Trans women born as men allowed to live in female-only British Army accommodation is 'court case waiting to happen' warn gender rights campaigner as it is claimed top brass told concerned soldiers 'it's not an issue as you can tell who are predators'

Gender rights campaigners have warned that allowing trans women born as men to live in female-only British Army accommodation is a 'court case waiting to happen'.

Top brass are alleged to have dismissed soldiers' concerns by insisting: 'It's not an issue as you can tell who are predators.'

But there has been a backlash after it was revealed government guidance is giving the go-ahead for soldiers to transfer to female-only barracks as soon as they begin their transition.

Worried MPs have urged Defence Secretary Grant Shapps to reconsider, raising concerns that female military members could be put at risk - and gender critical author Helen Joyce accused the MoD of threatening women's privacy and safety.

Defence document JSP 889, which provides guidance for the recruitment and management of trans military personnel, says the 'determining issue' when arranging accommodation is a soldier's 'affirmed' gender - rather than that assigned at birth.

It stipulates military member should have access to 'toilet and changing room facilities appropriate to their affirmed gender' as soon as their transition starts. 

And 'under no circumstances' should a transgender person be expected to use facilities for their 'assigned gender' after transitioning, it adds.

Ms Joyce, author of the book Trans: When Ideology Meets Reality, posted today on X, formerly Twitter: 'This is a court case waiting to happen.

'I hope a claimant comes forward - a woman denied safety and privacy by the prioritisation of men's identity claims over women's rights.'

One serving member of personnel told The Telegraph her concerns about a transgender member of the forces joining her squadron - with a manager telling her not to worry and claiming: 'It's not an issue as you can tell you are predators.'

And a woman in the RAF who recently returned from an overseas secondment sharing washing facilities with men and women said: 'Military bases at home are compromised if female spaces are not managed appropriately.'

Conservative MP Sarah Atherton, who oversaw a report examining sexual assault and harassment in the military, criticised the policy for being 'unclear' - and suggested the Ministry of Defence 'haven't thought this through properly'.

She argued the guidance 'allows predatory men to misuse the policy to continue this abhorrent behaviour'.

Ms Atherton, who served in the Intelligence Corps, said: 'Having done extensive work around women in the Armed Forces, I am fully aware of the extent of sexual abuse that has gone on and continues to go on.'

She called for women to have 'secure accommodation' and 'safe spaces' due to 'poor sexual behaviour and misuse of power in the military', adding: 'Women need to have secure accommodation where they feel safe.'

Mr Shapps is understood to be examining the policy as part of a new review he has ordered into all the military's diversity and inclusion policies.

Defence sources said the 'majority' of single-sex living accommodations have 'lockable' rooms with en-suites, insisting it was 'rare' for people of the opposite sex to share washing facilities.

They also told MailOnline there had only been a 'small number' of transgender Service personnel asking accommodation of their affirmed gender, which had been 'managed locally and on a case-by-case basis'. 

It was also said military members who feel 'uncomfortable' can raise their 'concerns', to then be 'considered by the chain of command'.

The official document states: 'As soon as the transition process begins the person should be provided with accommodation that is appropriate to their affirmed gender.

'From the date of transition, the person should also have use of the toilet and changing room facilities appropriate to their affirmed gender.

'Under no circumstances should a transgender person be expected, after transitioning, to use the facilities of their assigned gender.'

MailOnline has approached the Ministry of Defence for comment.

The MoD previously published a new Inclusive Language Guide warning members of the Armed Forces that using the words 'woman' and 'female' interchangeably 'erases' members of the trans community. 

It states: 'Referring to women as females is perceived by many as reducing a woman to her reproductive parts and abilities.

'Not all women are biologically female, and the conflation of "female" to "woman" erases gender nonconforming people and members of the trans community.' 

Earlier this month Mr Shapps ordered a review of what has been dubbed the British Army's 'woke nonsense' inclusion policy earlier this month, after reports it wants to relax security checks for overseas recruits to boost diversity.

The Defence Secretary said there would be no 'lowering of security clearance requirements on my watch' after a leaked internal policy document outlined a series of measures aimed at boosting falling personnel numbers. 

He said: 'We want people from all backgrounds to serve in our military but some policies appear to be more about a political agenda than practically improving the lives of our dedicated soldiers and military personnel.

'There will certainly not be any lowering of security clearance requirements on my watch.

'And no-one should be offended by having religion as part of remembrance services. You don't have to be Christian to appreciate and respect the history and traditions of the United Kingdom.'

Based on current trends, the army will have just 52,000 troops in 10 years - and in a one year period up to September last year, the army's strength plummeted from 79,139 to 75,983 as more soldiers left than started.