Mother of trans woman who died by suicide issues warning to Andy Burnham

The mother of a young trans woman who took her own life has issued a stern warning to new prime minister Andy Burnham.

Urging the Labour leader to reverse the ‘anti-trans policies’ overseen by predecessor Sir Keir Starmer, Caroline Litman said that ‘more children are going to die’ if he does not act.

The former NHS psychiatrist lost her youngest daughter, Alice Litman, to suicide in May 2022. The 20-year-old had spent 1,023 days waiting for gender-affirming care.

Speaking this weekend as thousands lined the streets of London for Trans Pride – which was attended by 150,000 – Caroline explained how circumstances have only worsened for the transgender community in the four years since.

She told the Press Association ahead of the march, which began at the BBC’s central London headquarters and ended in Trafalgar Square, how her late daughter encountered ‘a litany of errors’ while seeking healthcare.

Alice also faced name-calling, sexism, biphobia, and deadnaming (calling a trans person by their birth name when they have changed their name as part of their transition).

‘I just keep fighting, but it very often feels like nobody is listening,’ said Caroline of her desperation to create change.

‘Things have got so much worse, and it’s just so disappointing because my family chose to go public with (Alice’s) inquest in an effort to raise awareness of the terrible wait lists and to really bring about change, and it’s just got worse and worse and worse since that happened, and it’s just so disappointing.

‘And I kind of carry a lot of burden – I feel like we have failed in our aims, and it’s really, really disappointing.’

Caroline recited two examples, the first being the new Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) guidance on single-sex spaces. The updated code of practice will impact thousands of public toilets, hospital wards, and changing rooms nationwide from August 5.

The changes were initiated following a Supreme Court ruling, determining that, under the Equality Act 2010, the terms ‘sex’, ‘man’, and ‘woman’ refer strictly to biology.

This means that, as of next month, usage of facilities must be based on a person’s birth sex rather than their gender identity.

Another example Caroline gave was the Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance, which she called ‘Section 28 mark two’.

The draft guidance has been widely criticised by the trans community and campaigners for how it may put trans students at risk of being outed to their parents and of being segregated from toilets, changing rooms, sports, and sleeping arrangements on trips.

Introduced in 1988 under Margaret Thatcher, Section 28 prohibited local authorities from ‘promoting homosexuality by teaching or by publishing material’ and from teaching ‘the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship’.

Addressing Burnham directly, Caroline has now said: ‘The new prime minister needs to completely reverse Labour’s policy on trans rights, trans existence.’

Alas, she has little hope, laughing as she added: ‘That’s not going to happen, is it?’

The co-founder of advocacy group Transparent Action continued: ‘Andy, if you’re listening, I’m the mother of a trans child who took her life by suicide, and more children are going to die on your watch if you don’t do something to reverse the anti-trans policies that your predecessor has overseen.

‘This is telling you loud and clear: it will happen, and you will be responsible.’

She further explained how more research comes to light ‘every week’ to suggest ‘gender-affirming care is life-saving care, especially in under-18s’.

While still Greater Manchester mayor in May, Burnham called for Britain to have a ‘live and let live approach to life’ when asked about EHRC guidance.

He said people need to ‘stop arguing’ and ‘start pulling together’, declaring that the ‘time has come’ to implement guidance based on last year’s landmark Supreme Court ruling on biological sex, but it must be done in ‘the fairest and most compassionate way possible’.

Elsewhere today, other speakers echoed Caroline’s pleas, while crowds carried placards reading ‘Let people p**s in peace’, ‘Marching for all my trans siblings past and present’, and ‘These meds save lives’.

Award-winning author Juno Dawson reminded Burnham: ‘Shall I tell you where loves trans people? Manchester.’

The Doctor Who writer and author of This Book Is Gay said: ‘If he’s going to be a Manchester prime minister, he really does need to speak out.’

She added that, irrespective of criticism or media backlash, Burnham needs to ‘ignore that voice and go with what’s right and actually what most women believe’.

‘By any poll, most women come out strongly in favour of trans rights, and they are his voters, so…’

She added that Starmer ‘won in a general election on a huge mandate, and part of that was pledging his support for the LGBT community, which he didn’t follow through with’.

So, she wants Burnham to pick up the torch and ‘act with kindness and compassion’.

Statistically, trans people are increasingly ‘self-excluding’ in ‘really worrying numbers’, as reported by Trans+ Solidarity Alliance. This includes quitting jobs or staying away from their offices.

Advocacy lead Alfie Bailey-Bearfield has declared that currently, there is a ‘hostile environment’ for the community, with the organisation focused on overturning the ‘harm caused’ by legislation and attitudes.