Despite there being a minute number of trans athletes participating in sport at an elite level, discussions around their involvement are rife in the media. Just last year, for example, one trans woman who finished 6,159th in the London Marathon dominated headlines for “beating” 14,000 other women who took part. With politicians now playing an active role in this discourse ahead of the upcoming general election, prominent figures within the trans+ community are warning of the “harm” this type of language causes to those who are already marginalised within society. 

“Sport and fitness is an essential part of health and wellness and should be accessible for everyone regardless of identity,” a spokesperson for Not a Phase, a trans-led, grassroots charity dedicated to awareness campaigning, social projects and funding new initiatives for the community, told GAY TIMES. “By using language such as ‘common sense’, these statements encourage the idea that anti-trans sentiment and exclusion is fair or even expected. The Labour Party has an opportunity to present a voice of inclusivity and respect but instead, these sorts of comments cause further harm to a community who are already under pervasive attack from the Conservative government.”

Shortly after Starmer’s comments were made public, GAY TIMES spoke to a number of trans and non-binary people about how the UK’s next potential leader’s comments made them feel.