Author: Steph

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(Pronouns - she/her) - Steph Richards is a 74-year-old 'post-op' trans woman with a Gender Recognition Certificate and works as a human rights activist. She was the elected Women's and LGBT Officer at Portsmouth Labour Party 2021 - 2024, former CEO of Translucent.Org.UK, led us to winning the LGBT Organisation of the Year at the National Diversity Awards in 2022, co-founder of Women's Action Network (Portsmouth) and a volunteer at a Women's health charity. Steph was shortlisted as a "Gender Role Model" at the National Diversity Awards in 2025. Steph has been platformed live on BBC Radio 4 three times, including Women's Hour. She has also appeared on Good Morning Britain, Times Radio, LBC Radio, GB News and Channel 4 News. In 2023, Steph debated trans human rights at an American university event alongside Harvard biologist and author Carole Hooven, PhD. Steph (an intersectional feminist) is passionate about the inclusion and acceptance of trans people in society. She advocates for women in prison, specifically pregnant women and calls out the mounting concern that abortion rights are at risk in the UK. She was the recipient of an Inspirational Women of Portsmouth Award in March, 2023.

House of Commons UK

What is a woman?

By Steph's Blog 3 Mins Read

What is a woman? Recently, this question has been thrown at politicians, particularly the Conservative leadership candidates. The real question is why? There has been no specific incident or campaign to challenge what a woman is. Nor, come to that what a man is? Surely, if any question is relevant, this should be the question to ask? Is it not men who start wars? Is it not men that occupy 96% of prison places? Is it not men who commit murder and rape? Well, invariably, it is not trans women, is it? We have not started any war, though…

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