Thread by @TheCountessIE

Listen to @SenatorKeogan in Seanad Éireann speaking about the proposed changes to our Equal Status Acts to include Gender Identity as a ground.
Time Stamp: 40 minutes.1/10

https://twitter.com/OireachtasNews/status/1461281423386714113?s=20

@SenatorKeogan highlighted significant concerns that many Irish people have about the proposed reforms to the Equality Acts.
"The issue, which needs to be carefully considered in any amendment to the law is that gender and sex are not the same and a lack of clarity as to 2/10

the definition of those terms has led to a position whereby obtaining a GRC to change your gender here in Ireland, results in someone even a man who has not had any surgery or hormones, does not intend to, being able to access all female only spaces as if they were a woman."3/10

"If ‘gender identity’ is included in the act, obtaining a Gender Recognition Certificate will no longer be necessary to access these spaces."
"We have already seen the impact of conflating sex and gender in our laws, following the introduction of the GRA in 2015. 4/10

"We now have a situation whereby male born prisoners, who have not transitioned but who are granted a GRC even those who have committed serious sexual offences, are placed in prison facilities for women."5/10

@SenatorKeogan called for safeguards and risk assessments to be carried out.
"It would be a dereliction of our duty to protect all vulnerable groups in our population if we introduce such profound changes in our legislation without full consideration of all the impacts-6/10

We must ensure that in protecting one group in clear need of such measures, we do not do so at the expense of another."
@rodericogorman asked @SenatorKeogan to "consider her framing" as she spoke of sex offenders. He said to go to the "worst case scenario...is problematic."7/10

With all due respect Minister O'Gorman, the worst case scenario has already happened, at this very moment there are two male bodied persons, with histories of sexual assaults', in female prisons.
A report form the @OIP_Ireland recommended that trans identified prisons should 8/10

be able to choose the "gender" ie sex, of the officer who carries out body searches.
Safeguarding requires risks to be identified and then managed, so reasonable steps are taken to mitigate those risks..... whilst recognising that risk cant be 100% eradicated.9/10

Without risk assesments and safeguarding put in place for considering this new legislation, we risk the safety and rights of everyone and especially the most vulnerable, like women in prison.
Thank you to @SenatorKeogan for bringing these issues to light. ENDS 10/10

Over the coming days we will have a template that people can use to help them get involved in the consolation.

#WeWillBeHeard