LGBT+ Liberal Democrats 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

@pluslibdems.bsky.social

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The Liberal Democrats party body for gender and sexual minorities. Campaigning for equality. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ Promoted by LGBT+ Lib Dems, 66 Buckingham Gate, SW1E 6AU. 👉 lgbt.libdems.org.uk

[The first page of a letter on House of Commons headed paper to the Rt. Hon. Bridget Phillipson MP at her Cabinet Office address, with a footer indicating Marie Goldman MP's email address.]

The letter reads:
Dear Bridget,

Re: the EHRC's statutory Code of Practice

The EHRC's new Code of Practice was supposed to give people and organisations clear and workable guidance to protect everyone from discrimination, harassment and victimisation. After studying it carefully, I'm afraid we have to conclude that it has failed that test.

We have heard from many people across our society who are deeply concerned about what it will mean for them as they go about their daily lives. We have also heard from businesses and charities who still don't see how they are supposed to implement the code while complying with their existing duties to customers, clients, and staff.

These concerns are naturally most acute among trans, non-binary and intersex people. They understandably fear that this guidance could lead to them being shut out of vital services and unable to go about their daily lives. As the government's own impact assessment says, "trans people could be barred from the space aligned with their gender and the space aligned with their birth sex, effectively leaving them with no service at all." They are also concerned at the risk of being forced to out themselves unnecessarily, and the increased threat of being harassed, abused and attacked just for being who they are.

But the risks of this guidance go much further. We have heard from many women who fear the rise of "gender policing", where they are accused of not looking "feminine enough" and challenged to "prove" their sex - just to access the women's services and facilities that are their hard-won right.

Machester City Councillor Chris Northwood interviews Lib Dem party leader Sir Ed Davey MP on the party's work on trans+ rights, in the aftermath of the Supreme Court ruling.

The Minister must ensure that the new guidance is workable and inclusive. The Liberal Democrats will accept nothing less.

It must lay out how it will protect the dignity, safety and rights of all, and ensure that trans people are not prevented from participating in public life because there are no facilities that they can safely use.

It is also essential that the guidance is subject to full parliamentary scrutiny. It must have a full debate and free vote.

Marie Goldman
Women & Equalities Spokesperson

A picture from the 2023 Spring Conference of Ed Davey smiling and signing a 'Trans Rights are Human Rights' placard while the people staffing the stall look on.

A screenclip from The Good Law Project with the text:

"But Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrts, also came and met with us, and appeared on the Trans Mission stage. His, and the Lib Dems', commitment to trans people is no less secure and no less profound."

Below is a picture of Jolyon Maugham talking to Zack Polanski back-stage on the left, and one of JM talking with Ed Davey on the main Trans Mission on the right. In his picture, Ed is midway through gesturing with both hands while addressing the crowd.

LGBT+ Lib Dems back calls from Lib Dem MPs to propose amendments to the Equality Act that protect trans rights, and ensure that trans people have a voice in that process.

Lib Dem MP Marie Goldman is right when she says trans rights and women's rights are not in competition.

This has to be agreed cross-party, so please contact your MP and back the Lib Dems in asking for amendments to protect trans rights now.

Josh Babarinde, MP for Eastbourne, asks:
"Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance, yet it is also the day when leaked Equalities and Human Rights Commission guidance on single-sex services has indicated, shockingly, that people could be challenged on their sex because of their appearance, behaviour or concerns by others and turned away if there is any doubt that they are telling the truth”.

That would unacceptably result in trans and non-binary people—and potentially anyone—being questioned because of how they look, and it would be unworkable for businesses and service providers. Will the Government commit to putting a workable and inclusive proposal before the House so that the Liberal Democrats can protect hard-won rights and dignity?"

The response from the government spokesperson is to wish him congratulations on his recent engagement, state that the government "respects the court judgement", and is keen to bring proposals "at the earliest opportunity" for the House to discuss.

Today is a day to remember those we have lost in the fight against bigotry and hate. We will always remember their names, and let us never stop fighting in their memory.

Transgender Day of Remembrance

Statement on the Suspension of Trans-Inclusive Quotas
19 Nov 2025

"We are disappointed that, due to legal pressure from transphobic campaign groups following the For Woman Scotland decision, two eminently reasonable quotas in our party's election regulations have been suspended. These suspensions are profoundly anti-queer, anti-trans and anti-feminist, and those threatening to sue clearly care about trans exclusion and not women’s liberation.

Several months ago, well before the elections, we advised the party that we supported the existing trans-inclusive gender quotas and that the only viable alternative in the face of legal threats would be to suspend gender quotas, despite this being completely against our values. The attempt to instead third-space trans people has wasted a huge amount of staff and volunteer time and effort, not to mention money that should have been spent on Liberal Democrat campaigning.

