A SCOTTISH women's aid charity has announced it will not allow trans women or men who identify as non-binary to use its services.
In opposition to the organisation’s umbrella body, Edinburgh Women's Aid has now stated it will prohibit trans women or men who identify as non-binary from attending its group support services or refuges even if they hold a gender recognition certificate.
It has also said it will not hire trans women or non-binary men as staff, citing exemptions in the Equality Act 2010.
The domestic abuse organisation is believed to have made public its internal policy position ahead of a scheduled appearance in a BBC Radio Scotland programme in March.
Edinburgh Women’s Aid’s stance on the matter is in conflict with that of Scottish Women’s Aid, which has consistently said its network of domestic abuse organisations is trans-inclusive.
In a statement on Edinburgh Women’s Aid’s website, the charity says that while the organisation recognises “the rights of women to hold and express differing beliefs in society”, Edinburgh Women’s Aid holds “specific positions in regard to our service provision and employment”.
The statement goes on to quote the Equality Act 2010 and says “we lawfully exclude transgender women and males who have transitioned to non-binary, including those with a gender recognition certificate, in our adult groupwork services and in our shared refuge spaces, including our 24-hour refuge”.
It adds that Edinburgh Women’s Aid, which has operated in the capital for more than 50 years, applies the same rule to its recruitment process.
Scottish Women’s Aid was a signatory of a joint letter published in 2017 as the Scottish Government sought views on the issue of self-ID during a public consultation.
The letter, signed by multiple charities including Engender, Rape Crisis Scotland and Zero Tolerance, said: “We do not regard trans equality and women’s equality to contradict or be in competition with each other.
“Rape Crisis and Women’s Aid in Scotland provide trans-inclusive services on the basis of self-identification.”
An internal government communication sent to the Presiding Officer says Edinburgh Women’s Aid had flagged its policy position ahead of taking part in a BBC Radio Scotland programme due to air on March 9.
The Scottish Government said: “The needs and safety of survivors of domestic abuse must be the utmost priority of support services. The Scottish Government cannot intervene in the operational running of Edinburgh Women’s Aid or any other charitable organisation.
“We expect all relevant organisations to comply with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.
“As employers, organisations may need to consider the impact of other legislation, such as the requirements of the law on health and safety in workplaces.
“The Scottish Government strongly supports the separate and single sex exceptions in the Equality Act 2010, which can allow for trans people to be excluded when this is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. This is not in conflict with our support for trans rights.”
