A popular women's-only pool at Coogee beach recently uploaded a new rule onto its website. The rule on McIver's Ladies Baths' FAQ page stipulated that: “Only transgender women who’ve undergone a gender reassignment surgery are allowed entry.” The wording has changed after community backlash but remains the same in substance.

This is an example of the prejudice and discrimination that are ongoing challenges for transgender people. If there are single-sex spaces, it should be the individual's right to choose that which best matches their identity. "What if?" situations are often raised but there is no evidence they ever happen. Exclusion of trans people, however, is well-documented and degrading.

We call on McIver's Ladies' Baths management, Randwick and Coogee Ladies Swimming Association, and Randwick City Council to:

1. Publish a statement making clear that all people who self-identify as women - cis, trans, surgery or no - are welcome to use the pool.
2. Change MLB's website and on-site signage to reflect this policy.
3. Issue a full apology.

~~~
MORE INFO:

Trans women, like cis (non-trans) women, just want to have a swim in a pool for women. Many trans women cannot afford bottom surgery, are not medically eligible, or do not want it. It doesn't matter. They are not predators, they are more often than not the victims of predators. This is a violation of the right to privacy, the point of the pool itself.

After community backlash, the rule was first replaced with a statement that "McIver’s Ladies Baths has an exemption under the Anti-Discrimination Act awarded in 1995." As of writing this petition, it now reads, "Transgender women are welcome to the McIver’s Ladies Baths, our definition for transgender is as per the NSW Discrimination Act."

This has the same meaning as the initial wording, because, under NSW law, sex affirmation surgery is still a requirement to have one's legal gender marker changed. https://www.nsw.gov.au/topics/name-changes-and-corrections/change-of-sex

NSW law should change, but this is a choice by MLB management and it is a cruel one. MLB is sub-leased to the Randwick and Coogee Ladies Swimming Association, whilst MLB management has told customers to direct inquiries to Randwick City Council. Until an explanation is given, we are directing our petition to all three bodies.