[Thread] My case raises Qs about freedom of speech & belief & how to reconcile women's rights & the rights of transgender people.
So how have the human rights organisations and other NGOs responded?
[Disclaimer: individual staff views do not necessarily represent orgs]
@IndexCensorship@jodieginsberg said back in Nov "I cannot see that MF has done anything wrong other than express an opinion that many feminists share – that there should be a public and open debate about the distinction between sex and gender.”
Incidentally 1,100 people would really, really like to Fawcett society step up and hold some grown up discussion about sex and gender ID
Amnesty International had this to say
Amnesty UK Trustee Senthorun Raj @senthorun endorsed @cmclymer view that JK Rowling (and I) are transphobic for “stating that sex is real"...."a common transphobic assertion that has been dismissed by medical experts and other scientists."
When I was trying to keep my job @CGDev I wrote this in a letter to senior management. I thought that as a think tank we should be open to thinking about the issue.
In practice CGD was not.
But i did end up sparking a lot of conversations around a lot of tables over xmas
I know that while people can say "begone TERF" publicly, people in NGOs who are concerned about the issue are afraid to speak up.
And no mainstream org (or funder) has stepped up to host dialogue or analysis.
This issue will keep running. I hope they find their voice.
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The nomination of Mary-Ann Stephenson as new chair of the EHRC brought the witch hunters out.
Stephenson has a PhD in equality law. She is Director of the Women’s Budget Group, and has been director of the Fawcett Society, chair of the Early Education and Childcare Coalition and a board member of Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre.
A bunch of charity CEOs (some of whom are part of "Equally Ours" with her) wrote a letter saying darkly she "previously supported views seen at odds with inclusivity for all"
There was a petition accusing her of making "anti-trans statements" and "association with groups advocating for the curtailment of trans people's human rights"
Just taking a look back at what Amnesty International said very confidently to the Gender Recognition Act reform consultation in 2018 (they were advocating for removing all safeguards and controls from getting a GRC)
Giving out more GRCs will not affect anyone else they said.
It would have no effect on the operation of the single and separate sex exceptions in the Equality Act.
None on the occupational requirements exceptions in the Equality Act.
This is what we mean when we say sex matters. It is what the Supreme Court meant when they said you have to be clear about what the different groups are.
It's not a legal nicety. It's not complex. It's not difficult.
It's just basic respect for women's humanity, with common sense.
I am so angry at all the highly paid people failing to do their job, who would not see that it is abusive to allow men into women's changing rooms, toilets and showers.
And even now who are resisting implementing the law. @NotPostingMatt @NHSConfed