A former candidate’s legal fight against discrimination in the Green Party

Kathryn Bristow was set to make history as the first openly trans woman running in Bristol City Council elections before a shock suspension abruptly ended that campaign.

A few months down the line and the former candidate for Eastville is suing the Green Party for gender-based discrimination and speaking out in a bid to fight transphobia within politics and forge an inclusive space for all.

Kathryn was selected as a candidate in the run-up to the local elections in May by a ballot of local members but less than two weeks into the campaign, the national party issued the temporary no-fault suspension.

This was on the basis of a single complaint claiming that Kathryn putting faer gender down as female on the 2021 census was unlawful. (Fae/faer are Kathryn’s pronouns.)

It also cited anti-trans articles in the rightwing press mentioning Kathryn as evidence of faer being a danger to the party and bringing it into disrepute.

The former candidate, who lives in Westbury-on-Trym, says reading the complaint was like a punch in the throat.

Kathryn and a barrister dispute that the actions were unlawful, but regardless say the party does not as a rule suspend members for non-violent acts of conscience even if they are unlawful.

Kathryn therefore concludes the decision was made just because fae is a trans woman.

Despite repeated efforts by Kathryn and members of the Bristol and South West Green groups, the national party failed to lift the suspension until after the election.

Kathryn Bristow at London Trans Pride 2021 – photo by LGBTIQA+ Greens

Speaking about the decision to pursue legal action against the party which still counts Kathryn as a member, Kathryn says: “The party made the wrong decision and I want them to realise they made the wrong decision and rectify it so nothing like this can happen again in the party.

“It’s not really anything to do with justice it’s just so the party can see what it’s done wrong and can move forward from there to, hopefully, make the party a more trans-inclusive space.

“I haven’t met anyone in the party that doesn’t have my side. I think the party just needs to change so it can’t do something like this again.”

Kathryn says discrimination against trans people is rife across society and politics, with issues in all the main parties. Former Green Party co-leader Siân Berry is due to stand down this autumn over concerns about trans rights.

In an open letter, Berry said: “There is now an inconsistency between the sincere promise to fight for trans rights and inclusion in my work and the message sent by the party’s choice of front bench representatives.”

In highlighting and fighting such discrimination, Kathryn hopes to pave the way for a more inclusive future.

The passionate Green member still believes the party is a force for good and believes in its core principles but argues the people who made the decision on faer suspension were wrong.

Kathryn Bristow hopes to make the Green Party nationally a more trans-inclusive space – photo by LGBTIQA+ Greens

A Green Party spokesperson said the party does comment on individual matters, adding: “The Green Party recognises that trans men are men, trans women are women, and that non-binary identities exist and are valid.

“We are proud to have the most progressive trans policy of any other UK-wide party and that members voted on this at conference in a fair and democratic way.”

Bristol’s Green Party group says that at no point were members at a local level given full details of Kathryn’s complaint and they repeatedly requested the hearing be expedited.

A spokesperson said: “We deeply regret that a dedicated and talented young candidate was denied the opportunity to stand for election on this occasion – an opportunity for which fae had worked hard and thoroughly deserved, and fae continues to have our full support.”

Main photo by Marie Man

Read more: ‘There’s been a lot of talk but very little action from Bristol City Council’

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