Hampstead Heath ponds to remain trans-inclusive!

The High Court has refused the anti-trans campaign group Sex Matters permission to challenge trans inclusion at Hampstead Heath ponds.

Sex Matters were refused permission on the basis that their challenge was premature, given a consultation being undertaken by the City of London - the results of which, published today, shows that 86% of respondents wanted the ponds to remain trans inclusive.

This decision is a major setback for Sex Matters, which raised more than £65,000 to try and force the pond to ban trans women - despite the overwhelming support for trans inclusion. The group was also trying to ban trans men from using the men’s pond.

The court’s decision will come as a relief to the 14,000 people who campaigned to keep the pond inclusive, as well as the many people - both cis and trans - who swim regularly in the pond and spoke to Good Law Project about the valuable role the pond plays in community life.

Jess O’Thomson, trans rights lead at Good Law Project, said: “Despite their supposed victory in the Supreme Court last April, anti-trans campaigners like Sex Matters have encountered failure after failure in their attempts to use the law to bully trans people out of public life.

"The reason for that is clear – as the overwhelming support for trans inclusion in the City of London’s consultation shows, people in this country want to be inclusive, and trans people have been welcomed in these spaces for decades.”

Trans human rights advocacy group Trans+ Solidarity Alliance called on government to protect inclusive norms from expensive legal claims - as majority back inclusion in consultation. The organisation said: "It’s a shame that yet more public money has had to be spent defending against endless lawfare from a vocal, well-funded minority trying to force trans people out. 

“Trans inclusion is the norm across the country, and this government needs to act to ensure clarity and confidence for service providers to continue this without leaving them at risk of expensive litigation.”

Good Law Project has said that if Sex Matters attempts to bring another challenge, "we’re ready to intervene", adding "We want to make sure the voices of those who want the ponds to remain inclusive are heard in court".