After the release of the new EHRC draft guidelines, we, the trustees of Pride in STEM condemn this guidance for the potential harm it poses to trans people in their everyday lives within the UK, and its lack of consideration towards improving the welfare of cis women here. Both the cis and trans members of the committee stand in solidarity with our trans siblings at Pride in STEM, in STEM more broadly, and the wider trans community.
We encourage you to contact your MP, object to the guidelines, and vote them down in Parliament before the 40-day period passes and this guidance takes effect. You can raise that the guidance for service providers lacks clarity, treats trans people effectively as a third gender, and many elements of the guidance are likely to be unenforceable. The guidance is predicated on exclusion and a lack of empathy for the trans community, and perpetrates the myths and moral panic of a well-funded lobby who have sought over the past ten years to associate trans people with controversy and harm (according to Amnesty International’s 2026 research).
It is important to remember that the new EHRC guidance advises service and association providers on how to interpret the Equality Act for their communities; it is not itself a law at this time and therefore not following this guidance does not in itself constitute breaking the law. This guidance does not replace any employer’s legal duty under equality and employment law, in particular it does not permit exclusion, discrimination, or denial of dignity at work for employees. We call on our community to stand against this guidance being overapplied, or used as a cover for harm or discrimination against employees.
This is an urgent issue that affects all of us in the STEM community. Inclusive access and participation for trans people in STEM, from youth engagement to employment is, and will continue to be a solid foundation of Pride in STEM. We urge our community to object to this guidance as a result.