Most parties ‘cowardly’ on trans question says TUV after SDLP councillor takes a stand on issue

Feminist campaigners sent a number of questions related to safe spaces for women and girls to all the parties taking part in the Assembly election including one from Standing for Women Northern Ireland(SFWNI) which asked them if biological men dressed as women should be able to use changing rooms with young females.

Earlier this week the News Letter revealed the results of a survey by SFWNI of all Assembly candidates which revealed that everyone standing for Alliance, Sinn Fein, the SDLP, Greens, People Before Profit and other small leftist parties were in the category of “Didn’t Care to Answer” to the question.

Individual candidates from all of the main unionist parties did respond by answering “No” to the question.

On Thursday a sole SDLP candidate, Charlotte Carson in East Belfast, broke ranks said “No” to the same question if it concerned those still with male genitalia entering young females communal changing areas.

The survey was released at the same time as billboards were erected this week by the Women’s Rights Network Northern Ireland between the M2 and M3 motorways in central Belfast asking candidates: “What is a Woman?”

TUV candidate for Lagan Valley Lorna Smyth said that if some politicians in Northern Ireland cannot define what even a woman is then they are unfit to govern.

“Pre-schoolers can tell the difference between men and women. Should we really have people aspiring for public office who do not?” Ms Smyth said.

She continued: “A woman is an adult female and her sex is determined at birth. Sex is real, and it is immutable.

“We have single sex spaces in society for very good reasons and I find it disturbing that this matter is even up for debate. The cowardly response of those who refuse to be drawn on basic questions has profound ramifications not least for female sport.”