Thread by @fairplaywomen

We're excited about the Judicial Review of transgender prison guidance coming next week. Fair Play For Women has been actively campaigning on this issue for 3 years now. This is a crucial step on that journey. Here's a summary of how we got here. /1

https://twitter.com/fairplaywomen/status/1320281563523940352?s=20

In October 2017 we published our ground-breaking report revealing that up to half of all transgender prisoners are in high security Category A prisons or specialist sex offending units. /2

fairplayforwomen.com/transgender-pr…

Our work sparked extensive media interest in the topic. Dr Nicola Williams discussed the new findings on Good Morning Britain with @piersmorgan /3

Our work was covered by the @thesundaytimes /4

thetimes.co.uk/article/up-to-…

We submitted our findings to the Justice Select Committee as part of their inquiry into future prison planning. We highlighted the risk that women's prisons could be overwhelmed by high-risk male sex offenders should GRA reform go ahead.

fairplayforwomen.com/3781-2/

We also raised concerns that this issue does not just put women at risk while they are in prison, but also in women-only probation hostels.

fairplayforwomen.com/impact-gra-ref…

Our work also debunked another myth that males who identify as women lose their propensity for male-pattern criminality and violence. This understanding forms a vital part of any analysis about the risks of allowing male trans prisoners to live in women's prisons.

At first the MOJ refused to confirm how many male-born trans prisoners had been moved into women's prisons, and how many of those had been convicted of sexual offending. /8

But under pressure they eventually released this information under a Freedom of Information request. The figures matched the findings in our own report /9

fairplayforwomen.com/prison-data-co…

The new figures hit the news again with a 2 page spread in the Mail on Sunday with Fair Play For Women extensively quoted /10

dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5…

Defamatory comments were made about Fair Play For Women & our research by transactivist Owl in an article in the Independent. We forced the paper to correct the headline, make a string of changes in the article & to publish a letter by us /11

https://twitter.com/fairplaywomen/status/1053033005021847553

Then the shocking news in Sept 2018. It was revealed that 1 year earlier (around the time Fair Play For Women was first raising the alarm about the risks) a male prisoner identifying as a woman had sexually assaulted 2 women while in prison on remand /12

thetimes.co.uk/article/why-wa…

We spoke up once again about the risks to women in prison. We interviewed on the BBC Victoria Derbyshire Show. /13

Nicola Williams was interviewed about trans prison rules on BBC Radio 4's PM program /14

fairplayforwomen.com/wp-content/upl…

And interviewed by Shelagh Fogerty on LBC radio and Julia Hartley-Brewer on Talk Radio /15

fairplayforwomen.com/wp-content/upl…

We the launched a government petition calling for the trans prison rules to be reviewed, in full consultation with women's groups. We obtained the 100,000 signatures necessary requiring the government to publish a written response confirming a review will go ahead /16

This led to more media coverage and public awareness raising. This time with Dr Nicola Williams interviewed by Justin Webb on BBC Radio 4's Today program on the 11th February 2019 to discuss the government response to our petition calling for an urgent policy review /17

We have written extensively on the topic of transgender prisoners in women's prisons revealing how the policy was first devised and the MOJ response to the sexual assault by Karen White. /18

fairplayforwomen.com/prison-review/

We've kept track of the annual MOJ statistics - how many transgender prisoners are there and where are they. /19
fairplayforwomen.com/trans_prison_s…

We've reached out directly to women in prison with an article in the prison magazine Inside Time (page 23)

We wanted them to know we were speaking up for them and for them to write to us with their experiences and concerns. Many did. /20

drive.google.com/file/d/1n6JLEy…

One of these brave women in prison has now stepped forward to challenge the MOJ over it's new transgender rules, including the opening of a special unit for high risk transgender prisoners at Downview women's prison. /21

thetimes.co.uk/article/female…

Fair Play For Women is supporting the claim being brought by a female prisoner & has provided written evidence to the court regarding our engagement with MOJ and HMPPS officials /22

A judicial review of the trans prison rules was granted & the case will be heard on 28th/29th Oct.

We will be following the full proceedings and will be providing live updates during the day and commentary each evening

Make sure you are following us on twitter for updates /23

The claimant's legal team will argue that two transgender policies do not adequately consider the detrimental impact on female prisoners and should be quashed /24

https://twitter.com/fairplaywomen/status/1320281939484594177?s=20

This is a crucial step on the journey to ensure the safety and well-being of women in prison is protected. If the MOJ is ordered to scrap its trans guidance this means we'll have the chance to make sure the impact on women is properly considered. /25

The MOJ will have to conduct a comprehensive analysis of all the risks and harms to women and to do this in full and effective consultation with experts, advocates for female prisoners and female prisoners themselves /26

Our work then continues to campaign & lobby for the best outcome for women in prison. This is our big chance to make this right. Women in prison are some of the most vulnerable women in society & the least able to speak up for their rights. They deserve kindness and care too /27

Fair Play For Women has been an entirely voluntary organisation relying on public donations. We are up against powerful lobby groups with teams of staff and funded by massive government grants. We now need your support once again /28

crowdfunder.co.uk/fairplayforwom…

If you value what we do please follow us, share this thread and donate to our crowdfunder if you can. We can only continue with your support.

We have come so far, not just prisons but sport and other areas too. Your donations secure that momentum. /29

crowdfunder.co.uk/fairplayforwom…