A nurse involved in a dispute with a transgender-identifying colleague has spoken out about the trauma she experienced after being told the man would be part of the surgical team for her hysterectomy.
Karen Danson said she was left “traumatised” after the behaviour of the transgender colleague, known as Rose Henderson, brought back memories of the childhood sexual abuse she said she suffered at the hands of her father.
Danson is one of eight women, known as the “Darlington nurses,” who are taking legal action against County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, after they were forced to share a changing room with the male nurse who said he identifies as a woman, despite outwardly presenting as a man.
Speaking through the charity Christian Concern, Danson, 45, said that through “an unhappy coincidence,” she was due to have a hysterectomy at her workplace, the Darlington Memorial Hospital, last August, just two months after the legal dispute hit the headlines.
She discovered that Henderson was scheduled to be involved in her operation as a surgical assistant.
Danson said, “I immediately knew this was ethically wrong and that my condition would be made worse and more painful with the stress it would cause.”
She approached the theatre manager and explained the situation, the legal case, and how Henderson’s involvement would be “completely inappropriate,” adding that she wanted a woman as the theatre nurse owing to her childhood trauma.
Danson said she was told, “But Rose is a woman,” and was then accused of being prejudiced and told to take Henderson’s feelings into consideration.
The theatre manager told Danson in writing that her request could not be accommodated “due to clinical and staffing skill mix issues,” and suggested she should either try to get the operation done elsewhere or accept Henderson’s presence.
“I believed this was purely vindictive and demonstrated how low they were prepared to go,” Danson said. “Gender identity was placed above patient and staff care. They tried to punish me for the legal case I was part of and for opposing gender identity policy within the hospital.”
Just days before the operation, Danson went to the Patient Advisory and Liaison Service, which swiftly decided that it would be inappropriate for Henderson to be involved in her surgery.
The legal case is still proceeding to tribunal, despite last month’s Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman for the purposes of the Equality Act, which means that a trans-identifying biological male does not have the right to access women’s changing rooms or toilets.
Danson and the other female nurses are being supported by the Christian Legal Centre, which has said the case “demonstrates how far the NHS has been prepared to go to uphold gender identity ideology and compromise the basic safety and dignity of female staff and patients.”
The high-profile legal case began a year ago after the women were told by NHS bosses they were being “transphobic” by objecting to a male in their changing rooms, and advised to “broaden their mindset” and “re-educate” themselves.
On Sunday, Danson, who has been a nurse for six years, revealed that her discomfort at being forced to change with a man was heightened because of her memory of being abused.
In September 2023, she first encountered Henderson in the women’s changing rooms.
“I looked up and saw a man. He had holes in his boxer shorts so that you could unavoidably see male genitalia.”
She had heard that a trans-identifying man was using the women’s changing rooms and that she had seen Henderson before, but because of his masculine appearance, including facial hair, she had no idea that he was the individual concerned.
Danson said that Henderson asked her three times, “Are you not getting changed yet?” and recalled that he had “a smirk” on his face.
She said that the situation and words jolted her back to sexual abuse she experienced as a 6-year-old, when her abuser would ask her if she was “getting changed” before bedtime.
Danson, who has previously been counselled for PTSD, said: “Rose had the same look on his face as my Dad. I wanted to get out of there, but I couldn’t.”
The nurse said she has since had nightmares about the incident, in which the face of her father replaced that of Henderson, and resorted to changing in the toilets to avoid further distressing encounters.
In March 2024, Danson and 26 other nurses sent letters to the trust outlining their concerns for their privacy, safety, and dignity in the workplace.
After five of the nurses went public last July, the trust gave the women access to a converted office to use as a “temporary” changing room if they felt uncomfortable undressing in front of a man, and a rainbow-coloured sign labelled “Inclusive Changing Space” was placed on the female changing room door.
The nurses took a petition with 48,000 signatures advocating for single-sex spaces to Downing Street and received widespread public support.
The NHS policy “Transitioning in the Workplace” is used widely throughout the organisation and allows men to use women’s changing facilities if they say they “identify” as a woman, regardless of whether they are taking cross-sex hormones or have had feminising surgery.
According to the women’s accounts, Henderson has said that he has a female partner who he was trying to get pregnant.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced last week that following the Supreme Court ruling in favour of For Women Scotland, there would be “new rules” on matters to do with single-sex spaces issued “within weeks.”
Interim guidance was issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission on April 25, making clear that single-sex facilities are to be used based on biological sex only, regardless of whether or not a person has obtained a Gender Recognition Certificate.
Last October, Danson attended a meeting with Streeting where she said she told him that the changing room encounter had triggered her PTSD.
She said that while Streeting was sympathetic, no action has been taken to resolve the women’s concerns, and they are still having to use the makeshift locker room, while Henderson continues to use the female changing room.
The tribunal is currently scheduled to be heard in October. Judge Stuart Robinson said the hearings will take four weeks, given that around 30 witnesses are expected to give evidence.
The nurses have filed the claim on the grounds of sexual harassment, discrimination, victimisation, and breaches of the right to a private life, under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
A similar case is underway in Scotland, brought by nurse Sandie Peggy, who alleges she was intimidated by a trans-identifying male doctor.
The Epoch Times contacted County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust for comment.
The trust added: “We want all our colleagues and patients to feel safe, respected and supported at work and in our care, [and] we are very sorry when this is not the experience. We are committed to providing a safe, compassionate environment for all patients and staff.”
