Politician who quit over ‘transgender bathrooms’ could be replaced by transgender woman
Ann Sinnott has resigned from her role as director of anti-trans charity LGB Alliance. (AnnMSinnott/twitter)
A local councillor who stormed out of her job over transgender issues could be replaced by a transgender woman.
Cambridge city councillor Ann Sinnott resigned from her role and quit the Labour Party after objecting to the party’s stance on transgender issues.
Sinnott accused the council of being in “dereliction of the law” because it stood by a policy that states “transgender people will not be excluded from gender-appropriate sex/single-sex segregated facilities.”
The policy had been in place since 2010 without incident, but Sinnott claimed women had been “betrayed by the Labour run Cambridge City Council” because her colleagues would not agree to abolish it.
Ann Sinnott
Her resignation letter accused the Labour Party of “biologically-based sexism” and referred to transgender women as “natal-male”.
Ironically, Sinnott’s seat on the council could now be filled by a transgender woman.
Ahead of the September 13 by-election, the Liberal Democrats picked respected transgender activist Sarah Brown as the candidate for Sinnott’s vacated Petersfield seat.
Brown, a polyamorous transgender lesbian campaigner, previously held the seat from 2010 until 2014.
Sarah Brown
The candidate said: “Petersfield is where I live and I aim to champion it as I already know how – and as I did before.”
She added: “I am sad to see the campaign to turn the clock back on the city council’s equalities policy which I will resist.
“It’s right that the needs and rights of transgender people, along with other groups, are recognised here, as national legislation expects.
“Cambridge has led by example on diversity, tolerance and liberal values, and we must defend that leadership from those who seek to divide us.”
Brown is hoping to benefit from unhappniess with the “pro-Brexit” policies of the two major parties in the vote.
She said: “In these desperate days of Brexit, the national is also the local.
“Brexit will make so many things I care about far worse: government austerity, the crisis in the NHS and poor funding for schools and roads.
“People must use every lever at their disposal – this election included.
“I will be encouraging everyone who wants to see the people have a final say on the deal to vote for me as the only major party candidate whose party stands for that.”
One of Brown’s partners, transgender campaigner Zoe O’Connell, also sits on the council.
There is a growing movement of anti-transgender activism in the UK.
Many participants claiming to be acting because of ‘concerns’ about the effects of transgender equality on women’s services, though their concerns are not shared by experts who actually run women-only services.
In July, the Pride in London parade was “hijacked” by a group of anti-trans campaigners who forced their way to the front of the march and distributed “hateful” literature.
