Trans rights aren't up for compromise.

As Pride month's come to an end for another, I wanted to write publicly about something I usually only cover in branch communications: Prospect's National Conference, and where the union has landed this year on trans rights. I sent a version of this to members of the Prospect UKRI branch last week, but it feels worth saying more widely too.

Being a trade union rep can be incredibly frustrating. For me, that's been especially true since Prospect's 2024 National Conference failed to reach a workable consensus on supporting the fundamental rights of trans, non-binary, and intersex people — which meant the union was unable to support Motion 7 at 2025's TUC Congress, a motion simply expressing support for those rights.

So I was delighted that Prospect's 2026 National Conference, last week, passed a series of motions that at least try to correct that. Among them, a motion from members at UKRI asked the NEC to:

• Write into Prospect policy the stance that transgender workers deserve the basic dignity of not having to out themselves every time they use a bathroom or changing facility.
• Support Prospect reps in efforts to resist trans-exclusionary workplace policies to the full extent of equality law.
• Make use of Prospect's employment law experts, during this time of changing guidance, to equip reps with accurate, up-to-date information on the rights of trans workers, so our members have clarity.

Conference also voted down the National Executive Committee's own motion on this subject — one born out of the indecisiveness of 2024. As reps, we considered carefully how to vote, but couldn't support a motion expressing anything less than absolute, unequivocal support for trans rights. I think the motions that did pass give Prospect, and our NEC colleagues, a genuine mandate to stand up for trans, non-binary, and intersex people in ways that actually mean something.

I don't usually let personal views come through in anything written in a professional capacity. This is an exception. Prospect works hard to be an inclusive union with room for a range of perspectives, and on most issues, that's exactly right. On this one, I don't think it should be.

From 1988 to 2003, UK law required schools, teachers, councils — anyone in the public sector, basically — to ostracise and persecute people like me for being queer. It caused incalculable harm to LGBTQ+ people who were already isolated and scared. In 1988, 75% of the population believed being gay was "always or mostly wrong." They were the ones who were wrong, just as those arguing today for the legal persecution of trans, non-binary, and intersex people are wrong now.

Prospect doesn't have to be a so-called 'broad church' on issues where there's a clear moral right and wrong at stake. We wouldn't let racism, ageism, sexism, or ableism go unchallenged, and anti-trans views are no less discriminatory or harmful. We can — and I'd argue we have an ethical responsibility to — campaign for the law to reflect the world, and the workplaces, we want them to be.

I'm proud of Prospect for standing up for some of our most vulnerable members and colleagues, at a time when that support is needed more than ever, and for not settling for compromise. And I'm especially proud of UKRI rep Tristan Canfer, who stood up at Conference and made this case far more eloquently than I ever could, and who also questioned Peter Kyle MP — our previous Secretary of State — on the resilience of research and innovation funding.

If you are keen to know more about Prospect's support for LGBT+ members, or how to be a better ally to LGBT+ colleagues in the workplace, the union's LGBT+ Network is worth a look — reach them at rainbow@prospect.org.uk.