We continue to advocate for changing the law to reverse the effects of the For Women Scotland decision. We are also working across the party to develop constitutional proposals to bring back the suspended quotas, particularly the LGBT+ quota, to the fullest extent possible."

LGBT+ Liberal Democrats Executive Comittee

Statement from LGBT+ Liberal Democrats:
The Co-Chair of the LGBT+ Liberal Democrats recently had the opportunity to meet with the barrister who issued the legal advice underpinning the Returning Officer’s decision to make the party’s gender quotas trans-exclusionary.
The KC had advised that, after nominations for the internal elections closed, no legal avenue would remain available for either keeping gender quotas trans-inclusive or suspending them. Other legal experts take a quite different view, and this raises concerns about the party’s position.
LGBT+ Liberal Democrats:
• Thank the candidates and AOs that stand alongside us in this struggle.
• Believe that it is completely unacceptable that the decision to modify gender quotas was delayed until after the close of nominations, restricting the party's options according to their own legal advice.
• Believe that UK law must be changed to restore the rights of trans people, in line with the original intent of the Equality Act 2010, as described by its drafters, and in line with the Goodwin v UK (2002) decision.
• Welcome efforts by trans and non-binary members and their allies to test the party's position via the party’s internal appeals processes, and, if necessary, through legal action. We await the full detail of today’s FAP decision.
• Will work across the party over the coming weeks and months to develop constitutional proposals that secure trans-inclusive gender quotas and ensure trans-exclusionary gender quotas can never again be imposed.
LGBT+ Liberal Democrats remain committed to fighting to secure the liberty and dignity of trans and non-binary people in the UK, and to fighting to uphold the will of Conference within our own party.

November 8th 2025
Intersex Solidarity Day
Background: Intersex flag flying

Screenclip of an email from the Returning Officer to candidates in the Lib Dem internal elections, setting out how gender and sex-assigned-at-birth data interact with the new "interpretation" of the gender quotas.

The email includes a table showing how different combinations of gender and SAAB data will interact with the diversity quotas, showing that candidates the party knows to be non-binary or trans will be included in the Article 2.6 quota rather than the gender quota in Article 2.5.

The text of our thread on an image of Big Ben with a rainbow and a trans flag.

"The Council of Europe has warned that the UK gov's treatment of trans people may well breach human rights law. This must be a wake up call. We've seen an increase in hostility towards trans in recent years. Everyone deserves dignity, safety, & respect - that includes trans people." - Tom Gordon, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough

A picture of a huge crowd of Lib Dems, including Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP and various MPs, standing outside the Brighton Centre, which has a huge Liberal Democrats decal on the main windows, all holding an enormous Trans Pride flag in the sunshine, at their Autumn Conference in 2024.

Text of an email response to a censored @dailymail.co.uk address. It states in summary that because the Daily Mail is one of the main protagonists of the anti-trans movement in British media, our co-chair has no faith that any response will be presented in a fair or balanced manner, and declines to comment further.

It is significantly politer than the first initial draft.

A black and white photograph of a young Alan Turing, looking thoughtfully off to the left, wearing a jacket, shirt and tie, and with a side parting.

The collapsed Tretten timber bridge in Norway. A wide, turquoise river with green banks with pine trees and scattered buildings is crossed by a road bridge with a large wooden frame, which has collapsed into sections with a car sticking sadly out of one end, causing whitewater downstream in the river. No-one was hurt in the collapse and the car drivers involved were both rescued.

A low-resolution picture of page 3 of today's Financial Times, a paper famously printed on slightly pink paper. The main headline is 'Lib Dems chase 'big opportunity' in push for Tory rout in southern shires', with the subtitle 'Leader Davey hopes party will be major beneficiary of discontent with Labour and Conservatives' just visible. A very large picture is in the centre, of a besuited Sir Ed Davey MP walking down a village lane in bright sunshine, alongside a woman wearing sunglasses, a red short-sleeved top, a black skirt and leggings, and brown boots.

A picture of a diverse group of smiling Liberal Democrats waving placard in the colours of the trans flag, saying 'Trans Women Are Women', 'Trans Men Are Men', and 'Trans Rights Are Human Rights'. Most of the placards have a rainbow Lib Dem bird-of-liberty in the corner, and the woman on the right is carrying a very large trans flag on a pole. In the centre of the group are an older woman and a smiling woman in a wheelchair.

A picture of Helen Belcher smiling in front of Pangbourne Bridge. Helen is a smiling woman with long, dark reddish hair, dangly blue earrings and a ruffled blue top, with a trailing ochre scarf. In the background is a long, ornate white bridge over a river, beyond a green meadow.

A picture of Sarah Dyke MP in front of an ornate carved fireplace of stone, tiles and wrought iron. She's a smiling woman with shortish dark blonde hair, wearing a bright pink jacket over a white blouse. On the lapel of her jacket is a white ribbon commemorating violence against women, and a red ribbon commemorating World Aids Day.

