Harman skirts round issue of transsexual discrimination

Published on Sunday 21 February 2010 22:03

EQUALITY minister Harriet Harman has played down suggestions that skirts might be banned in schools because they discriminate against transsexuals.

Guidance to public bodies from the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) warned that requiring pupils to wear "gender-specific clothes" is "potentially unlawful".

Gender equality and human rights rules which apply to public authorities are set to be extended to schools under the Equality Bill, now going through parliament.

The EHRC guidance said research had shown that pupils born female but with gender dysphoria experienced "great discomfort" when forced to wear "stereotypical girls' clothes" such as skirts.

"Uniform is a key issue for young trans people at schools," it said. "Many schools have strict uniform codes where boys and girls are required to wear particular clothes – for example, girls cannot wear trousers."

And it added: "Requiring pupils to wear gender-specific clothes is potentially unlawful."

Asked in a television interview yesterday whether it was acceptable for schools to require girls to wear skirts, Ms Harman said: "I think that's the case in a lot of schools in this country and I don't think anybody has ever suggested that's unlawful."

And asked whether skirts could be banned under new equalities and human rights laws, she said: "I think that is unlikely."