A group of nurses in the UK who brought a lawsuit against a National Health Service hospital trust for the first time publicly raise their voices about the NHS’s transgender workforce policy and demand that it protects its female staff.
“I think the publicity was just to get some attention from the government to try and look at the policy around this because there’s nothing to protect women at the moment. It’s literally a made-up situation where anyone can just identify as a woman and go in,” said Lisa Lockey, a nurse at Darlington Memorial Fox News Digital.
“It’s been going on for a long time. We’ve been ignored,” she continued. “And it’s kind of — pushed aside, I guess, in the hope that we would just forget about it and keep our mouths shut.”
The group of nurses who shared their story with the media anonymously in May, that month filed a lawsuit against the County Durham and Darlington Memorial Hospital Trust. In the lawsuit, they allege that they have been harassed by the biological male colleague who often walks around the women’s changing room unclothed and stares at colleagues and starts conversations with them while they are getting dressed.
County Durham and Darlington Memorial Hospital Trust allows employees to use changing rooms or toilets that match their gender identity, the suit alleges. The nurses say this has led to several uncomfortable encounters with this individual.
One of the nurses in the lawsuit, who was sexually abused as a child, described how at one point she was approached by her transgender colleague when she was alone in the locker room and repeatedly asked to undress, even though the colleague was wearing only boxer shorts with visible genitals.
Lockey said a Muslim colleague was also terrified when she encountered her biological male colleague in the changing room while she was half-dressed.
“She didn’t know anything about this situation. Nobody told us. And so she was standing there in a bra and she heard this man’s voice, and she said she couldn’t move. She was basically just frozen in panic, holding her hands over her chest and didn’t know what to do. She was just so shocked. And I felt really, really upset about that because, you know, these girls, you know, they’ve come to help, you know, to work (here) and I just felt really, really wrong,” she continued.
The transgender man also wears men’s clothing, has facial hair and has told coworkers he tried to get his girlfriend pregnant, the complaint says.
After raising concerns with management last year about being forced to undress in front of their co-workers, more than two dozen female nurses at Darlington Memorial Hospital signed a letter to the hospital system in April expressing their discomfort over the issue.
Shortly afterward, the lawsuit alleges, the head of HR lectured a manager in which he said female nurses needed to be “more inclusive” and “educated” on the topic.
Bethany Hutchison, a nurse at Darlington Memorial who also spoke to Fox News Digital, called HR’s response to their concerns “absolutely insulting.”
She said the policy has left female colleagues feeling anxious and having to find alternative places to change, which they must do at least once per shift.
“I think people are so scared. I mean, a lot of the Muslim colleagues work in theatres (operating rooms), and people have said that they’ve been silenced. People have been brought in for disciplinary action, if they say anything about the dressing room situation. So they’re being threatened. And it’s really driven by fear, particularly in theatres,” she said.
The eight nurses in the lawsuit say the hospital prioritized the single transgender employee over female staff. They are suing the NHS trust, alleging sexual harassment and sex discrimination.
Since coming out publicly, Lockey and Hutchison say they have been “overwhelmed” with letters and messages of support. “Harry Potter” author JK Rowling even posted about their story under her X account.
“We’re elated,” Lockey said, holding up a stack of cards they had received in the mail. Both nurses said they were affected by the messages, as they had been made to feel like “intolerant” and “bullies” at work for standing up for their rights.
“All we’re trying to do is defend our right to have a women’s only space. We’re not trying to attack trans people. We know there are a lot of really good trans people out there who wouldn’t want to hurt anyone,” Lockey continued.
“And ultimately we want to see policy change. It’s about policy change and safety,” Hutchison added.
The County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust said in a press release:
“As a Trust we are committed to providing safe, compassionate, inclusive and respectful care for our patients and visitors, as well as an inclusive and respectful working environment for all colleagues. We would like to assure our patients and communities that the wellbeing and support of all colleagues involved in this is of paramount importance to us. At this stage, the claims being made need to be fully investigated and assessed. This work continues through our internal processes. Alternative arrangements and adjustments have been put in place.”
“We recognise that this is an extremely sensitive subject and, in addition to considering the feedback and concerns raised, we must adhere to legal requirements and best practice. We are committed to working with all parties to find a constructive resolution that respects the rights and dignity of all individuals, whilst maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and fairness. As this is now an active legal case, we hope you will understand that it is not appropriate for the Trust to share further details at this stage.”
Source original article: Female nurses vow to keep fighting over hospital transgender policy: They won’t be ‘ignored’ or ‘threatened’