Thread by @SexMattersOrg

In case you missed last week's #WestminsterHall debate on the #DefinitionOfSex here are the highlights

#SexMatters
#MakeTheEqualityActClear

@ranil (North East Hampshire, Conservative) talks about making sure that the Equality Act aligns with reality. He states the law cannot do impossible things and cannot make a man into a woman. This amendment does not take any rights away from anyone else.

@ToniaAntoniazzi(Gower, Labour) spoke about the two petitions and the question of whether a GRC changes your sex for the purposes of the Equality Act. The petitions are not about gender, self-ID or intersex. She also said we are responsible for legislating and they have to… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

@joannaccherry (Edinburgh South West, Scottish National Party) talks about the protected characteristic of sexual orientation being contingent on the definition of sex meaning biological sex. She said it was time that lesbians and the protected characteristic of sexual… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

@miriam_cates (Penistone and Stocksbridge, Conservative) said that we need to clarify the Equality Act to make clear that sex means biological sex and to ensure that the providers of single-sex facilities understand and protect the single-sex natures of this provision.

@AJRichardsonMP (Guildford, Conservative) spoke about service providers and their need to be able to explain signs, on their website, on the phone and to staff. This means being clear about where there are sex based rules and where service is provided for both sexes together. She… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

@jessphillips (Birmingham Yardley, Labour) said the Equality Act is a carefully balanced piece of legislation rich recognises that women need protection from sex discrimination, and as part of that, women need to be eligible to have separate services, associations, charities and… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

@PBottomleyMP (Worthing West, Conservative) said that when sex and gender clash, sex should be the dominant one.

@RosieDuffield1 (Canterbury, Labour) talks about the confusion in and around the Equality Act that has led to the toxic debate where people have become terrified to even talk about women’s rights.

@NickFletcherMP (Don Valley, Conservative) talks of near misses, accidents that could happen, but didn’t. Near misses reported to stop tragedy happening. He talks about the need to clarify the Equality Act to make sure that no biological males can enter female change rooms.

@ALewerMBE (Northampton South, Conservative) said our laws have to be clear and in situations where sex matters, sex matters. People can identify however they like as long as claims about their identity don’t injure other people. Because this is what is happening now, our laws… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

@timloughton (East Worthing and Shoreham, Conservative), talked about sport drawing on @fairplaywomen and @sharrond62

Jonathan Gullis (Stoke-on-Trent North, Conservative) said he wants his daughter to grow up and look at heroines @RosieDuffield1 @joannaccherry and @jk_rowling who have been brave enough and bold enough and stand up for what they believe is important, because their rights should… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

@JNHanvey (Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, Alba) spoke about being same-sex attracted male, that his sex and the sex of his partner is a defining characteristic of his identity and protection in law. If sex were to mean anything other than the biological category of natal male, it… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

@Caroline_Ansell (Eastbourne, Conservative) talked about the woman driven out of Oxfam; @Docstockk hounded from her post at Sussex University simply for saying that male people and female people are two different groups; and @SarahSurviving who is suing Brighton’s rape crisis… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

@Anna_Firth (Southend West, Conservative) focused on single-sex spaces and services. She wanted the Equality Act to be clear that having a gender recognition certificate does not give male people the right to compete in women’s sports, undress or shower with women and girls, or… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

@mariacaulfield The Minister for Women, noted Parliament's responsibility to constantly review legislation. She said that reference to sex had generally been considered to refer to whether a person is a man or woman in law, rather than to their biological sex or sex at birth.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…