As bad as the Tories: Labour must do better on trans rights

The Labour Party is, let’s face it, going to win the next election, and The Tories have finally committed themselves to opposition with their countless catastrophes. However, criticism of Labour seems to be levelled with support for the Tories… at least that’s what seems to be implied by many Labour supporters I’ve interacted with! 

I’ve even had… the “pleasure” of being told, as a trans person (by a cis man!), that Labour is the lesser of two evils and that if I don’t support them, I’m enabling the Tories.

When I left the Labour Party back in 2020, it was because of two things. One of those was the replies I’d received for daring to suggest Laura Pidcock, newly elected to the NEC, was transphobic; this was on top of the absolute denial I’d had to endure when suggesting there was an issue with transphobia within the party. I have an image of the barrage of comments I received for simply saying there was a problem within the party, but I won’t share it. It’s too difficult to look at. But it reminds me that (at this point) when, not if, Labour do get into power soon, they’ll be no better than the people who came before them on trans rights.
 
It's clear that there is an endemic transphobia problem in politics, and this applies to all parties. No exceptions. As a member of the Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW) I was heartbroken to see that our Scottish counterparts have disaffiliated with us due to the transphobia problem we have. However, I remain hopeful in the knowledge that the leadership of the party have committed to doing better, that transphobic individuals have been either suspended or had privileges (such as being a spokesperson) stripped, and that our leaders are taking a personal, active interest in resolving the issue and meeting with trans members to discuss it further. Compare this to the action, or rather a lack thereof, of Labour and the Conservatives and it becomes clear they don’t care about the issue. This is particularly a problem within Labour because, as the party likely to be in government over the next few years, they’re going to let down so many people within the LGBTQ+ community. To see why this is, you must only look at the words and actions of their frontbench team.

Let’s start with their lead on equalities: Anneliese Dodds. On the one hand, she’s been very firm that Labour will make reforms to the Gender Recognition Act and she’s herself said that trans rights are human rights. Clearly, this is good… if it were backed up by substantial proof that these words would be matched by actions. Alas, Dodds has problematically disagreed with colleagues in the Labour Party (namely Stella Creasy) by, in an interview, seemed to reduce womanhood to genitalia. Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t one part of the feminist movement about moving away from reducing women to their reproductive organs?

"Anneliese Dodds: Stella Creasy is wrong - a woman can't have a penis"

​Then we have our would-be Health Secretary, Wes Streeting. He’s backed Rosie Duffield as well as JK Rowling, saying we must “empathise” with transphobic perspectives and that trans rights are part of a “debate”. Like his colleague Anneliese Dodds, he’s also reduced trans people to whether they have a penis or vagina. This would be the man in charge of reforms within the NHS, specifically – if Labour were to commit to better trans rights – the man who’d oversee reforming the criminally long waiting lists for gender clinic appointments. How are we meant to trust him to improve things in government when he barely supports trans people in opposition?

Articles in which Wes Streeting supports JK Rowling and calls transphobia a "debate"

​And finally, we have our would-be Chancellor: Rachel Reeves. I’ve always expressed my dislike for Reeves based on her policies: out-Torying the Tories on benefits, using anti-migrant rhetoric, and barely any support for nationalisation at a time when it’s so desperately needed. Not only has Reeves has herself been vocal of her support for Rosie Duffield, she was also the person to defend Keir Starmer visiting the homophobic Jesus House, which he described as a “wonderful example” of a church. Not only has she shown her true colours on trans rights, she’s also seemingly defended our would-be Prime Minister visiting somewhere with a reputation of homophobia and conversion therapy.

Rachel Reeves supporting Rosie Duffield

​To sum it all up, I’m tired. I’m tired of trying to suggest it wouldn’t be much better if Labour got into power for me as a trans person, and all my trans siblings. I’m tired of pointing out the hypocrisy and gall that Labour have on significant days for the LGBTQ+ community in the calendar, when they post a graphic saying they support us but take no substantive action towards sorting out the issues in their own house. I’m tired of being told I’d rather have the monstrous Conservative Party in power because I don’t want Labour in power.