There appear to be misunderstandings. The Mayor's office was provided with details of attendees on 3 Feb, 1week prior to this meeting. This included academic, legal expertise, LP status and additional allegences including the LGB Alliance for one academic.
Additional allegences also disclosed to the Mayor's Office 1 week prior to the meeting was membership of the Manchester Feminist Network.
Neither of these two declared allegences resulted in cancellation of the meeting by the Mayor and why would they?
Neither of these two declared allegences resulted in cancellation of the meeting by the Mayor and why would they?
The meeting with Andy Burnham to discuss girls and women's rights as they currently exist and the concerns regarding the effect of self ID on these, was requested by me in July 2019 in this open letter:
womansplaceuk.org/2019/07/20/dea…
womansplaceuk.org/2019/07/20/dea…
This letter was written in July 2019 and said:
'I would really welcome the opportunity for some of the many Labour Party women members including several academics (including scientists & historians) and girls and women’s rights specialists, who have concerns
'I would really welcome the opportunity for some of the many Labour Party women members including several academics (including scientists & historians) and girls and women’s rights specialists, who have concerns
about the reframing of girls and women’s rights as transphobic and about self-identification of gender to come and meet with you to discuss the issues from the point of view of girls and women.'
The LGB Alliance had not been formed in July 2019 and do it is not surprising that I did not refer to it in my original letter. The meeting with the Mayor took over 6 months to set up by which time the LGB Alliance had been formed.
It is completely unsurprising that a lesbian feminist academic may also have links to this organisation which recognises the protected characteristic of 'sexual orientation' as outlined in the Equality Act.
'Sexual orientation means a person's sexual orientation towards
(a)persons of the same sex,
(b)persons of the opposite sex, or
(c)persons of either sex.'
legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/…
(a)persons of the same sex,
(b)persons of the opposite sex, or
(c)persons of either sex.'
legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/…
So to conclude. We had an extremely constructive meeting with the Mayor to discuss the law as it currently stands in relation to the protected characteristic of 'sex' and the concerns of many regarding the introduction of 'gender self-ID'.
For lesbian women the introduction of 'gender self-ID' would impact significantly on the PC of 'sexual orientation' and do this was also discussed.
As it happened, Storm Ciara meant that the academic with additional allegence to the LGB Alliance did not attend, but the rest of us did our best to hetsplain on her behalf.
The Mayor quite rightly states that he meets with many groups and that his position on issues does not necessarily align with that if the group's he meets.
Nevertheless we are disappointed that he remains committed to 'gender self-ID' given the negative impact this will have on girls and women's rights as a sex as they currently exist in law.
However, we are heartened that he is committed to upholding single sex spaces in Greater Manchester and look forward to further engagement on this issue as Labour Politicians continue to grapple with the detail and reality rather than slogans.
Ends
Not quite, meant to link to committment re single sex spaces:
