Kemi Badenoch appears to wear transphobia as a “badge of honour”, a Labour MP has told Parliament.
Richard Quigley, the MP for Isle of Wight West, hit out at politicians who “scapegoat” vulnerable people, during a Westminster Hall debate on Monday.
A spokesman for the Conservative leader said she has “always defended the rights of trans people” and accused Mr Quigley of twisting Mrs Badenoch’s words.
As MPs discussed a petition calling for the ability of trans people to self-identify their legal gender, Mr Quigley said: “It is disheartening to see figures, including the Leader of the Opposition, appear to wear their transphobia almost as a badge of honour.
“In this House we must not forget that our words matter and we can really impact the most vulnerable. I came into politics, and I believe many of us did, to champion minorities and give a voice to the voiceless.
“It is vital that we remember the power we hold, to raise the tone of debate rather than to lower it, to support the vulnerable, not scapegoat them.”
He added: “What concerns me further is the growing narrative that improving trans rights somehow threatens the rights or dignity of women and girls.
“And I am not going to deny that in places such as the prison service there have been troubling examples of individuals playing the system to gain access to women’s spaces. We must acknowledge and address these concerns seriously.
“But when I hear some from the Opposition declare themselves – well, if they were here – champions of women’s rights, I find myself asking, where are they, well, now? Where have they been for the last 15 years?
“When violence against women and girls skyrocketed, where was the legislation? When women’s shelters were chronically underfunded, where was the outrage? When domestic abuse cases surged, whilst court access diminished, where was the action?
“When male perpetrators played the legal system to harass their victims, where was the advocacy? I do not raise these points just to score political points, but rather to prompt reflection.
“If your defence of women’s rights only surfaces in opposition to trans rights, then I question whether it is truly about supporting women, or simply targeting trans people under that guise.”
Intervening, Labour former minister Dame Meg Hillier said: “So many people have been in touch with me, very frightened now, because of this Supreme Court ruling.
“Doesn’t he agree, as he said, we need to speak well here, but the Government needs to make sure that that interim guidance is fast firmed up into proper guidance? Because the interim guidance is causing confusion and fear amongst so many people.”
Mr Quigley said he agreed “entirely” with the MP for Hackney South and Shoreditch, adding: “Words matter.”
A spokesman for Mrs Badenoch said: “Kemi has always defended the rights of trans people, but she has been clear that those rights cannot come at the expense of women and girls.
“This issue has consistently been exploited by people, like Richard Quigley, who seek to misrepresent the law and twist Kemi’s words for their own political gain.
“The Supreme Court judgment has now made the law abundantly clear, and it is what Kemi has argued throughout her political career – that sex is biological.”
Later in the debate, Dame Meg said the Government “may need to step in to resolve” the issues caused by the Supreme Court ruling on the legal definition of a woman.
“The Equality Act itself was well written in order to deal with intersectional issues when they arose, the guidance around it was very clear and this ruling has muddied that,” she said.
Intervening earlier in the debate, Labour MP Will Stone said “we should be doing our utmost to protect the trans community and ensure they have the same rights as everyone else and that they can live in dignity”.
The Swindon North MP added: “What we say in this House matters, it ripples across communities, and regardless of what side you sit on or where you are in the argument, at the centre of that argument are people.”
Labour MP for Sheffield Hallam Olivia Blake said the uncertainty on the issue risked “undermining” gender recognition certificates (GRC).
Ms Blake said: “I’m pleased that Labour committed to making the GRC process simpler in our manifesto, but the recent judgment is very concerning and it risks undermining the existence of these certificates in themselves if we’re not careful, and if the guidance goes the wrong way.”
Conservative shadow equalities minister Mims Davies said: “Every individual should live a life of dignity and be free as to how to live their lives and be safe to do so, and safety has been very much raised today, and rightly should be supported in that. We are a party that is inclusive and focused on equality, and will always stand up for the rights of women and girls too.”
However, she added: “I believe we must ensure that we work for a future where women do not have to fight for their rights every time and nobody has to keep fighting for all of their rights every time.”
Home Office minister Seema Malhotra said accounts of hate crime and transphobia were “a concern to us all”. Ms Malhotra said the Government remained committed to both delivering a trans-inclusive ban on conversion therapy, and the Cass report. However, she said Labour did not believe in self identification.
She said: “We understand these issues must be navigated sensitively. The Government’s position embodies a belief that it is both possible and essential to uphold protections for trans individuals whilst respecting women’s concerns around privacy, safety and dignity.”
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