A picture of Layla Moran MP cheering in front of a large Liberal Democrat diamond placard. Layla is a slim woman with curly black hair held back by a rainbow bandana. She's wearing glasses and large stylish teardrop-hoop earrings in Palestinian colours, and a yellow shirt over blue dungarees. She has a yellow bag with a patterned white strap and is beaming and waving a rainbow flag. There's a crowd of other Lib Dems behind her, as they walk past Oxford's Radcliffe Camera.

A portrait picture of Liz Barker, Baroness Barker of Angach in Highland. She's a smiling woman with horn-rimmed glasses, short flyaway salt-and-pepper hair, and a twinkle in her eye. She is wearing dangly earrings and a rich pink shirt with the top couple of buttons undone. On her left chest is a poppy brooch in rainbow colours.

The words 'Happy Lesbian Visibility Week #LVW25' in white and dark purple on the colours of the Lesbian flag, with a pink nail-varnished white hand holding a Lesbian flag against a bright blue sky in the background. On the top is a black banner with the Lib Dem bird-of-liberty in Lesbian colours.

A collage of photos showing Liberal Democrats at trans rights rallies in London, Manchester, Reading, and Edinburgh. Supporters hold signs saying “Trans Rights Are Human Rights” and wear flags representing the trans and LGBTQ+ communities. Each photo is labelled with the city name. The bottom banner reads “Lib Dems Stand for Trans Rights” in bold text on a pink and blue gradient background.

LGBT+ LIB DEMS STATEMENT
On the Supreme Court ruling, 16/04/25

Like many, we are disappointed and deeply concerned by today’s Supreme Court judgement, which marks a significant and troubling shift away from decades of settled legal precedent.
By redefining sex in law as “biological” — a term with no clear legal or scientific consensus, and one that does not reflect the lived realities of many people, the ruling introduces confusion and instability into our legal system, which has treated “sex” and “gender” as interchangeable for decades.
We are concerned that this creates an unsatisfactory ambiguity around how people with various endocrine and intersex conditions should be treated, how Gender Recognition Certificates can be obtained and given their intended force in law, and many other areas.
This ruling undermines established protections for trans+ people. Attempts to define sex biologically risk rolling back hard-won rights for all women, not just trans+ women, which is why Liberal Democrats oppose them.
However, nothing in this judgement means that trans+ women can or should be regularly excluded from women's services and spaces. The law still says that trans+ people should not be excluded without a proportionate and legitimate reason.
(Continues - )

A screenclip of a WhatsApp notification from Lib Dem Newswire (#1), the icon for which is the letters L D N, with the N in yellow, in a speech bubble in yellow parentheses, on a background of fine white and black lines. The visible text of the notification reads: "~Mark Pack: [abacus emoji] Ed Davey comes out..." with 8 unread messages from 08:17.

An orange-to-pink fade background over a picture of people cheering with signs. In bold pink at the top, the text:
29TH MARCH
Today, we celebrate the anniversary of same-sex marriages in England and Wales - a landmark victory for equality and love.

And underneath, in white, the text:

The Liberal Democrats were instrumental in making this a reality, with Lynne Featherstone leading the charge as Equalities Minister to deliver the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act.
Thanks to Lynne, dedicated campaigners and activists, and the Liberal Democrats' commitment to equality, many LGBTQ+ people won the right to marry the person they love. While there is still more to do, this anniversary reminds us of the progress we can achieve when we stand up for equality and inclusion.

A statement titled "Cross-Party Statement on Wes Streeting’s Engagement with Anti-Trans Groups" expresses disappointment over Wes Streeting’s meeting with the Bayswater Group and other organisations advocating for anti-LGBTQIA+ conversion practices. The statement criticises Streeting and the UK Labour government for failing to work in good faith with LGBTQIA+ groups. It highlights concerns about the Bayswater Group’s actions in blocking a Conversion Practices Ban and mentions trans young people’s pleas regarding puberty blockers. It also condemns Streeting’s support for the Cass Review, which is described as flawed and influenced by anti-LGBTQIA+ groups. The statement concludes with a call for Streeting to resign as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. It is signed by Rainbow Greens, LGBTQIA+ Greens, LGBT+ Liberal Democrats, and Out For Independence. The image includes logos of these organisations at the bottom.

Text reading:
The decision to ban puberty blockers across the UK, by the Westminster Labour Government and the Northern Ireland Executive, is incredibly distressing and dangerous. Putting thousands of young trans people at immense risk.

We have seen young trans people scale buildings, march in the streets, and camp outside England’s Department for Education, for days on end. And for almost a hundred days, left paper coffins outside the constituency office of the UK’s Health Secretary, Labour MP Wes Streeting, warning him of the dangers of a ban.

And despite urgent pleas by trans people. It was ignored. The inhumanity of weaponising the healthcare of marginalised young people, putting lives at risk, is unforgivable.