Gender activists: ‘We are not afraid to be called women rather than womb-havers’

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Led by three main groups called Sex Matters, Women’s Rights Network, and Women Uniting, the activists said single-sex spaces which should exclude transgender women include sports competitions, toilets and some hospital wards. “When it comes to single-sex services, sports, child safeguarding, situations where sex really matters, they’re not able to bring policies that protect women and protect children, and protect trans people, because they’ve muddled up sex with the idea of gender identity.” Also speaking in Parliament Square was Heather Binning, who said she wants “to see sex recognised”. “We’re not afraid to be women, and we’re not afraid to be called women, and that’s what we want to get back to.” Ms Binning said the group she represents, Women’s Rights Network, has 60 branches in the UK, each with around 1,000 members online. '” Caroline Ffiske, a former Conservative councillor and head of Women Uniting, a group of cross-party women, said she believes “it’s time to take this political issue out everywhere”.