Hampstead Heath’s chiefs are recommending the Ladies’ and Men’s ponds remain trans-inclusive alongside a series of upgrades to the existing facilities.
And by “trans-inclusive” they mean “women-exclusionary”.
The City of London Corporation’s much-anticipated report into its access policy follows a consultation which received overwhelming support for the existing arrangements. The ongoing management of the ponds as trans-inclusive spaces after last year’s landmark Supreme Court judgement has however come under scrutiny with a legal challenge launched by Sex Matters ongoing.
That’s because “trans-inclusive” in this context means the women’s pond is no longer a women’s pond. It was a women’s pond, until men started using it. There are plenty of places where swimming is not sex-specific, including at the Hampstead ponds themselves, but there are also the two sex-specific ponds. Men who pretend to be women could just leave it that way, but noooooo, they have to take the women’s pond away from the women who want it, because women must not be allowed to say no. Ever.
Hampstead Heath has three ponds: the Kenwood Ladies’, Highgate Men’s and a mixed area. The existing arrangements for the Ladies’ pond dictate that it is available for use by biological and trans women, with the reverse true for the Men’s.
The Corporation said this has been the case since at least 2017 and that it was consistent with the previous interpretation of the Equality Act 2010.
Equality does not translate to pretending men are women on demand.
Officers wrote: “In circumstances where: (a) there is overwhelming opposition to this option amongst users; (b) the current arrangements have worked well and continue to receive very strong support from users; (c) the Men’s Pond and the Ladies’ Pond have operated without any substantiated incidents since at least 2017, if not before; and (d) the privacy of changing, shower and toilet facilities is to be improved, it is difficult to see how a policy of strict segregation on the basis of biological sex could be justified.”
Then why did it have the men’s and women’s ponds in the first place?
Surely it’s because there are three ponds, so why not make it one for everyone, and the other two for people who prefer that? Suppose, for instance, that sometimes the mixed pond gets too crowded and/or rowdy and on those occasions some women are glad the women’s pond is an option. It’s not just about “ooh I’m squeamish”; it’s also about differences in strength, speed, noise, energy, and so on. My guess is it’s a lot more about the latter than the former. If the women’s pond becomes a second mixed pond then women won’t have that option any more.
But heyho, what men who pretend to be women want is always more important than what women want.
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