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Protesters gathered outside Cambridge's Lion Yard toilets as part of an ongoing transgender toilet row in the city.

Cambridge City Council are proposing altering their equality policy in a way which protesters say will end the non discriminatory policy which protects trans people.

The current policy, introduced in 2010, was a non discriminatory policy for trans people in public places, including toilets.

Sarah Brown, who organised today's (September 30) protest at the Lion Yard public toilets, believes all women and trans people could be put at risk by the change if it is approved.

She told Cambridgeshire Live: "Women friends of mine are appalled. People when they find out can't believe this is happening in Cambridge, as one woman said 'that's stupid'."

"When this sort of thing happens everyone assumes it's about toilets, people make it about toilets."

Sarah and other protesters feel all women will be affected and there could be violent threats made towards women who don't conform to traditional ideas of femininity.

She said: "Why do women always have to pay the price for this kind of thing? It's not only trans women who end up affected.

"You can't tell by looking at someone if they're trans."

She added: "You might get someone, especially after a few beers or something, saying a woman who, maybe she's got short hair or is a butch lesbian or has Polycystic ovary syndrome and doesn't look womanly enough and he goes and thumps her, that's happened before.

"We don't want that to happen in Cambridge. It's a dreadful message. We sent a message eight years ago, symbolically, Cambridge is a city that welcomes everyone. If you are LGBT, we've got your back and this [the policy amendment] sends the opposite message.

"It's already making people uncomfortable and worried."

"If you're a trans person, in particular a trans woman, normally we want normal lives and get on with things."

"You want to get by without anyone noticing. Anything that puts us in the public consciousness in a negative light fragments things.

"When Ann Sinnott resigned she started talking about intimate things people do. What is she doing there?"

What is the transgender toilet row and how did it start?

Sarah Brown, a former Cambridge city councillor, who is also transgender, proposed an amendment to the policy in 2010 in which the council committed to non-discrimination against transgender people.

It meant self-identifying trans women have been allowed to access women-only facilities including toilets and changing rooms.

In July this year, Ann Sinnott, who represented Petersfield at Cambridge City Council, stood down from the council saying their policy allowing self-identifying trans women to access women’s facilities was in breach of the Equality Act 2010.

In response Cambridge City council has suggested amendments including, replacing references to “gender” with “sex” and replacing references to “transgender” with “gender reassignment” or “transsexual people”. The council says these changes would mean the policy is consistent with the law.

Amendments to the policy also make explicit that the council has discretion to apply the “single sex exemption” in the Equality Act 2010 in very exceptional circumstances.

This exemption enables public bodies to exclude transsexual people from single sex spaces, facilities and jobs where this is a “proportionate means to achieve a legitimate aim” and where there is “clear evidence” this is necessary.

What protesters had to say

Karen Draper joined the protest because she believes it's "ridiculous" this is still an issue in 2018.

Karen, who has lived in Cambridge for 18 years, told Cambridgeshire Live: "It's something that really interests me. I can't believe we're still having to protest this, everyone should be equal and free to pee where they like."

She added: "If you have to stop and think where will it be acceptable to pee, well it's a basic right."

Karen also said she felt there had been no problem with the policy that was brought in in 2010, and therefore there was no need to change it now.

She said: "There have been no problems in the eight years. If there had been issues then people would have known about it."

She added: "It's ridiculous, we've got Brexit and Trump. Why argue about the little stuff when the big stuff will rip us apart?"

Aldabra Stoddart said she was worried about how people would treat less feminine women.

She said: "I'm here because I'm an ugly woman, I don't want people telling me off on my way to the loo or staring me up and down."

Many of the protesters were worried about how the new policy, if approved, will be policed by the council.

Karen Draper, Claire McGuiness and Aldabra Stoddart all questioned whether carrying ID would need to be compulsory, would the issue be self policed by other bathroom goers and if so how would you prove you were a woman?

Karen said: "Where do you draw the line? If you have short hair, or you can't go in if you're wearing trousers? Where do you draw the line?"

Claire McGuiness added: "There are questions about who will police it?"

Claire also raised concerns about how the policy could limit the accessibility of public places for trans people in the city.

She added: "If you can't use public places then you have to stay at home and then what?"

Sarah said people had been very positive about the protest.

She said: "We've been getting a very positive response. They are wishing us well, asking if there are more protests."

What comes next?

Councillors will be asked to vote on a report detailing the council's amendments at the Environment and Community Scrutiny Committee on October 4.

Sarah Brown will be attending and speaking at the meeting, appealing to the council not to go ahead with the changes.