The Darlington Trans Medic used woman has been changing rooms for years

A transgender worker feels entitled to use a female work facility as he has done for years without any issues being raised, an employment tribunal has heard.

Eight nurses have challenged the Darlam and Darlington NHS policy that allowed a female makeover to be applied to Rose Henderson, a biological male who identifies as a female.

Rose, an operating department of the Darlington Memorial Hospital mentioned in the first name of the Tribunal and uses the claims “Bad claims” of the nurses who signed a letter admitting his use and demanded conduct in the changing room.

The Tribunal continues.

The Newcastle hearing heard that hospital placements have been completed since 2019 as part of Toesside University studies, before starting TOESTION WORK TWO in 2022.

Since the first day, the rose has changed in the women’s room, which is used by about 300 women, the court heard.

Niazi Fetto KC, Barrister for nurses, was asked if the rose had been discussed, as other transgender colloahes had done in the past, asking for a different place to change.

“No, I don’t see it as necessary,” Rose replied, adding the use of the women’s changing room was “not brought up at all” by administrators.

Mr. Fetto asked if Rose had considered whether the use of the changing room might present a “danger” that other users might be upset, embarrassed or intimidated by Rose’s presence there.

“It never occurred to me it could be a risk, no,” Rose said.

The Tribunal heard complaints that were first made by female nurses in the day surgery unit (DSU) in August 2023, with 26 women who signed up to a rebel complaining about changing the rose in March 2024.

Mr. Fetto asks if Rose continues to use the changing room even after learning of the “disappointment”, to which Rose agrees.

“Do you think you have the right to use the changing room?” Mr. Fetto asked.

Rose replied: “Yes.”

Mr. Fetto asked if Rose thought about the “perspective” of the complainants, answering that it was a source of “strangeness” in what was a “sudden issue that he had been using for years.

“I take their reasoning into account, but not to any great extent,” Rose told the Tribunal.

Rose only learned the full details of the complaint when they were printed and broadcast in the media, the Tribunal heard.

Mr. Fetto asked if, after that, Rose was able to go to the DSU to “oppose” the women and show “the above written in a statement to the Tribunal.

Rose said there are a “good number of reasons” professionals go to the unit.

Several nurses accused Rose of giving them “bad looks” or “hard stares”, which Rose denied, telling the court that she did not know who the nurses were.

“I’m not in the business of leveling people who look at anyone or looking hard,” said Rose, adding that people like him about his colleagues “as professionals”.

One of the lead nurses, Bethany Hutchison, said that Rose smiled at her as they passed through a corridor, which she took to be an attempt to intervene.

Mr. Fetto asked Rose if she was “showing fun” towards nurse Bethania Hutchison.

Rose said she was talking to another colleague at the time about something they found funny, “but it wasn’t [Ms Hutchison’s] presence that I find amusing”.

The Tribunal heard a poster declaring the changing room to be “inclusive” was put up by some of Rose’s colleagues after the row erupted.

Rose saw a post about it circulating on social media and immediately contacted the managers to ask for a sign to make the cause good.

Mr. Fetto asks if Rose knows who put up the poster.

Rose doesn’t know exactly but reckons it was done by supporting theater colleagues, a “small subset” who were frustrated that nothing could be done to help.

The Tribunal heard allegations from nurses about Rose’s behavior in the changing room, with some claiming that Rose would go around in boxer shorts after changing.

Rose said the allegations were “false”.

One of the nurses, Karen Danson, told the Tribunal Rose had previously asked her three times if she would change, with prompting flashbacks of the sexual abuse Danson suffered as a child.

Rose did not know who Ms Danson was and could not remember such an event, the court heard.