‘We have to tackle these problems at their roots’

Billy Jones, Gloucestershire Socialist Party

Following last year’s Supreme Court ruling against trans peoples’ rights, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has published guidance which can be used to restrict trans people from accessing single-sex spaces.

On Saturday 30 May a newly formed group called Trans Liberation Gloucestershire organised a protest against the new guidance. It drew around 75 people, with members of the public stopping by and joining in too.

Several members of the Socialist Party went along, and I was invited to make a speech. We raised how the establishment has been using trans people as a scapegoat for the crises that capitalism creates: the crisis in our NHS, the crisis in the housing market, and cuts that affect our whole communities.

Already the way the ruling and guidance has been used has emboldened a layer to attack the trans community, including through violence and intimidation. We said that the only way we can tackle these issues is by organising collectively, which involves bringing community groups and unions into the fold. Our ideas were met with a good reception, and we helped collect the names of those who are interested in joining in further action.

One of the organisers spoke to us, saying: “I was pleasantly surprised with how engaged the people of Cheltenham are with our ideas. Trans people face austerity very sharply – we’re twice as likely to be unemployed, and have difficulty accessing housing, not to mention lifesaving medical care.

“The goal of our group isn’t just to tackle these issues on the surface, but to stop them at their roots. Ultimately, the root cause of all these issues is the capitalist system and the ruling class.”