A mother of a transgender woman who died by suicide has called on the new prime minister to reverse policies that she says harm trans people.
Caroline Litman, whose 20‑year‑old daughter, Alice, spent 1,023 days on a waiting list for gender‑affirming care, said that the lack of timely treatment contributed to her daughter's death in May 2022.
During a recent Trans Pride march in London, where an estimated 100,000 participants gathered, Litman highlighted the increasing barriers faced by the trans community over the past four years.
A key concern is a new guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission that will enforce the use of public facilities based on a person’s birth sex rather than gender identity, following a Supreme Court ruling on the Equality Act.
Litman described the guidance as a return to policies that exclude trans individuals from single‑sex spaces such as toilets and changing rooms, and warned that the change could worsen discrimination.
She also cited draft guidance on school safety that critics say may expose trans students to parental discovery and segregation from gender‑congruent facilities during school activities.
According to Litman, these developments, coupled with long waiting times for NHS gender‑affirming services, create a hostile environment that can lead to self‑exclusion from employment and social settings.
The mother urged the prime minister to adopt a “live and let live” approach that respects gender identity and to implement guidance in a compassionate manner.
Other speakers at the march echoed her plea, carrying signs that read “Let people pee in peace” and “These meds save lives,” while emphasizing the life‑saving nature of gender‑affirming care for under‑18s.
Advocacy groups and researchers point to growing evidence that timely gender‑affirming treatment reduces depression and suicide risk among transgender youth.
Litman expressed skepticism that the new government will reverse the policies of the previous administration, stating that failure to act could result in more children taking their own lives.
She argued that most women, a key voter demographic, support trans rights, and that the prime minister must align policy with this public sentiment.
In response, the prime minister called for a united approach to the guidance, emphasizing fairness and compassion while acknowledging the legal requirements set by the court.
The ongoing debate highlights a broader struggle over the balance between legal definitions of sex and the rights of transgender individuals to access appropriate healthcare and public accommodations.
As the government considers these policy changes, advocates stress the urgent need to protect vulnerable trans people from discrimination and to ensure timely access to life‑saving treatments.
