One of the few transgender workers’ councillors has stepped down from the party, claiming they have “thrown trans people under the bus.”
Dylanti Petz, who has been the representative for Compton Ward on Plymouth City Council since 2022, shared her feelings in a post on X on Friday morning. She expressed a sense of disappointment, hinting at a bigger issue at play.
Petz, the first Labour councillor for the area, decided to resign as an independent and mentioned she wouldn’t be seeking re-election.
She stated, “The Labour Party has thrown trans people across the country under the bus and set us back decades. Everyone deserves to live in peace, yet the Labour Party continues to deny trans individuals fundamental rights.”
This resignation follows a response from prominent government figures, including Kiel Starmer, who welcomed the “clarity” brought by the UK Supreme Court’s recent ruling on biological sex.
Last month, the Court determined that terms like “women” and “sex” in the Equality Act of 2010 refer solely to “biological women” and “biological gender.” Following this, the Equality and Human Rights Commission guided a strict interpretation affecting trans individuals’ access to gender-specific services.
Petz mentioned that the party’s reaction to the Supreme Court ruling ultimately influenced her decision to leave, especially with plans to revise the gender recognition process and increasing worries about the Health Secretary’s position on trans healthcare access.
She remarked, “The government had a chance to modernize the clearly outdated Equality Act, but instead they just accepted the ruling and the EHRC’s guidance, reverting to phrases like ‘trans women are women.’”
Petz expressed confusion about the new guidance regarding facility use, saying, “I’ve been out for seven years and haven’t faced issues using the men’s restroom, but now I’m getting advice saying I should use a single cubicle or a disabled restroom.”
Following the ruling that sent shockwaves through the UK’s transgender community, the Prime Minister commented, “Women are adult women, and the courts have made that crystal clear. I genuinely welcome the judgment as it will clarify things.”
Bridget Phillipson, the Minister of Equality, tried to reassure trans individuals, stating in the Commons, “The Supreme Court ruling highlighted the significance of biological sex, but I want to affirm that trans people deserve better… it’s a tough time right now across the nation.”
The Guardian later reported that 14 national LGBTQ+ charities had reached out, expressing concerns about what they termed a “real crisis” regarding the rights, dignity, and inclusion of trans individuals in the UK.
On Thursday, a group of lawmakers from different parties wrote to the EHRC, seeking confirmation that their interpretation of the ruling wouldn’t neglect the needs of trans people.
Petz commented on the situation, hoping that the priorities highlighted would prompt some reflection. Addressing the broader implications of the ruling, she added, “I thought this kind of erosion of trans rights was something we’d only see in Trump’s America.”
A spokesperson for Plymouth Workers expressed disappointment over Petz’s resignation, stating, “We are quite disheartened that CLLR Tippett chose to resign from Labour after being informed Thursday evening about his replacement as the chairman of the Taxi Licensing Committee.”
They continued: “The residents of Compton Ward deserve three dedicated councillors, and we hope CLLR Tippett will strive to represent them well in his final year in office.”
