A leading academic has argued that women should not be forced to share spaces with transgender females, warning that proposed changes to the law could cause 'unacceptable harm' to people born female.

Writing for The Conversation, Kathleen Stock, a professor of philosophy at the University of Sussex, explained why she's against possible changes to the Gender Recognition Act, which would allow people to be legally recognised as their chosen gender without the need for medical certification.

She argues that in ideal world where women are not economically, socially and politically disadvantaged compared to men or more likely to suffer sexual abuse and violence then there would be no issue with anyone identifying as female.

'We need to sort out female-based oppression first. If we don't, it will simply be transferred into whatever brave new world we're constructing,' she explained.

Professor Stock claimed that removing protections for women such as single-sex changing rooms would put them at an even greater disadvantage.

'There's no reason why females should – as a sexist society regularly expects them to – be the only group to sacrifice their interests in favour of others.'

Kathleen Stock a professor of philosophy at University of Sussex says that transgender women should not be allowed to self identify as it will cause 'harm' to an already disadvantaged group (stock image)

And she added that she doesn't agree with the argument that 'transwomen are women' because they are not biologically female.

'If we think there are good reasons to retain same-sex spaces generally, in terms of protecting females from a small number of malfeasant males, these reasons don't cease to operate when males self-identify as women,' she said.

'Either we keep same-sex spaces, or the result is effectively mixed-sex spaces, to the detriment of females,' she said.

What are the proposed changes to the Gender Recognition Act? The consultation will assess whether there is a need to change rules which require applicants to: – Provide two medical reports, one showing a diagnosis of 'gender dysphoria' and the other outlining details of treatment received; – Obtain the consent of their spouse if married; – Demonstrate that they have lived in their acquired gender for at least two years; and – Pay a fee of £140. Advertisement

She also argued that sex is a biological reality and that women aren't disadvantaged because of technically being a certain gender, but because of being socially categorised as female.

Professor Kathleen Stock argues that women already face disadvantages and have to make sacrifices to accommodate others

'As long as oppressive inequalities are distinctively correlated with this social categorisation, then we should fully maintain protections and resources for that group, in mitigation,' she said.

In July this year, Prime Minister Theresa May announced a 16-week public consultation on the operation of the Gender Recognition Act 2004 in England and Wales.

She said she wanted to make the process of acquiring a Gender Recognition Certificate more 'streamlined and de-medicalised' after research showed that trans people find it 'overly bureaucratic and invasive'.

Asked if she was worried that trans rights could infringe on women's rights in situations like changing rooms, Mrs May told ITV News: 'No, but I recognise that there are those who are.

'I think this is the important thing, for those who are worried about it, it's right that we listen to them as we take this forward.'

Ministers are not setting out any firm proposals for change at this stage, and will consider responses to the consultation before deciding on the way ahead.