This week, as a landmark legal ruling in the UK and sweeping executive orders in the US come into effect, we take a deep dive into the controversial social issue that has sparked fierce debate in our own countries: the rights and recognition of people identifying as trans. We delve into the nature of the division in this divide, understand the challenge of finding a way forward that may be acceptable both to trans people and those who argue for their exclusion from single sex safe spaces, and explore what may lie behind the ...
This week, as a landmark legal ruling in the UK and sweeping executive orders in the US come into effect, we take a deep dive into the controversial social issue that has sparked fierce debate in our own countries: the rights and recognition of people identifying as trans. We delve into the nature of the division in this divide, understand the challenge of finding a way forward that may be acceptable both to trans people and those who argue for their exclusion from single sex safe spaces, and explore what may lie behind the increasing unease in society on the issue, especially in the U.S. and U.K. Crucially, we consider why the "trans issue" is one that affects us all, and that to ignore or push it into the long grass risks further alienation and future crisis in our own back yards and has broader implications for equality, freedom of expression, and social progress. As always, we conclude with suggested intentions and prayers.
This is Part 1 of a 2 part special on this topic. Next time, Clive talks about his own experience of growing up trans and sharing his reactions and reflections on what’s now happening in our own back yards.
Suggested Intention Focus for this week
This week, as we consider the grave fear and sense of exclusion being faced by many trans people in the US and UK, as well as in other countries, we suggest holding as our main intention:
We will that there will be a readiness among all people to recognise and respect the gender identities of others that they may consider to be outside the norm, including where these may be contrary to the notion of binary or biologically-determined sex or gender according to their own faith-based or other worldview.
Please join us in holding this.
Intention and prayers start at 38 minutes 30 seconds.
Chapter markers:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:01 The Trans Issue Explained
00:03:48 A Landmark Judgment
00:06:34 Trans Rights in a Global Context
00:14:34 The U.S. Political Landscape
00:18:07 The Cultural Climate
00:20:50 The Divide among Feminists
00:26:31 Evidence and Misconceptions
00:28:57 The Importance of Trans Issues
00:34:05 Understanding Societal Fears
00:38:30 Intentions and Prayers
Sources referenced in this episode:
‘The Transgender Issue’ by Shon Faye. Amazon.com link: https://www.amazon.com/Transgender-Issue-Trans-Justice-All/dp/1839768398/ref=sr_1_1
Full UK High Court ruling on meaning of the terms “woman” and “man” in the Equality Act 2010: https://supremecourt.uk/uploads/uksc_2024_0042_judgment_aea6c48cee.pdf
UK Equality and Human Rights Commission interim update on the practical implications of the UK Supreme Court judgment: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/media-centre/interim-update-practical-implications-uk-supreme-court-judgment
https://americanoversight.org/investigation/trump-administrations-transgender-military-ban/
https://cass.independent-review.uk/home/publications/final-report/
https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/90937/4/2158244020927029.pdf
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10137/
https://culturico.com/2024/01/10/the-controversy-over-rapid-onset-gender-dysphoria-bad-science-or-bad-faith/
https://gomag.com/article/nyc-defiantly-counters-federal-attacks-on-trans-rights-with-protect-trans-future-plan/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_and_transgender_people
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender-critical_feminism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transphobia
https://forwomen.scot/20/04/2025/uk-supreme-court-the-judgment/
https://glaad.org/fact-sheet-trump-transgender/
https://ipinclusive.org.uk/newsandfeatures/why-the-controversy-over-trans-rights-at-the-moment-a-guide-for-allies/
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0038026120934697
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2158244020927029
https://microrainbow.org/intersex-awareness-day/
https://news.sky.com/story/why-the-definition-of-a-woman-has-caused-so-much-controversy-13349944
https://philpapers.org/archive/LAWWSA-4.pdf
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4689648/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12476264/
https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CDP-2025-0037/CDP-2025-0037.pdf
https://sex-matters.org/posts/publications/supreme-court-judgment-summary-and-practical-advice/
https://sex-matters.org/posts/single-sex-services/less-than-a-third-of-brits-agree-with-stonewall/
https://sex-matters.org/posts/single-sex-services/poll-shows-support-for-sex-meaning-sex-in-equality-act/
https://statsforgender.org/it-is-not-true-that-1-7-of-the-population-is-intersex-the-proportion-of-people-with-dsds-intersex-conditions-is-0-018/
