also had the right to "feel safe" in the workplace.

In a statement the council said: "[The two individuals] have been advised they will not be permitted to attend full council for six months as a consequence of their intimidating behaviour.

"This is an approach adopted in previous situations where people have sought to intimidate elected representatives in City Hall."

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