Second Welsh police force to change policy on trans staff using female facilities

Martin Shipton

A second Welsh police force has confirmed that it intends to change its policy on trans members of staff accessing toilets, changing rooms and showers.

Earlier this month Gwent Police said it would no longer allow trans women who are biological males to use such female facilities.

The decision followed a threat from the gender-critical Women’s Rights Network (WRN) to take the force to court unless the policy was changed in the light of last year’s Supreme Court ruling that the definition of women in the Equality Act 2010 relates to biological women.

Now South Wales Police has indicated its intention to pursue the same course.

WRN stated on its X account: “Yet another Welsh police force is dragged towards legal compliance by grassroots women.

“@swpolice also operated an unlawful ‘Transgender and Gender Reassignment policy’ which allowed access by men into women’s showers, changing rooms and toilets.

“Astonishingly, they made NO ATTEMPT to change this until WRN Wales reminded them of their legal obligations.”

The group said a Freedom of Information request had uncovered the force’s policy, which stated: “Use of single gender facilities: from the point that the individual declares that they are living and working in that gender, an individual can use the toilet and changing facilities appropriate to their acquired gender.”

WRN said it subsequently wrote to South Wales Police challenging the policy and that the force withdrew it within days of receiving the letter.

The group added: “SUCCESS! OR IS IT? South Wales Police claim to be ‘reviewing’ their policy and will bring a new one in after ‘consultation’ with staff groups.

“We are frankly sick of hearing this. They should just comply with the law. This is just kicking the rights of their brave female officers, staff and visitors into the long grass.”

WRN also criticised a reference in the force’s correspondence to “ECHR guidance”, saying: “Your letter to us refers to the ‘ECHR’ guidance – that’s the European Court of Human Rights. We think you meant the EHRC guidance (Equality and Human Rights Commission).”

Ceri Rosser, deputy coordinator of Wales WRN, said: “Once again, it falls to grassroots campaigning women’s groups to make the police follow the law.

“Police forces should not have to be told that their policies are unlawful and that they are breaching the legal rights of women, yet here we are once again.”

Supreme Court judgement

She said South Wales Police should have reviewed its policies and practices following the Supreme Court judgment.

Ms Rosser added: “The police service wants women and girls to believe that they take our safety and violence against us seriously and that it is a priority for them.

“That assurance is an entirely empty one, when they display such ignorance and arrogance regarding our basic legal rights.”

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