https://time.com/6191662/gender-sex-transgender-rights-pew/
https://transactual.org.uk/the-gender-recognition-act-2004/
https://translegislation.com
https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/trans-adults-united-states/
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/2/7/whats-behind-trumps-ban-on-transgender-women-in-us-womens-sports
https://www.americanprogress.org/article/key-issues-facing-people-intersex-traits/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd023eel919o
https://www.britsoc.co.uk/about/latest-news/2018/june/supporting-the-marginalised-with-applied-sociology-the-case-of-transgender-health/
https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/children-and-young-peoples-gender-services-implementing-the-cass-review-recommendations/
https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/media-centre/news/new-research-reveals-positive-attitudes-towards-transgender-people
https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/attitudes_to_transgender_people.pdf
https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/04/20/trans-activists-rally-in-london-following-uk-ruling-over-definition-of-women
https://www.florenceashley.com/uploads/1/2/4/4/124439164/ashley_a_critical_commentary_on_rapid-onset_gender_dysphoria.pdf
https://www.generationtechblog.com/p/transgender-identity-how-much-has
https://www.gov.uk/apply-gender-recognition-certificate
https://www.hks.harvard.edu/centers/carr-ryan/our-work/carr-ryan-commentary/understanding-implications-uk-supreme-courts-ruling
https://www.hks.harvard.edu/centers/carr-ryan/our-work/carr-ryan-commentary/understanding-implications-uk-supreme-courts-ruling
https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/01/08/trump-administration-again-weakens-lgbt-protections
https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/01/23/trump-administration-moves-reject-transgender-identity-rights
https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/03/13/landmark-ruling-trans-rights-poland
https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/ipsos-pride-2023-global-survey-two-in-three-britons-think-transgender-people-face-discrimination
https://www.julianbaggini.com/why-are-trans-rights-so-divisive/
https://www.kff.org/other/fact-sheet/overview-of-president-trumps-executive-actions-impacting-lgbtq-health/
https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2022-11/Women%20girls%20and%20gender%20diverse%20peoples%20safety%20in%20public%20space.pdf
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-17794-1
https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/many-transgender-intersex-people-live-us-rcna96711
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/17/world/europe/uk-trans-hungary-germany-us.html
https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/ie-sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity/struggle-trans-and-gender-diverse-persons
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/genderidentity/articles/census2021genderidentityestimatesforenglandandwalesadditionalguidanceonuncertaintyandappropriateuse/2025-03-26
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/07/07/attitudes-about-transgender-issues-vary-widely-among-christians-religious-nones-in-u-s/
https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/2022/06/10999784/trans-women-public-spaces
https://www.stonewall.org.uk/resources/lgbtq-hubs/trans-hub/the-truth-about-trans
https://www.thehotline.org/stakeholders/domestic-violence-statistics/
https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/04/18/british-transport-police-trans-supreme-court-transgender/
https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/04/25/trans-rights-protest-uk/
https://www.typeinvestigations.org/investigation/2022/09/21/christian-nationalism-anti-trans-laws/
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2023/nov/increase-number-people-identifying-transgender-uk
https://www.us-iran.org/resources/2021/7/15/homosexuality-gender-assignment-in-iran
https://yougov.co.uk/politics/articles/51545-where-does-the-british-public-stand-on-transgender-rights-in-202425
Join us in person for intention holding:
https://www.legacylabyrinthproject.org/events-1 Labyrinth Activist Network Zoom calls
https://insighttimer.com/cliverj Daily intention holding with Clive on Insight Timer.
Our websites:
www.heartfulimpact.com/ Our show website.
https://globalhealingresponse.com/ Global Healing Response ~ Offers a wealth of prayers, suggested practices and prompts in response to environmental catastrophe, conflict, and other world events.
https://www.legacylabyrinthproject.org/ Legacy Labyrinth Project ~ Creating global energetic connections through the labyrinth; inspiring active intention sending using the labyrinth via labyrinth activism.
https://www.clivejohnsonministry.com/ Clive Johnson Ministry ~ Events and offerings aimed at building beloved community, including weekly energy holding vigils and Power of Eight group.
https://insighttimer.com/cliverj ~ Daily intention holding.
Impact! Is presented by Ellen Bintz and Clive Johnson. It is produced by Impact Productions.
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