Debbie Hayton

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Debbie Hayton
Debbie-hayton-200px.jpg
Debbie Hayton in 2021
Born1968 (age 5556)
NationalityBritish
OccupationTeacher
Years active2016–present
Known forOpposition to gender self-identification for transgender people
Website debbiehayton.com

Debbie Hayton (born 1968) is a British secondary school science teacher and political activist.

Contents

Activism

Since 2016, she has been a vocal opponent of gender self-identification, and supports laws which aim to define women-only spaces as being based on sex rather than gender identity. [1] She has spoken at meetings for Woman's Place UK, a "gender-critical" group. [2]

At a July 2019 event hosted by Fair Play For Women, Hayton wore a T-shirt which (mimicking a slogan by Stonewall) stated that "Trans women are men. Get over it." [3] [4] She was criticised and threatened with expulsion from the LGBT+ committee of the Trades Union Congress for her actions. [3] Hayton had sat on the committee for five years. [5]

In 2020, the National Education Union's Trans and non-binary network criticised Hayton's appointment by the union for a role on the TUC's LGBT+ Committee. [6]

Hayton's inclusion in Church of England resource materials caused controversy at General Synod in 2021. [7] Jayne Ozanne criticised the inclusion, describing Hayton as someone "outspoken in her denial of the very existence of trans people". [8] Synod member Ian Paul supported Hayton, asking Bishop Sarah Mullally about actions being taken to protect Hayton "from intimidation and from attempts to silence her". [9] Hayton is also often criticized by other gender critical feminists such as Julia Long on account of Hayton's transsexual identity. [10]

Personal life

Hayton is a transsexual woman, who underwent gender transition in 2012 and gender reassignment surgery in 2016. She is married with three children. [1] [11]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Violence against transgender people</span> Violence or victimization against transgender people

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<i>The Transsexual Empire</i> 1979 book by Janice Raymond

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julia Serano</span> American writer and activist

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transgender rights movement</span>

The transgender rights movement is a movement to promote the legal status of transgender people and to eliminate discrimination and violence against transgender people regarding housing, employment, public accommodations, education, and health care. A major goal of transgender activism is to allow changes to identification documents to conform with a person's current gender identity without the need for gender-affirming surgery or any medical requirements, which is known as gender self-identification. It is part of the broader LGBT rights movements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transmisogyny</span> Intersection of transphobia and misogyny, experienced by transfeminine individuals

Transmisogyny, otherwise known as trans-misogyny and transphobic misogyny, is the intersection of transphobia and misogyny as experienced by trans women and transfeminine people. The term was coined by Julia Serano in her 2007 book Whipping Girl to describe a particular form of oppression experienced by trans women. In an interview with The New York Times, Serano explores the roots of transmisogyny as a critique of feminine gender expressions which are "ridiculed in comparison to masculine interests and gender expression."

<i>Whipping Girl</i> 2007 book on transgender issues by Julia Serano

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woman's Place UK</span> British advocacy group

Woman's Place UK (WPUK) is a British political advocacy group founded in 2017. The group is opposed to gender self-identification for transgender people in the UK, and has advocated restricting access to women-only spaces on the basis of "sex, not gender".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">For Women Scotland</span> Scottish feminist advocacy group

For Women Scotland (FWS) is a Scottish campaign group that opposes proposed reforms allowing individuals to change their recorded sex in legal documents by means of self-declaration. The group campaigns against changes to transgender rights and has been described as anti-trans, as trans-exclusionary radical feminist, and as a "gender-critical feminist group".

"'We're being pressured into sex by some trans women'" is the original title of a BBC News article written by Caroline Lowbridge and published on 26 October 2021. Produced by the BBC's regional service in Nottingham, the article claims that lesbians are being pressured by transgender women into having sex with them. The article received widespread criticism among the LGBT community as transphobic. It drew particular attention for the inclusion of comments from American pornographic actress Lily Cade, who wrote a blog post after the article's publication calling for the "lynching" of high-profile trans women. Cade's comments were subsequently removed from the article.

Gender-critical feminism, also known as trans-exclusionary radical feminism or TERFism, is an ideology or movement that opposes what it refers to as "gender ideology": the concept of gender identity and transgender rights, especially gender self-identification. Gender-critical feminists believe that sex is biological and immutable, while believing gender, including both gender identity and gender roles, to be inherently oppressive. They reject the concept of transgender identities. These views have been described as transphobic by feminist and scholarly critics, and are opposed by many feminist and LGBT rights organizations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transphobia in the United States</span> Prejudice against Americans of other gender identity than assigned at birth

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References

  1. 1 2 "One Transwoman Speaks Out on the Dangers of Trans Extremism". National Review. 25 February 2020.
  2. "Why some women don't back 'self-identifying'". BBC News. 20 October 2018.
  3. 1 2 Hellen, Nicholas (22 December 2019). "Trans woman Debbie Hayton faces ban for transphobia" . The Sunday Times.
  4. Maurice, Emma Powys (23 December 2019). "Transgender woman accused of hate speech after wearing t-shirt proclaiming 'trans women are men'". PinkNews.
  5. Lyons, Izzy (22 December 2019). "Transgender woman accused of 'hate speech' after wearing t-shirt stating she is still biologically male" . The Telegraph. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  6. Andersson, Jasmine (19 June 2020). "Trans teachers accuse union of 'transphobia' after quiet election of controversial activist". inews.co.uk.
  7. Report of Proceedings 2021 General Synod (PDF). Church of England. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  8. Thornton, Ed (16 July 2021). "General Synod digest: challenges during questions". Church Times. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  9. Mann, Julian (11 July 2021). "Anglicans must support each other even if they have different views - Bishop of London". Christian Today. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  10. Long, Julia (12 May 2020). "A Meaningful Transition?". Uncommon Ground Media. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  11. Stanford, Peter (16 October 2021). "The trans women who support women's rights". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 October 2021.