Summary
Hampstead Heath Ponds. A decisive court outcome and a public consultation—in which 86% of respondents supported inclusion—solidified the mandate to keep the ponds welcoming for all gender identities.
Hampstead Heath Ponds
Simply, thank you.
Thank you for your unwavering encouragement and generous donations to our Ponds fundraiser. Your support empowered us to instruct our legal team at Leigh Day to prepare a strong intervention, submit letters to the court, and seek expert legal opinions ensuring our voice, trans voices… was heard at every stage.
Royal Courts of Justice:
On December 17th, eight members of the TransLucent team, including barrister Robin Moira White, Professor of Law Stephen Whittle OBE, and our CEO Steph Richards, stood in court alongside our solicitor from Leigh Day after numerous strategy meetings.
We must also acknowledge our team at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool last year, who distributed thousands of leaflets to delegates, raising vital awareness about the situation at Hampstead Heath Ponds and the significance of this test case.
In the end, Sex Matters suffered a decisive defeat – not only in the courtroom, but even more powerfully in the court of public opinion.
Victory for Inclusion:
86% of Respondents Vote to Keep Hampstead Heath Bathing Ponds Trans-Inclusive!
The recent public consultation on access to the Highgate Men’s Pond and Kenwood Ladies’ Pond delivered a monumental result. In a resounding victory for dignity, equality, and common sense, local communities and swimmers across London sent a clear message: trans people belong at the ponds.
After a rigorous data verification process, it was confirmed that an incredible 38,445 people participated in the consultation – a powerful testament to just how much these spaces mean to our city.
The Mandate for Inclusivity:
The numbers speak for themselves.
An overwhelming 86% of respondents supported keeping the ponds as trans-inclusive spaces – where trans men use the Men’s Pond and trans women use the Ladies’ Pond. Equally, 86% firmly rejected proposals for strictly “single-sex” access based on biological sex.
These results are a powerful refutation of claims that the current system is “broken.” In fact, 81% of pond users reported positive experiences under the trans-inclusive policy, describing trans swimmers as “unremarkable” and “normal.”
A Decisive Rejection of Segregation:
Even more striking was the public’s overwhelming rejection of so-called “compromise” models that would have singled out trans and non-binary people.
- 90% of respondents disagreed with requiring trans people to use separate changing rooms and toilets. This proposal was widely condemned as “discrimination,” “segregation,” and “othering”.
- 90% of respondents rejected a “hybrid” model of timetabled sessions. Many highlighted that such sessions would effectively “out” trans people, creating a significant safety risk by making them visible targets for harassment.
Protecting Our Sanctuary:
For decades, the ponds have been a sanctuary and refuge for the LGBTQIA+ community. The consultation made clear: trans inclusion is a matter of fundamental human rights and dignity.
The public also issued a clear warning about the dangers of “gender policing.” Enforcing access based on biological sex would require intrusive, humiliating, and unworkable identity checks – measures that would harm not only trans people, but also gender-non-conforming cisgender women.
Next Steps:
This consultation has delivered an undeniable mandate. The people of London have chosen kindness over exclusion …and facts over fear.
They have affirmed, unequivocally: trans women are women, and trans men are men.
Indeed, analysis of the consultation revealed that with regard to question 1(a) 14,128 respondents explicitly stated that “trans women were women and trans men were men” and should be treated as such in all contexts.
We now call on the City of London Corporation to respect this overwhelming majority. It is time to move forward with a policy that protects the inclusive character of these historic ponds – ensuring they remain a welcoming space for every swimmer, regardless of gender identity.
Thank you to everyone who stood up for inclusion!
Together, we have ensured that the ponds remain a place of peace and acceptance for all.
