TUC Congress backs motion for gender self-declaration

At the TUC Congress in Brighton, delegates passed Motion 17, which calls for the trade union movement to campaign for the reintroduction of gender self-declaration into UK law. The motion, originating from the TUC’s LGBT+ Conference, condemns the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Code of Practice regarding single-sex provisions, labeling it “discriminatory and unworkable.”

Maria Exall of the Communication Workers’ Union moved the motion, arguing that the EHRC guidance undermines inclusive workplaces and that trans rights and women’s rights are not contradictory. TUC Assistant General Secretary Kate Bell supported the motion, stating the EHRC Code risks excluding trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming workers from significant portions of working life.

The motion seeks to challenge the EHRC’s guidance, which critics argue erodes protections under the Equality Act and Gender Recognition Act following a Supreme Court judgment regarding the definition of “woman.”