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Anya Palmer vs. transgender people

Anya Palmer is a British barrister, sex segregationist, LGB separatist, and anti-transgender activist. Palmer is a co-founder and trustee of anti-trans group Sex Matters.

Background

Anne Marie “Anya” Palmer was born in August 1961. Palmer earned a bachelor’s degree from University of East London in 1989 and a law degree from London Guildhall University in1997. Palmer was called to the Bar in 1999.

Palmer was the second employee at UK LGBTQ charity Stonewall.

Palmer served as a trustee of the charity National Council for Civil Liberties from 1997 to 2001 and the Civil Liberties Trust from 1999 to 2000.

Anti-trans activism

Palmer represented critics of trans healthcare and gender critical plaintiffs, most notably Maya Forstater, in several employment tribunals, including:

In 2020 Palmer co-founded private company Sex Matters Ltd with Rebecca Bull and Maya Forstater. When joining the charity Sex Matters in 2024, Palmer stated:

“Thirty years ago I was working for Stonewall to win equal rights for lesbians and gay men. It took many years of perseverance, argument, persuasion and a series of gradual legal and legislative steps to win full equality in law. Like many I feel betrayed by the direction that the ‘LGBT’ movement has taken. I am proud that I helped to found Sex Matters in 2020 to fight for the right to hold and express the belief that sex is real and it matters, and then using that right to enable more people to speak up and to demand equality and clarity in the law.” 

References

Desmondez, Phil (January 24, 2023). Anya Palmer named in The Lawyer’s Hot 100 2023. Old Square Chambers https://oldsquare.co.uk/anya-palmer-named-in-the-lawyers-hot-100-2023/

Earl, Sarah (May 20, 2019). Old Square acting in two prominent cases involving transgender issues. Old Square Chambers https://oldsquare.co.uk/old-square-acting-in-two-prominent-cases-involving-transgender-issues/

Flores, Pamela (September 21, 2012). Employment law reforms “a licence to treat people badly.” HRreview https://hrreview.co.uk/hr-news/employment-law/employment-law-reforms-a-licence-to-treat-people-badly/39034

Anti-trans coverage

Sex Matters (September 20, 2024). Sex Matters appoints new trustees. https://sex-matters.org/posts/updates/sex-matters-appoints-new-trustees/

Showalter, Brandon (September 7, 2021). NHS whistleblower who raised concerns about drugs for kids with gender dysphoria wins payout. Christian Today https://www.christiantoday.com/news/nhs-whistleblower-who-raised-concerns-about-drugs-for-kids-with-gender-dysphoria-wins-payout

Staff report (September 5, 2021).  NHS child gender identity clinic whistleblower wins tribunal. BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-58453250

Griffiths, Sian; Das, Shanti (September 4, 2021). Gender identity clinic whistleblower wins damages for “vilification.” The Times https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/gender-identity-clinic-whistleblower-wins-damages-for-vilification-cwj2m3t0s

Staff report (June 10, 2021). Gender Critical Beliefs recognised as a Protected Characteristic in Discrimination Law – Forstater v CGD Europe. Doyle Clayton https://www.doyleclayton.co.uk/resources/news/Gender-critical-beliefs-case-win/

Selected writing by Palmer

McAnena, Fiona; Palmer. Anya (May 23, 2025). Changing Rooms? New Law Journal https://www.newlawjournal.co.uk/content/changing-rooms-

Palmer, Anya (November 16, 2023). Why employers should reconsider Trans Day of Remembrance | Anya Palmer. The Critic https://thecritic.co.uk/why-employers-should-reconsider-trans-day-of-remembrance/

Palmer, Anya (August 7, 2022). Sex matters in drawing comparisons. Legal Feminist https://www.legalfeminist.org.uk/2022/08/07/false-equivalence-a-guest-blog-by-barrister-anya-palmer/

Cooper, Jonathan; Yoshida, Keina; Dunne, Peter; Palmer, Anya (April 18, 2018). Brexit: The LGBT Impact Assessment. Gay Star News https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/this-is-how-brexit-could-hurt-youas-an-lgbti-person-in-the-uk/#gs.NrS0gnA

Mason, Angela; Palmer, Anya (1996). Queer bashing : a national survey of hate crimes against lesbians and gay men. Stonewall (Wellcome Collection) https://wellcomecollection.org/works/svcqrtdx

Palmer, Anya (1993). Less equal than others: a survey of lesbians and gay men at work. Stonewall (Wellcome Collection) https://openlibrary.org/books/OL13937322M/Less_equal_than_others

Resources

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

Sex Matters (sex-matters.org)

  • Anya Palmer
  • sex-matters.org/about-us/board/anya-palmer

Old Square Chambers (oldsquare.co.uk)

The Critic (thecritic.co.uk)

X/Twitter (x.com)

Legal Feminist (legalfeminist.org.uk)

The Lawyer (thelawyer.com)

  • Anya Palmer
  • thelawyer.com/microeventpeople/anya-palmer