A Letchworth councillor who has been targeted over tweets she made supporting transgender women, has said "transphobia has no place in society".

Cllr Tina Bhartwas tweeted support of trans women during Labour's National Annual Women's Conference 2022, after some took issue with the term cis and about transgender women being included in the meeting she was attending.

Cisgender, or 'cis' means women whose gender identity and sex assigned at birth are the same - and Cllr Bhartwas tweeted: "Cis is not offensive to women.

"It does NOT take away from the struggles we face as women whose gender identity and sex assigned at birth are the same. Trans women are our sisters and we should support them wholeheartedly I will be an ally, always".

The 20-year-old Letchworth North county councillor's comments have had thousands of replies on Twitter - she has had many positive responses, but the told the Comet the negative comments are "worrying".

She said: "There are certain comments that have got to me, I am used to abuse around my age or my ethnicity - it's not right, but it is my experience.

"Someone replied to something the Heritage Foundation said, and said if we were going to paint a car park flag the colours of the LGBTQIA+ flag - and said it as an insult to me.

"I am only the second openly asexual politician in the country. My partner is non binary and has been misgendered numerous times, so it has a personal impact.

"Someone said you must not have experienced rape or sexual assault if you support trans women. The internet can be vile, but that is next level.

"I was making the point no woman should feel threatened by trans women, not that women don't. I could've tweeted women are women and people would have a problem.

"There was a Lib Dem councillor who tweeted support, and there was a conservative county councillor who agreed and that means a lot. There were also people who have had pile-ons of their own who wanted to support me.

"It's not OK to abuse politicians, it's not OK to abuse anyone."

"I don't think transphobia has any place in society. Women are facing so many issues, and not standing together doesn't help. Ultimately no woman is free until all women are free, and trans women are women."