Trans equality will come but it won’t be an easy journey | Matthew d’Ancona
The row over women-only carriages on the Caledonian Sleeper is far from trivial – and it won’t be the last
Rupert Soames is routinely described in the press as Winston Churchill’s grandson, but it is too little reported that he is an outstanding DJ. He has a remarkable knowledge of contemporary pop music that exceeds that of many a woke teenager. This is relevant information as we consider the case of Serco – the corporation of which Soames is chief executive – and women-only carriages on the Caledonian Sleeper, the London-to-Scotland overnight rail service.
In response to an inquiry from a Mumsnet user, Serco declared: “Guests travel with the Caledonian Sleeper in shared accommodation for men-only or women-only; the service is provided on the basis of the gender that the individual self-identifies with.” To this, the Mumsnet user responded: “I don’t think I’d feel comfortable with this at all and it’s yet another example of women’s spaces being erased.” Soames then entered the fray in person by tweeting: “I think you are referring to the possibility that people may say that they are a woman when in fact they are a man – sigh.” His passengers, he said, were not “deceitful”.
Related: Caledonian Sleeper gets double beds and a new look in £150m revamp
Related: Trans visibility is greater than ever – but that’s a double-edged sword | Shon Faye
Source: Guardian Transport
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