Hundreds of trans people and their allies gathered in Parliament today to urge the Burnham government to legislate in defence of trans equality, sharing personal accounts of the impact they say has followed the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of sex and subsequent guidance issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
Organisers said almost 1,000 people signed up to take part in the mass lobby, with queues stretching along both sides of the road outside Westminster as attendees waited to enter Parliament.
Unlike a traditional protest, a mass lobby brings constituents together inside Parliament to meet their MPs simultaneously and raise concerns on the same issue, sending what organisers describe as a powerful collective message.
The event was organised by the Trans+ Solidarity Alliance, which is calling on the government to introduce legislation to address what it describes as the harmful consequences of the Supreme Court judgment for trans people's everyday lives.
During the lobby, constituents shared experiences of exclusion, harassment and anxiety, while many later wrote messages to the Prime Minister in a giant card bearing the message: "Farewell to Britain's standing on LGBTQ+ rights".
Alfie Bailey-Bearfield, advocacy lead at Trans+ Solidarity Alliance, said: "Hundreds of us have turned up in Parliament today with a clear message for the Burnham government: the current situation for trans people is dangerous and unacceptable, and the government must fix it.
"Trans people are being excluded from vital aspects of everyday life and put at risk using necessary services. We have heard so many awful stories of people afraid of seeing friends or accessing essential healthcare after the EHRC's unjust and unworkable guidance.
"Today's mass lobby has been a huge outpouring of support for trans equality, urging politicians to hear how bad things have become and act urgently."
Labour MP Nadia Whittome backed the campaign, saying the current situation was preventing trans people from living with dignity and leaving them vulnerable to harassment. "It is vital that Parliamentarians listen to the experiences of their trans constituents and those who care about them, so I'm thrilled that hundreds of people have come to Parliament today to make their voices heard," she said.
"I hope this will help more MPs to understand how harmful and unsustainable this situation is and put pressure on the government to legislate for trans inclusion."
Green Party MP Siân Berry also voiced support for the lobby, highlighting concerns raised by constituents in Brighton Pavilion. "It is so important to hear from my trans constituents and the masses of inclusive organisations in Brighton Pavilion who will all suffer from the current onslaught of attacks against trans people," she said.
"The harm being caused needs to be fully understood by the Government, and I have told the Chair of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission that she needs to come to Brighton and see the impacts for herself.
"There remain serious issues for Parliament to resolve, to make legal and practical gender recognition for trans people a reality again in the UK."
Among those attending was Carly, 53, from Buckinghamshire, who described the current situation as "the biggest rollback on the rights of any minority in my lifetime".
The mass lobby comes amid continuing debate over the implications of the Supreme Court ruling and the EHRC's subsequent guidance, with campaigners calling for legal protections to ensure trans people can continue to access services and participate fully in public life.
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