Maria Miller, the Tory MP for Basingstoke and chair of the Commons Women and Equalities Committee says action to tackle discrimination against trans people is “urgently” needed.
In an exclusive interview with The Huffington Post UK she said it is the totemic issue of our time and “when it comes to trans issues we are letting ourselves down.”
She said: “It is probably one of the last groups of people where discrimination is almost accepted by society and we have to stamp it out.
“What has been most shocking is to hear the personal experiences of trans people who have had almost had to accept the unacceptable: which is day-to-day abuse on the street by members of the public shouting at them, and almost having to accept that is part of their life. That is not acceptable.”
Speaking to The Huffington Post UK for its TransBritain series, Miller said her aim is that the report produced by her committee, which is made up of MPs from different political parties, “will challenge the government, challenge society, to treat people fairly and equally”.
“Trans people have had to endure such incredible levels of personal abuse and discrimination that it felt to me it was one of the biggest issues we should be dealing with. Trans issues affect at least 600,000 people in the UK and the way it is dealt with is out of date.
“In the public sector we would expect there to be a better understanding of these issues. But it appears to simply reflect the views that are held more generally in society.” she explained.
“So the sort of discriminatory activity that we have evidence of happening both in the prison service and NHS is really unlike almost any other discrimination we see in those services.
“I think we should be proud as a country, we have done so much to support lesbian, gay and bisexual issues, not only though the equality art but through equal marriage. Some would say we lead the world in that respect. But when it comes to trans issues we are letting ourselves down,” she said.
“But, frankly,” she added, “Trans people deserve privacy in the same way we all deserve privacy. Maybe one day there will be somebody who is willing to discuss they are a trans individual in parliament. Maybe there won’t.”
The interview forms part of HuffPost UK’s TransBritain series, which is exploring transgender rights in Britain today, following the deaths of two trans women, Vicky Thompson and Joanne Latham, in prison in apparent suicides.
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