Congress motions

Motion

Motion title

Composite: UCU's Commitment to Trans Rights

Session

2024-2025

Meeting link

Annual Congress

Meeting date

26 May 2025

Status

Carried

Motion

44

Motion text

Congress notes:
1. UCU’s existing policy on trans and non-binary rights and solidarity including
motions passed at Congress 2021- 2024.
2. Supreme Court ruling 16th April declares sex in the Equality Act 2010 refers
to sex assigned at birth and undefined term “biological”.
3. Bridget Phillipson stated 22nd April people must use single sex spaces
according to sex assigned at birth.
4. No guidance given for intersex people.
5. Supreme Court ruling allows for exclusion of transmasculine, nonbinary and
intersex people from all single sex spaces.
6. EHRC Guidance 24th April is incoherent, unimplementable and
discriminatory.
7. Oppression often comes in small steps and starts with blaming a minority for
violence they receive
Congress believes:
a. The ruling contradicts current practices at most post-16 institutions, which
allow all staff to use the gendered spaces appropriate to them.
b. The ruling contradicts human rights and dignity of trans and other genderdiverse staff and encourages discrimination, harassment, hate crimes.
c. the category of ‘Woman’ is used by the Supreme Court to harass trans
people
d. UCU's trans-inclusive position should be reaffirmed, promoted and
strengthened in the face of this concerted attack on trans people.
e. to reduce the definition of women to pregnancy is reactionary and
misogynist
Congress resolves to:
i. issue a statement to members and across social media accounts expressing
concern at the Supreme Court ruling and reaffirming our steadfast
commitment to defending trans people.
ii. Call on employers to support the right to use gendered facilities which
match gender identities.
ii. Call on employers to develop and implement trans-inclusive policies as a
matter of urgency.
iii. Support and call on members to attend all local/national protests, rallies and
activities for trans rights
iv. Support local, regional, and national groups who are mobilising against this
ruling, as well as the rising persecution of trans people both nationally and
internationally.
iv. Urgently issue guidance to branches on supporting trans rights.

Proposing body

Southern regional committee, Liverpool John Moores University, University of Liverpool, Royal College of Art

Amended

No

Allocated to

Equality committee

Notes