Labour MP Rosie Duffield, who has been accused of transphobia for her opposition to trans women being allowed to self-identify, has insisted that it is ‘not her place’ to discuss trans issues as it is not her “lived experience”. In an interview for GB News, the MP for Canterbury insisted that she isn’t transphobic, adding: “I can’t imagine wanting to discriminate or hate a group of people just for who they are and how they want to live.”
Duffield continued: “Trans rights are the same rights as everyone else, but what concerns me is that there is a slight conflict in some cases between trans rights and women’s rights…Women’s rights are why I came to Parliament, and why I’m sitting here, because women are now visible in Parliament.” She also noted that she considers herself an “ally” to trans people.
The MP originally faced accusations of transphobia after liking a tweet that opposed self-identification. Duffield has now argued it is ‘misogynistic’ that her opinions on trans issues have been “framed by a man who tweeted”. However, she said that she is still ‘concerned’ over self-identification, as she believes women’s spaces should “not be shared with someone with a male body.”