After reading the Minister for Equalities’ response – which Satvir forwarded to me as promised – I felt it was important to reply. Satvir’s own correspondence has been clear, candid, and genuinely supportive; the Minister’s, less so. Click here to read the email from Satir and the minister’s response.

Here’s the reply I’ve sent to Satvir:

Dear Satvir,

Thank you very much for sending the Minister’s response, and for your continued engagement on this issue. I really appreciate the clarity and compassion you bring to your correspondence – it makes a meaningful difference when these discussions can so easily get lost in abstraction or political hedging.

Having read the Minister’s letter carefully, I’m struck by how much genuine concern is acknowledged in the opening paragraphs, yet how little of the substance is actually addressed. The reply speaks at length about dignity, respect and legal recognition, but doesn’t engage with the real-world consequences we’re already seeing: GP refusals, disrupted access to gender-affirming care, and the chilling effect the ruling is having across the NHS.

The letter repeatedly affirms that protections “remain in place”, but avoids acknowledging that those protections have been narrowed in practice. The reassurance about single-sex spaces is particularly telling – it responds to political pressure rather than to the healthcare and safety concerns raised by patients, clinicians, or the wider LGBTQ+ community.

I want to thank you again for using such clear and supportive language in your own communications, and for pushing for proper Parliamentary scrutiny. That kind of transparency matters. I worry that the Minister’s response leaves too many questions unanswered, especially around the updated EHRC Code of Practice and what “considering” it will mean in practice.

As I mentioned previously, I’m non-binary, though I’m not directly affected by some of the hostility faced by visibly trans people. That makes it feel all the more important to speak up when policy shifts endanger others who don’t have the option of hiding. I’m really grateful that you’re taking these concerns seriously and continuing to engage openly with constituents and local organisations.

Thank you again for your support. Please do keep me updated with any further developments – I’d be glad to stay involved as this progresses.

With best wishes,

The short version? I thanked her for her clarity and her support, and I said (as tactfully as possible) that the Minister’s letter was heavy on reassurance and light on substance. It simply doesn’t address the GP refusals, the abrupt disruptions to hormone treatment pathways, or the worrying real-world consequences already unfolding since the Supreme Court ruling.

I also mentioned, for the first time in this correspondence, that I am non-binary – though less visibly so. I’m shielded from some of the hostility directed at others, which makes it feel all the more important to speak up.

I’ll post any updates on the blog as they come.