Thousands of people have signed a petition after an all-girls school in Nottingham said it would not allow transgender pupils to be admitted.
Nottingham East MP, Nadia Whittome, has backed the petition, which has so far garnered around 4,000 signatures, saying the ban could be "potentially unlawful".
It arrives as the Girls’ Day School Trust, which runs Nottingham Girls' High School, has come under fire for its admission policy, which is based on the legal sex recorded on a student's birth certificate, rather than their gender identity.
In the UK, transgender people can only change their legal sex after turning 18, meaning children and teenagers identifying as trans would not be allowed to enrol.
The trust, which operates 25 girls-only schools across the UK, emphasised any student wishing to transition or explore their gender identity while already at the school will be supported and remain there.
Its CEO, Cheryl Giovannoni, previously said a policy based on gender identity could "jeopardise" the status of GDST schools as single-sex schools.
However, Ms Whittome said the petition "shows the strength of feeling that the Trust have made the wrong decision".
The Labour MP said: "Many of the comments on the petition are from current and former pupils of GDST schools who support trans girls attending their schools and are concerned about transphobia."
She added that the Equality Act allows for GDST to maintain their single-sex status while admitting pupils of the opposite sex in "exceptional circumstances".
"A blanket ban on admitting trans girls is wrong and potentially unlawful. I urge the trust again to consult with LGBTQ+ charities and trans-inclusive single sex organisations, and to rethink their admissions policy.”
Previously, GDST chief executive Cheryl Giovannoni said: “It is important to state first and foremost that the underlying principle of our policy is to offer a supportive educational environment to those students who are exploring their gender identity or in the process of transitioning. Our trans students are welcome in our schools and our policy primarily sets out ways in which schools can support them.
A trans student already at our school can remain at the school for as long as they wish to do so. Young people exploring their gender identity need space and time to make decisions, free of pressure. The school has a responsibility to support a trans pupil and ensure measures are put in place to enable them to remain at their school. We will work together with them to make the best choices for their long-term wellbeing.
GDST schools are able to operate a single-sex admissions policy, without breaching the Equality Act 2010 on the basis of an exemption relating to biological sex. Under current laws and guidance, the GDST believes that an admissions policy based on gender identity rather than the legal sex recorded on a student’s birth certificate could jeopardise the status of GDST schools as single-sex schools under the act. We will continue to monitor the legal interpretation of this exemption.”
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