A meeting into a popular swimming pond descended into protest over a controversial transgender policy.
At the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond Association (KLPA) AGM, it was ruled transgender women will be allowed to continue using the Hampstead Ladies’ Pond.
Gender critical campaigners lost a vote to bar trans women from swimming at the open-air venue in Hampstead Heath in north London.
The Kenwood Ladies’ Pond opened in 1926 and is advertised as a "unique women-only space" that "provides a place of refuge and security for women and girls of all ages."
Kenwood Ladies’ Pond voted to allow trans women
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A video shared by Venice Allan, a gender critical campaigner, showed her standing up at the meeting.
In the video, she said: "That when the inevitable happens, as a result of your trans inclusive policy, that the majority of women, and, so I’m told, two men, have voted for today, and one of these men, that you’re so inclusive of, attack or rape a woman or girl, I want you to remember that you voted for that.
"I hope you wake up in the middle of the night and remember that you made that act of male violence in a sacred woman’s space possible.
"Until then, enjoy maintaining the fantasy porn set that you’ve created for these perverted men and maintaining their erections. You’ll be glad to hear that you won’t be seeing me there ever again until this single-sex policy is implemented."
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The Kenwood Ladies’ Pond opened in 1926 and is advertised as a "unique women-only space" that "provides a place of refuge and security for women and girls of all ages"
PA
The corporation has previously said that trans women have been able to use the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond since the introduction of the Equality Act 2010, which prohibits unlawful discrimination on the grounds of transgender status.
A spokesperson for (KLPA) told The Telegraph: "At the meeting members discussed business matters, including a proposed resolution from a member to amend the KLPA constitution to interpret the word woman ‘literally and biologically so that only those born female in sex can use the pond’, and elected the association’s management committee and officers for the next twelve months.
“The proposed resolution was rejected by a large majority of the members present at the AGM.“
"The Ladies’ Pond is a space for women and girls. For some years the KLPA – a user group representing the interests of swimmers at the Ladies’ Pond – has been committed to helping to create and maintain there an inclusive environment for all women, including transgender women.
"In line with this policy all women, including transgender women, are welcome to join the KLPA, although the KLPA does not have any executive or administrative power in relation to the Ladies’ Pond which, as an integral part of Hampstead Heath, is owned and managed by the City of London Corporation."
Daily Mail reports two-hour-long meeting heard pleas from women who said they no longer felt safe using the pond because of the policy.
Allan campaigner at the meeting, told attendees it was "inevitable" that women and girls will be sexually assaulted.
In a statement to the Daily Mail it added that all women were welcome to join.
