The case of the Darlington Nurses is currently being heard at Newcastle Employment Tribunal in the North of England. Supported by the Christian Legal Centre, the eight nurses from Darlington Memorial Hospital are pursuing a landmark legal claim after raising concerns about a male staff member, who identifies as female, access their female-only staff changing rooms.
Following the release of their story anonymously to the media last month Bethany, Tracy, Annice, Lisa and Joanne are speaking publicly calling for government scrutiny on the NHS (National Health Service) changing room policies which they say are putting them and women across the country at risk.
VIDEO SCRIPT
We became aware of a colleague who is biologically a male changing in our women’s only changing room. and I had raised a few of the nurses had come to me concerned about this issue. And so I became an advocate for them and decided to raise the issue with senior members of the team, who then raised it with HR. And, nothing seemed to happen for a long time.
Well, I was told about it, about a year ago. One of our colleagues mentioned that we had, that we had a male using our changing room and, so I’m not sure how I feel about that. And then obviously went into the changing room, heard this man’s voice and thought, oh, I, I don’t like it.
I don’t feel comfortable, so therefore I waited to get changed obviously. until it gone. But that’s probably about a year ago. And then we’ve been speaking to management about it since then. I mean, there was those 20, 26 girls on our ward that signed a letter, to say that we felt, uncomfortable in the changing room.
So you are very vulnerable in there. And there have been times when, you know, one occasion where I’ve been alone with Rose, just walk past them.
But I remember thinking, oh, and panicked slightly, because he is very masculine in the way he looks, currently. And so that that was a bit of a shock for me.
After having several HR meetings and a written letter from 26 nurses altogether raising concerns, the Trust continued to support the man identifying as ‘Rose’, telling the nurses they needed to ‘broaden their mindset’ and be more ‘inclusive’.
I honestly was not expecting that at all. I was expecting them to sort of say, oh, we didn’t realize you were you all felt like this. Let’s see what we can do. Okay.
We certainly didn’t get that. Basically, the conclusion of that meeting was, you know, the supporting roles. And, we all need to be educated, specifically me.
I had to be educated in how to raise a concern. We had to broaden our mindset, be more inclusive, and compromise.
They just aren’t looking at it as a safety aspect for women. And that’s what I found frustrating. Yeah. The not caring that, you know, from from being very young, we sort of brought up, aren’t we, to be wary of, you know, always take care when we’re on our own.
You know, we have our phones by us, you know, we always have some at the end of the phone that we can ring if we feel unsafe. And then suddenly the thing it’s, you know, female spaces are one of the last places that I think we should build. We should be able to feel safe in changing areas.
It is an insult to make it. We’ve been made to feel like we’ve been bigots.
Following the release of their story anonymously to the media last month Bethany, Tracy, Annice, Lisa and Joanne are speaking publicly calling for government scrutiny on the NHS (National Health Service) changing room policies which they say are putting them and women across the country at risk.
I think we’ve all felt like, I don’t know, uncertain of ourselves. It’s almost like a gaslighting thing that you are made to feel that you’re actually really awful and what people listen to. So a lot of people saying, I think all you’re all really brave. Yeah. You shouldn’t have to be brave. That’s why it, you know. Are we frightened?
We’re frightened for you. Yeah. Why are people frightened for speaking out? And that’s a shame. Yeah. That’s what it’s come to. Yeah. I’m hoping that women gain some courage from this and start to stand up for their single sex spaces. and protect them. I really do hope that this people, women are brave. Yeah. And can see that we’re being courageous.
We’re standing out right and interesting. The government need to get to the need to relook at that into the policies, and, and provide safe spaces for everybody, don’t they? They need to relook at look at the policy. and not just yeah, it’s all right. You can use a woman’s, female space.
People Interviewed and their Titles
Bethany, Tracy, Annice, Lisa and Joanne
Recording Location
Darlington, England
Organization featured in this Story
Christian Concern – www.christianconcern.com
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