Oxfordshire County Council's transgender policy faces court action

The 13-year-old girl said the policy means she has "no right to privacy from the opposite sex"

A 13-year-old girl opposed to a council's transgender policy has had legal papers filed on her behalf at the High Court.

Oxfordshire County Council advises that transgender girls can share toilets, changing rooms and dormitories with girls if they identify as such, and vice versa.

The teenager said this gives "no right to privacy from the opposite sex".

The council "utterly refutes" concerns that children are being put at risk.

The legal action was initially going to be made on behalf of an Oxfordshire parent Victoria Edwards, a teacher, and the girl, but will now only be made on the girl's behalf.

Ms Edwards said: "It is she whose dignity and privacy are being violated by this guidance. It is she who is at risk of emotional and physical harm, and it is she who is representing the interests of all children and young people, not only in Oxfordshire but throughout the entire country."

The council published the guidance in its Trans Inclusion Toolkit for Schools in February 2019. It says that is underpinned by the Equality Act 2010.

It said it is "confident [the guidance]...provides help" in a "difficult and emotive area".

Safe Schools Alliance UK (SSA UK), which is supporting the girl in seeking a judicial review, said the guidance is "seriously flawed" and breaks equality law.

Legal papers were filed at the High Court on Wednesday, SSA UK said.

The group said it is a "grassroots group of individual volunteers" with no religious or political affiliation.