Mayor of Hackney Zoë Garbett welcomes trans people using single-sex toilets
“I consider trans women to be women and trans men to be men," said Garbett
By Aaron Sugg
Mayor of Hackney Zoë Garbett has said she welcomes trans people using single-sex toilets and has asked council staff not to “police access” to services.
Garbett, the first ever directly elected Green Party mayor, told Metro that spaces in the borough remain “trans inclusive” and said she was “deeply saddened” by the recent political climate targeting the community.
Garbett said: “I consider trans women to be women and trans men to be men.” She added: “I want trans people to be able to access services they identify with and that they feel safe and comfortable using.”
Zoë Garbett says it’s safe for trans people to use single-sex toilets in Hackney
Despite public concerns about whether it is safe for trans people to use single-sex toilets, she said: “Absolutely yes it is.”
Her comments follow the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) final Code of Practice on single-sex spaces, which came after the April 2025 UK Supreme Court ruling.
Last year, the Supreme Court ruled that the legal definition of “woman” under the Equality Act refers to biological sex, without any direct input from trans voices.
How does the EHRC final guidance affect trans people?
Following a string of rewrites, the EHRC issued its final guidance earlier this year. The guidance, which is not law, states that single-sex spaces may, in certain circumstances, be based on biological sex, meaning trans women may be excluded from female-only spaces.
As a result, the guidance says organisations should consider alternative options for trans people. It refers to providing a separate “third space” or gender-neutral facilities.
Several companies have complied with the guidance, including Lloyds Banking Group and Barclays, and more recently Co-operative Group, which have directed trans people towards gender-neutral spaces.
Trans campaigners condemn the EHRC final guidance
Trans organisations and campaigners have raised serious concerns about what this means for the future of trans rights in the UK.
The Good Law Project’s Trans Rights Lead, Jess O’Thomson, criticised the Government’s approach, calling the Code of Practice “transphobic”.
Following the April 2025 Supreme Court ruling, Garbett spoke out in solidarity with the trans community, calling the decision “shameful”.
She said: “London is a city that attracts millions around the world, and it should be a welcoming and safe place for both trans visitors and trans Londoners alike.”