The National Education Union (NEU), Britain’s largest teaching union with a membership of 600,000, is set to engage in a heated debate today over whether a recent Supreme Court decision on transgender rights could be considered an ‘attempted genocide’.
Members of the union are being urged to formally criticize the judiciary and the government, accusing them of trying to erase a segment of the population from public spaces. This proposal comes from the union’s hard-left factions, who argue that the ruling represents a significant threat to the existence of transgender and non-binary individuals.
The controversy stems from a Supreme Court decision last year, which clarified that the term ‘woman’ under the Equality Act refers to individuals who are biologically female at birth. This ruling upholds the legality of maintaining single-sex spaces, such as toilets and changing rooms, and sex-specific organizations like the Girl Guides.
In response, critics of the genocide accusation have dismissed it as ‘outrageous’ and ‘manipulative hyperbole’, suggesting that it is intended to intimidate and pressure the public into compliance with a particular viewpoint.
It means single-sex spaces such as toilets and changing rooms can legally be preserved, as well as sex-based groups such as the Girl Guides.
Last night, gender-critical campaigners branded the genocide claim ‘outrageous’ and said it was ‘manipulative hyperbole’ designed to ‘bully’ people.
The proposal, to be heard at the union’s annual conference in Brighton today, is contained in a motion on ‘protecting trans and non-binary students and educators’, and fleshed out in an amendment.
It says that ‘trans women are women’ and that ‘an attack on any of us is an attack on all of us’.
Britain’s largest teaching union is due to debate whether the Supreme Court ruling on transgenderism amounts to ‘attempted genocide’. Pictured: campaigners Susan Smith (left) and Marion Calder (right) celebrating the judgement last year
The National Education Union (NEU), which has 600,000 members, will today be asked to accuse judges and the Government of an ‘attempted erasure of a group from public life’ (pictured: campaigners outside the Supreme Court last year)
It adds the Government had ‘refused to acknowledge the existence of trans and non-binary children’ and ‘weaponised schools’ to deny those pupils information.
The wide-ranging motion also attacks the Cass review into NHS gender services, which led to puberty blockers being banned for under-18s, saying it ‘contradicts international best practice’.
If voted through, the union will commit to campaigning for a ‘reversal’ of ‘Government attempts to erase and eradicate trans and non-binary people’ and to ‘write to all schools’ to tell them to ‘treat them with dignity and respect’.
The genocide claim originated from the US-based Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention, which last year issued a ‘red flag alert’ over the UK Supreme Court ruling.
It said at the time this was a ‘process of erasure’ and added: ‘We see evidence of genocidal intent and actions targeting these communities.’
However, the issue seems to be dividing the NEU, with executives saying it ‘does not reflect the legal definition of genocide’.
Asked about the motion, General Secretary Daniel Kebede said: ‘Genocide is the most horrific crime against humanity – [for example] Rwanda, Auschwitz. So it is not my view that there is currently a genocide in relation to transgender children. But I certainly think if you’re a gender non-conforming child, life can be incredibly difficult.’
He added that they should ‘get the support that’s needed’.
The proposal was put foward by hard-Left factions of the union, but General Secretary Daniel Kebede (pictured) said he disagreed with using the word ‘genocide’
Meanwhile, Stephanie Davies-Arai of Transgender Trend, which campaigns for an evidence-based approach to gender, said: ‘This is unfortunately typical of a lobby that makes outrageous accusations if they don’t get their own way.
‘The Supreme Court simply clarified existing law: that single-sex spaces have always been lawful on the basis of sex, not people’s identities.
‘The ruling was necessary to protect everyone’s right to privacy from the opposite sex. Trans people retain the protections against discrimination that the Equality Act affords them, just not at the expense of everyone else’s rights.
‘To call this ‘genocide’ is another example of the kind of manipulative hyperbole used by activists to bully people into acquiescence to unreasonable demands.
‘It is a terrible message to trans people, and especially to vulnerable children and young people who are led to believe that everyone hates them.’
It comes as organisations begin to change their rules to reflect the Supreme Court ruling.
Earlier this month, Girlguiding announced that all transgender girls must leave the organisation by September, and that from then on membership would be restricted to ‘girls and women’ only.
A Department for Education spokesperson said: ‘Our top priority is the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people in education.
‘This is why we have introduced statutory guidance on children who are questioning their gender to ensure safeguarding stays at the centre of every decision.
‘This is backed by the evidence, including Dr Hilary Cass’s expert review. It provides teachers, who work tirelessly to keep their pupils safe, with the pragmatic support they need.’
