We are deeply disappointed to see the CEO of Chwarae Teg use such divisive language, dismissing women who responded to the organisation’s poorly worded tweet yesterday as ‘haters’. We note also that she fails to address any of the valid points raised.
We are very concerned that an organisation set up to address sex-based inequalities appears unable to acknowledge that the barriers women and girls face are due to their sex, not some subjective sense of ‘identity’.
Conflating sex and gender identity leads to the erosion of women’s sex-based rights and protections. If we can’t acknowledge sex, then it becomes impossible to tackle sexism and misogyny.
Dismissing valid and well-founded concerns about this as transphobia is a well-worn tactic to try to silence women and we will not stand for it.
We completely support trans people’s right to live free from discrimination or harassment and as a group they are rightly protected under law. The challenges transwomen face, however, are not the same as those faced by women and we reject any attempt to erase this distinction.
