People firmly back keeping Hampstead Heath ponds trans-inclusive

Wild Swimming A group of women take an autumn swim in a pond on Hampstead Heath. (Getty)

Nearly 90 per cent of the public support keeping access to Hampstead Heath’s bathing ponds trans-inclusive, a consultation has found.

More than 38,000 people took part in the two-month consultation run by the City of London (CoLC). The consultation was launched in the wake of a controversial Supreme Court judgment on the legal definition of sex, which determined that for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010, “sex” refers only to “biological sex” and specifically excludes transgender people.

The Kenwood Ladies, Highgate Men’s and Hampstead Mixing Pond in north London was opened in 1926 and has long been a trans-inclusive swimming spot for Londoners to relax and exercise, drawing the ire of anti-trans activists.

Following the outcome of the Supreme Court case and the equally controversial Interim Guidance on Gay Spaces issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), gender-critical group Sex Matters has vowed to take legal action against CoCL unless it bans transgender athletes from the women’s and men’s ponds.

CoCL launched a public consultation in October to “inform future access arrangements” at the pond.

The results, published on Thursday (29 January), show that the majority of those who took part in the consultation believe the pond should remain a trans-inclusive space.

When asked whether ponds should be gender-segregated spaces based on biology, 86 percent of respondents disagreed, but an equal number agreed that ponds should remain the unisex spaces they currently operate.

When asked whether ponds should be “trans-inclusive spaces based on how people decide to live their lives,” 43% agreed, 35% disagreed, and 22% were neutral or unsure.

Nine out of 10 (90%) respondents disagreed that ponds “should be trans-inclusive spaces, but communal toilets and changing rooms are not.” This means that while the swimming spots themselves are trans-inclusive, transgender people must use separate toilets, showers, and changing rooms at each facility.

An equal number (90%) disagreed that ponds should only accept transgender people at certain times, while two-thirds disagreed that ponds should become fully unisex spaces.

Chris Hayward, chair of the City of London’s policy committee, said: “The volume and tone of responses we have received is a very clear indication of how much ponds are valued as quiet, safe and welcoming community spaces for everyone to enjoy.”

“While it is clear that this consultation is not a referendum, careful consideration of its results will form a key part of the wider decision-making process, which we will clearly communicate to the public in the coming months.”

“It is important that we take the time to ensure that future access arrangements are fair, lawful, evidence-based and, above all, respectful of the people who use swimming ponds.”

This is not the first time pond users have taken a stand against trans content.

In 2019, the CoLC formally recognized transgender people’s right to swim in segregated ponds through a policy that ensures that “our public services do not discriminate against transgender people.” Subsequently, in 2024, this policy was reaffirmed by members of the Kenwood Ladies Pond Association (KLPA), who voted at their annual meeting to reject a policy that would redefine the word woman to mean “only those born sexually female.”