Tory MP David Davies writes that trans women should use men’s bathrooms in newspaper column
By Ross Semple
Conservative MP David Davies has made a number of shocking and offensive comments about transgender people in a newspaper column.
Davies (not to be confused with Brexit secretary David Davis), who has served as MP for Monmouth in Wales since 2005, took to the South Wales Argus to write a column about transgender rights – something he appears to know very little about.
Addressing the government’s recently-announced consultation on the Gender Recognition Act, Davis wrote: “we cannot consider the rights of transgender people without considering the rights of others.”
The consultation on the Gender Recognition Act, to be published in the Autumn, will look to improve the recognition process and reduce the stigma faced by the trans community. Proposals will include removing the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria before being able to apply for gender recognition and proposing options for reducing the length and intrusiveness of the gender recognition system.
Davies goes on to make a series of offensive statements about trans people, arguing that transgender women are merely men who ‘register’ themselves as women. He also fails to understand the importance of and sensitivity around gender pronouns, opting instead for the highly offensive ‘he/she’.
“If a man decides to register him/herself as a woman, should he/she have the right to use women’s toilets, changing rooms, hospital wards, etc.?” Davies asks. “This would clearly have an impact on the rights of women using those facilities.
“Some might say I am on the “wrong side of history” and “bigoted”. But I would maintain that anyone in possession of male genitalia should be expected to use male facilities regardless of what gender they feel they are.”
Davies appears to know that his comments will draw criticism for being bigoted, but still failed to take the opportunity to educate himself by perhaps going to an organisation like Stonewall for guidance or maybe even asking a trans person about their experiences.
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