Debbie Hayton

Since 2016, she has been a vocal opponent of gender self-identification, and supports laws which aim to define women-only spaces as being based on sex rather than gender identity.^[1] She has spoken at meetings for Woman's Place UK, a "gender-critical" group.^[2]

At a July 2019 event hosted by Fair Play For Women, Hayton wore a T-shirt which (mimicking a slogan by Stonewall) stated that "Trans women are men. Get over it."^[3][4] She was criticised and threatened with expulsion from the LGBT+ committee of the Trades Union Congress for her actions.^[3] Hayton had sat on the committee for five years.^[5]

In 2020, the National Education Union's Trans and non-binary network criticised Hayton's appointment by the union for a role on the TUC's LGBT+ Committee.^[6]

Hayton's inclusion in Church of England resource materials caused controversy at General Synod in 2021.^[7] Jayne Ozanne criticised the inclusion, describing Hayton as someone "outspoken in her denial of the very existence of trans people".^[8] Synod member Ian Paul supported Hayton, asking Bishop Sarah Mullally about actions being taken to protect Hayton "from intimidation and from attempts to silence her".^[9] Hayton is also often criticized by other gender critical feminists such as Julia Long on account of Hayton's transsexual identity.^[10]

Hayton is a transsexual woman, who underwent gender transition in 2012 and gender reassignment surgery in 2016. She is married with three children.^[1][11]