Steph Richards

Steph Richards (born May 1952) is a British transgender rights activist and former charity executive. She is the founder of the advocacy organisations TransLucent and Steph’s Place UK. Her career has included roles in local politics and the charitable sector, during which her involvement in women-specific spaces has become a subject of public and political debate.

Career

Endometriosis South Coast

In November 2023, Richards was appointed chief executive officer of the charity Endometriosis South Coast. The appointment prompted public discussion regarding the leadership of organisations focused on conditions affecting biological females. During her tenure, Richards discussed the charity's mission and her role in media appearances, including on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour, where she was questioned on the suitability of her appointment.

Critics, including representatives from the group Sex Matters, argued that the role should be held by someone with personal experience of the condition. Richards stepped down as CEO in 2024, transitioning to the role of parliamentary engagement officer for the charity, a move that drew further criticism from political figures, including MPs Rosie Duffield and Suella Braverman. Following this, Richards left the organisation.

Labour Party

Richards has served as a women's officer within the Portsmouth branch of the Labour Party. Her appointments and subsequent nominations for officer roles, including an LGBT women's officer position in 2025, faced internal opposition from party members who argued that her candidacy for a women’s officer role was incompatible with the party’s established policies on women only spaces.

Transgender rights advocacy

Richards founded Steph's Place UK, an advocacy organisation that has been critical of the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s guidance on single-sex provisions. Her advocacy work, which prioritises transgender inclusivity, is frequently debated by those who advocate for the maintenance of sex-based protections.