Greens leader Zack Polanski reaffirms his commitment to trans rights (Ben Montgomery/Getty Images)
Zach Polanski, the newly elected leader of the Green Party, argues that trans rights are unnegotiable for him and that transphobic rhetoric is “unacceptable.”
Polanski, 42, was announced as the Greens leader in the beginning of September after beating Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chauns by 3,705 votes with 20,411 votes.
I’ll talk CanaryZach Polanski, who previously spoke in support of trans rights, reaffirmed his commitment to the community.
“Transphobia will never be tolerated under my leadership and will never be accepted by the Greens,” he told the outlet.
From a policy perspective, Green has long been a leading leader when it comes to trans rights. The Left Environment Party’s manifesto for the 2024 general election included several promises directed at the LGBTQ+ community.
The Manifesto will pledge a new case of HIV by 2030, create “easily available adjustments” for the mental health of LGBTQ+ people, maintain a “full, evidence-based, age-based appropriate” curriculum that will discuss LGBTQ+ lives and introduce self-IDs for trans people.
In the current UK system, trans people require that they receive a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria before being allowed to change their gender in legal documents, but non-binary people are not recognized at all.
Focusing on this, Green Party added in its manifesto that it officially recognizes non-binary and intersex people in legal documents via X-gender markers.
However, there appeared to be a gap between opinions among green leadership in the wake of a controversial Supreme Court decision in April that found that the legal definition of the protected category of “sex” in the Equality Act of 2010 refers to biological sex alone.
Former co-leader Adrian Ramsay refused to answer whether trans women believe they are women following the ruling, avoiding questions and informed radio 4 today A program where the decision was “somewhat clear about the Equality Act.”
“The important thing here is not to get hooked on the department within the definition,” added Ramsay.
“Last week’s ruling highlights the possibility that some services may be provided based on sex. The question is how both women and trans people can access the services they need in a way that meet their needs and maintain their dignity.”
He went on to say that anti-trans green members should not be expelled from the party and “the right to express their views.”
Refusing to clarify his views, Ramsay stood in deep contrast to co-leader Cara Dennier, who had consistently spoken for the trans community, leading up to last year’s general election, saying that Pinknake would “not at all threaten my rights as a woman in search of greater trans equality and trans rights in society.”
Later in April, Denyer denied that there was a rift in the trans party, Sky News: “The Green Party policy is that trans women are women, trans men are male, non-binary identities exist and are valid.
“I support that policy and I know Adrian and I stand up and unite for trans and women’s rights.
“I don’t see people in conflict. I understand that some people express themselves a little differently, and I absolutely understand why men who are sisman feel slightly uncomfortable judgement of femininity from outside.”
Source: PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news – www.thepinknews.com
