'Life for our community is a living hell after court ruling'

4 days ago

Ben Schofield

Political correspondent, BBC East

Kate Lankester said she was scared every time she left the house

Ben Schofield/BBC Kate Lankester looking directly down the camera. She is wearing a grey, open-necked, collared top, with a silver chain around her neck, though the pendant is not in the frame. She is wearing square-framed glasses with transparent plastic frames. She has curly, light brown hair that is falling below one of her shoulders. She is sat against a black backdrop. — Kate Lankester said she was scared every time she left the house

It's been a month since the UK Supreme Court ruled that under the Equality Act, "woman" means a biological woman. The decision was welcomed by some women's rights groups but condemned in the transgender community. How are they and others affected by the ruling feeling now?

of Suffolk Pride were asked if they felt less safe since the Supreme Court ruling

Richard Knights/BBC An interviewer with his back to the camera is faced by five people sitting in an arc on chairs. They all have their hands in the air. — of Suffolk Pride were asked if they felt less safe since the Supreme Court ruling

While the full implications of the ruling are not yet clear, some of the trans community feel threatened by it.

There is confusion and fear over how it might affect their legal rights and access to facilities, along with concern that it may have emboldened those in society with transphobic views.

In Ipswich, Suffolk Pride has brought together five trans and non-binary .

How many of them feel less safe since the ruling?

All five – in an unscientific poll – raise their hands.

Kate Lankester, a 25-year-old trans woman who works in trans healthcare, says life is "a living hell".

"I'm walking out of the house scared every single day," she says.

"I worry about who's looking. I worry if someone's going to say something to me."

She says fear of transphobia is "impacting our community's wellbeing, mental health, how we're viewing society and how society views us".

Jessica Brown said she was physically assaulted earlier this year and faced abuse almost daily

Ben Schofield/BBC Jessica Brown looking directly at the camera. She has straight brown hair, which falls just below her shoulders. She is wearing a red dress with large flowers on it, though only her head and shoulders are in the frame. Around her neck is a silver chain with a heart-shaped padlock pendant. She is smiling at the camera and is sitting in front of a black backdrop. — Jessica Brown said she was physically assaulted earlier this year and faced abuse almost daily

Two of the five say they have experienced more transphobia since last month's ruling.

Jessica Brown, 45, has been "out" for about 20 years and says she has recently noticed a "huge uptick" in transphobia.

She says she was physically assaulted earlier this year - before the ruling - and now experiences abuse "almost daily".

"I've had the most vile things shouted at me; people are so abusive," she says.

"I think, 'Oh God, what's going to happen today? Is it going to be another physical assault? Is it just going to be verbal assaults":[]}