Council declines to commit to data protection in "gender policing" controversy

Lib Dems challenge Labour’s “Papers, please” approach to Reading Council toilets and changing rooms

In its attempt to follow proposals from the Labour Government’s Equalities and Human Rights Commission, Reading Borough Council could require its officials to challenge users of toilets and changing rooms to prove their “biological sex”. It is understood this would be based on their appearance. 

Liberal Democrat councillors quizzed Reading’s Labour Council Leader on this policy at this week’s Council meeting. Given the opportunity to rule out such “gender policing”, Council Leader Liz Terry (Coley, Labour) simply said they were “waiting for finalised guidance.”  She admitted that “we’re not legal experts” and declined to confirm that the council would not impose gender policing, or that it would not break data protection laws to do so.

Cllr. James Moore (Lib Dem, Tilehurst) said, “In our questions to the Council Leader, we wanted to challenge this approach. People should not be required to carry their birth certificates simply to satisfy the curiosity of Council busybodies.”

Other Lib Dem questions focused on whether Labour would consult with LGBT+ and trans affirming organisations over these changes, and how sensitive personal data would be managed.

Cllr. Moore said, “Unlike Labour, Lib Dems believe that everyone has a right to dignity and privacy. We urge Reading Labour to tell their government that they are not prepared to humiliate or endanger Reading residents to meet this half-baked and unworkable guidance. We urge Reading Borough Council to be mindful of the laws protecting all residents’ data, and to put its legal duty to all of us before attempts to implement cruel and ill-advised proposals to exclude some of us from society."