Labour PPC comes out as transgender

Emily Brothers, the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate (PPC) for Sutton and Cheam, has come out as transgender.

In an interview with PinkNews, Brother who worked previously as Programme Head at the Equality and Human Rights Commission and at the Disability Rights Commission, said:

“In an ideal world I wouldn’t be speaking out about my past because it’s very private; however I recognise that as a politician the key thing is trust.

“I don’t want to be somebody who has notoriety as having a transgender background, but I also believe it’s an experience that has value to it, that I can be a positive role model.

“For a lot of people of a transgender experience that can be very challenging but for me, it was absolutely the right thing to do. I am happy and content as a woman, and also as a gay woman.

“I have two great children who are very supportive, but my wider family are not and have broken their connections with me.”

Brothers, who lost her sight because of glaucoma when she was a child, compared the lack of representation of disabled people to that of transgender people. She explained that it was time for change:

 “There is vast under-representation of disabled people and people with transgender experience in public life, and there is of course vast under-representation of women in parliament, and that needs to change.” 

Update – Cllr Bev Craig, Co-chair of LGBT Labour has released the following statement:

‘We’re incredibly proud that Emily has taken the decision to come out as trans. We know all too well that trans people still face too many barriers in politics and beyond. We are pleased that Emily has the full support of the Labour Party.

“It was Labour who delivered huge progress for trans legal equality when in government. And it will only be a Labour government – with Emily as an MP – who will continue to fight for trans communities.”