“Proud TERF” Sharron Davies accused London Marathon organisers of being “anti-women” after trans women ran in the women’s event at the weekend.
The former Olympic swimmer and broadcaster, who uses her platform to promote the exclusion of trans communities from sport, said the organisation was acting “against the law” following the Supreme Court ruling, which found that the protected characteristic of “woman” under the Equality Act refers to biological women.
Trans participants were permitted to run the 26.2-mile course across London as female athletes, despite the Supreme Court ruling and new guidance issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
Ms Davies said: “I’m very disappointed that yet again, against the law, the London Marathon has prioritised males over females in the women’s category.
“At every ability and level, women and girls deserve fair and safe sport. I hope the London Marathon are held to account for their anti-women stance.”
Ahead of the London Marathon, the annual event’s chief executive Hugh Brasher reiterated the current rule that transgender women can run as females. He said: “The mass participation event at the London Marathon is not a race where participants compete against each other. It is a personal challenge.”
In the wake of a JK Rowling-funded anti-trans court challenge, EHRC has released interim guidance stating that, in places like hospitals, shops and restaurants, “trans women (biological men) should not be permitted to use the women’s facilities”. It also states that trans people should not be left without any facilities to use.
The Supreme Court ruling, which was met with trans rights protests in London and Brighton, means that trans women can be excluded from women-only spaces.
The EHRC, which enforces equalities law and provides guidance to policymakers, public sector bodies and businesses, said the impact of the ruling was that “if somebody identifies as trans, they do not change sex for the purposes of the [Equalities] Act, even if they have a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC)”.
