Top UK university under fire over anti-trans ‘single-sex toilets’ proposal

The University of Warwick has come under fire after it briefly updated a policy regarding which toilets trans people could – and could not – use.

Students at the University of Warwick voiced their anger when a Trans Inclusion Code of Conduct policy was updated, forcing transgender undergraduates and staff to use either gender-neutral toilets or those consistent with their sex at birth. The policy is now “under review”.

Shared on Reddit, the policy reportedly read that trans people “may use facilities – such as toilets and changing rooms – that are (1) identified as those for the trans person’s sex assigned at birth, or (2) that are identified as gender neutral”.

It went on to say transgender people could “not use single-sex spaces identified as being for the gender that is not their sex assigned at birth”.

It comes after the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) published interim guidance based on the UK Supreme Court’s definition of a woman in the 2010 Equality Act, which was ruled to apply only to “biological women”.

The EHRC guidance, which is non-statutory and cannot be legally enforced, called for trans people to be banned from all gendered public facilities, including those consistent with their birth sex.

The University of Warwick’s website currently states that “The Trans Code of Conduct is currently under review.”

PinkNews has contacted the University of Warwick for comment.

The webpage currently has two available documents, both of which urge staff to ensure trans students feel “supported”.

University policy change ‘not good,’ says trans student

Sharing the reported changes in a Reddit post on Tuesday (13 May), one student said the changes were “not good” and shocking for a university that “apparently prides itself on diversity and inclusion”.

Members of the public accused the university of “pink-washing,” claiming that any previous content supporting trans people would be irrelevant if the changes were implemented.

“I want to know where the policy for cis people is,” one user wrote. “Can people use any toilets now, unless they are trans?”

Others claimed that transgender students, lecturers and other members of staff were not required to follow the policy because it was currently unavailable and not legally enforceable, with one person saying: “Don’t comply, it’s not the law.”

Another recommended that students contact the University and College Union (UCU), which said in April that it stood “committed” to fight trans and LGBTQ+ discrimination.

The union, which represents more than 120,000 academic staff in the UK, added that its policy of “proudly and actively” supporting trans rights “remains clear.”

A UCU spokesperson said: “We will be taking time to carefully consider how we can best advocate for the most inclusive policies and practices across our workplaces. This will include listening to, and learning from our, members, especially those with lived experience, to ensure that our approach is as informed, effective and inclusive as possible.”

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