Open Letter to the Bassetlaw District Council in Defence of Trans Residents

As residents of Bassetlaw and other concerned citizens, we write to express our profound and unequivocal opposition to Reform UK’s motion, scheduled to be considered at the Bassetlaw District Council’s Extraordinary Meeting on 3 February 2026.

Equalities law does not require the blanket exclusion of trans people from services, nor does it mandate the rigid, universal approach proposed in this motion. By presenting a contested and partial interpretation of the law as settled and unequivocal, the motion risks encouraging unlawful and discriminatory practice.

The motion, misleadingly entitled “Defending Women’s Privacy, Dignity, and Safety Across Bassetlaw,” claims that the Supreme Court has “reaffirmed” sex as an immutable legal category, and as the sole basis under which access to women’s services is established. The motion proposes that the Council formally implement this interpretation across all Council buildings, services, commissioned activities, policies, staff training, and public guidance. It would require the Council to introduce a blanket policy restricting access to all women’s spaces exclusively to cisgender residents, to revise safeguarding and intimate-care policies accordingly, and to publicly frame the exclusion of trans women from these spaces as a necessary and foundational act of protection. This framing is deeply misleading.

Moreover, the motion is built upon an unfounded and harmful narrative that positions transgender women as a threat to women’s safety. The overwhelming majority of violence against women and girls is perpetrated by cisgender men, not trans people. Conflating transgender women with male violence diverts attention from the real and pressing issues facing women and girls: misogyny, harassment, domestic abuse, and systemic male violence. These are all deeply serious problems that require proper resourcing, specialist support services, prevention work, education, and sustained action. Reform UK’s motion delivers none of these. Instead, it targets a small and marginalised minority, many of whom are themselves survivors of violence and abuse, and places them at greater risk of harm by legitimising their exclusion and encouraging hostility against them.

We are appalled by the continued demonisation and dehumanisation of the transgender community implicit in this proposal. We strongly oppose any attempt to vilify transgender residents, who are simply seeking to live their lives in safety and with dignity. We urge Bassetlaw District Council to reject this motion in full and to reaffirm its commitment to upholding the rights and equal protection of all residents of Bassetlaw.

This letter is open to anyone who wishes to sign, but we would particularly encourage residents in Bassetlaw to add their name to the letter. We would also ask that concerned residents contact their local district councillors to express their opposition to this motion. Template emails/letters can be found here.