Sunderland Minster backtracks over ‘brazen’ breach of single-sex spaces

Sunderland Minster’s trustees have apologised after the city-centre church was accused of “brazenly encouraging people to break the law” on single-sex spaces.

The church had posted a sign outside its toilets saying “All women are welcome to use these toilets”, over the top of a transgender flag.

A social media post attacked last year’s Supreme Court ruling on the definition of sex and gender, and said that it would ignore the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s recent guidance, which says single-sex spaces must be protected and reserved only for those of the appropriate sex.

Following publicity of the act of defiance, the Minster’s PCC has now apologised and the sign has been taken down.

‘Inclusive’

The original social media post, which has now been removed, stated: “This sign went up in the Minster when the Supreme Court took a narrow biological line on the definition of sex last year. As a proudly Inclusive Church, the implications of this for our transgender sisters and brothers was not tolerable.

“Now that the updated EHRC Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations has reinforced that narrow definition, we would just like to say that the sign is staying up.”

It added that if women are uncomfortable using facilities that men are also allowed to access, they can ask for a member of the clergy or a volunteer to accompany them and stand outside the toilet stall while they use it.

brazenly and foolishly encouraging people to break the law

The church is part of the Inclusive Church Network, and its leader is Clare MacLaren, who has an adult trans son.

Dignity and safety

The post drew significant public backlash, including from Maya Forstater of Sex Matters, who said: “Sunderland Minster is brazenly and foolishly encouraging people to break the law with this sign, and offering a patronising compromise to women who want the law upheld for the sake of privacy, dignity and safety.

“Any woman using the facilities would likely have a case in claiming harassment against the Diocese of Durham, so this just seems like legal action waiting to happen.

“Instead of offering chaperones to women who don’t want to be confronted with men in the ladies’ toilets in accordance with the law, why not offer that service to trans-identifying males who may be uncomfortable using the men’s toilets?”

MacLaren claimed that because the EHRC guidance is not yet statutory, “we are not breaking any law”.

Respect the law

But the PCC met on Monday and has now released its own statement, saying: “The post would not have been supported by the trustees if we had been consulted in advance, nor do we support it retrospectively.

“It is important that we at Sunderland Minster respect the rule of law and the poster has since been removed. The social media post has also been deleted.”

It added that it was reviewing its internal policies and is consulting with the EHRC for advice, and apologised “to those who have been upset in the last week”.

But it also said it “remains comitted to the Inclusive Church network”, which it claims works “to end discrimination and inequality”.

Discriminatory

Leigh Taylor, Director of gender-critical campaign group Conservatives for Women, welcomed the climbdown, saying: “Like many people, I was shocked by Sunderland Minster’s Facebook post about the ladies’ toilets.

“The EHRC draft Code provided the Minster with legal clarity, but it instead used wording that appeared to shame women who were uncomfortable sharing facilities with a trans woman, aka a biological man, while offering no equivalent policy for the gentlemen’s toilets.

“The offer of a chaperone ‘to wait outside the stall until you have safely used our facilities’ further implied risk to women.

this is not inclusive, but exclusive – it excludes people who do not accept the false claims of transgender ideology

“I hope the PCC’s subsequent statement, which steps back from challenging the Supreme Court’s ruling on sex, brings this upsetting and discriminatory approach to an end.”

‘Violation’

Last year, the same church drew attention after it draped its altar with the pro-transgender ‘Progress Pride’ flag, despite this being banned in the Church of England.

The church’s associate priest Jacqui Tyson said at the time “I’m proud to serve in a church that is open to God and open to all”.

But Revd Ian Paul of St Nic’s, Nottingham, said the use of the flag “is a violation of canon law”, explaining: “First, this is not inclusive, but exclusive – it excludes people who do not accept the false claims of transgender ideology.

“Secondly, it distorts and misrepresents the purpose of the Communion table, which is inherently ‘inclusive’ in that it invites all to share in and receive the gifts of bread and wine, which remind us that Jesus died for all.

“The Communion table as it is could not be more inclusive. To suggest that it needs a flag or anything else adding to it to make it more ‘inclusive’ is a serious misunderstanding.”