Trans cops in the UK given authority to strip search female suspects

The British Transport Police (BTP) has sparked outrage by allowing biologically male transgender officers with gender recognition certificates (GRCs) to strip-search female suspects, a move critics call a breach of women’s rights.

The policy, approved in September, permits transgender officers to search individuals of the gender they identify with, even without legally changing their sex.

Former Conservative MP Miriam Cates labelled the guidance “state-sanctioned sexual assault,” warning of potential exploitation.

Critics like retired police superintendent Cathy Larkman and rights advocate Maya Forstater argue the practice is dehumanizing and a blatant violation of human dignity, drawing attention to the state’s duty to protect citizens from degrading treatment.

Despite assurances that detainees may object to the officer conducting the search, women’s rights groups maintain the policy undermines safety and dignity.

The Women’s Rights Network and the charity Sex Matters have condemned the policy, calling for its immediate repeal. The controversy follows a similar policy withdrawn earlier this year due to government concerns over women’s safety. Campaigners argue that prioritising self-identified gender over biological sex in such intimate situations ignores fundamental rights and risks eroding trust in law enforcement.

Image credit: Denis Oliviera