Gwent Police has rescinded a policy that permitted transgender officers to use toilets and changing rooms corresponding to their gender presentation, following a threat of legal action and updated guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
The force had previously stated that "trans members of staff are entitled to use the facilities of the gender in which they present," a stance that drew criticism for potentially breaching new equality guidance. The EHRC's updated code of practice, approved by ministers, clarifies that single-sex spaces, such as changing rooms and toilets, should be based on biological sex, and transgender individuals should be offered gender-neutral facilities.
This development follows a Supreme Court ruling last year that defined a woman under the Equality Act based on biological sex. The Women's Rights Network had threatened legal action against Gwent Police after their Freedom of Information requests revealed the force's policy, which contrasted with guidance from the EHRC. The organization argued that the policy unlawfully denied female officers their legal right to safe and private single-sex facilities.
A spokesperson for Gwent Police stated that the policy was revoked several months ago and that the force is committed to an inclusive workplace. They added that the "Trans Inclusion Policy has been reviewed in light of recent Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) guidance on public spaces, and we await further guidance on workplaces." A revised policy is currently undergoing consultation with staff networks.
Cathy Larkman, Director and National Policing lead with the Women's Rights Network, expressed relief that the unlawful policy was withdrawn but voiced concern that it took a legal threat to compel the change. She emphasized that compliance with the law should not require extensive consultation, stating, "This is not hard to understand. It beggars belief that a police force has to be prompted not to break the law."
Larkman further questioned public trust in a police force that she believes failed to respect the legal rights of its own female officers, calling it an "abject failure of police leadership and a betrayal of precious public trust."