Equality act

[Ihavesomeballs]

Been looking at the Equality Act, could it be used against us? I'm thinking in terms of what has happened to Posie and in particular in reference to hate crime. Could we end up in a position where saying things like 'transwomen are not women ' or 'men in dress's with penis's' be interpreted as causing hatred or distress to a group, i.e transgender people. What does the future hold?

[AreYouTerfEnough]

Yes it could easily lead to that happening.

[Kneedeepinunicorns]

Posie has been told that she is a 'test case' (how lovely for her, poor Posie) basically because this rubbish pushes to see how far the Equality Act and the concept of hate speech can be stretched in law. And whether the general public will swallow it being pushed so far.

The law was created to protect people from abuse. The concept of 'abuse' has now literally become 'stating facts that upset me'. Its a direct conflict between not just freedom of speech but freedom to speak the truth, and someone's right not to be subjectively offended by it (and the pushing of the idea that trans people are so emotionally vulnerable that they have the right to have the general public legally compelled to validate their subjective reality). That's a pretty radical interpretation of the law and its original intent.

I suspect when this gets the daylight and oxygen of court it won't pass, I'd be interested in a legal person's point of view. But white van man is not going to swallow that 'you're a bloke in a dress' is something police resources should be spent on. It is vile for the few like Posie who are being used to try out this ground. Largely because politicians were too stupid to see this coming.

[AreYouTerfEnough]

It’s ridiculous. What if a tim went to ask for a smear test, what is the nurse supposed to say? “You don’t have a cervix so no need for a smear”. Will she be risking prosecution?

What if a tim pretends they’re in labour and presents to a labour ward, will the midwife be legally obliged to give them a bed and an examination? Will the unit be prosecuted for turning the tim away?

[Mouthtrousersafrocknowandthen]

I doubt very much the Crown Prosecution Service will see the public interest in spending money on a case against Posie. Too much ambiguity, not enough clear evidence. No guarantee of a prosecution. The problem is it takes up to 8 months in the queue for the CPS to get you your case to decide. The case isn't about whether it was child abuse or not, its about saying child abuse about someone.

The problems with the EA are that they have made reassignment so ambiguous its a potential trap. The worst part is the guidelines Stonewall have given everyone which go even further than the EA and set out policy, so this reinforces it even more in organisations. It's all dependent however on us agreeing that a fetish is a protected characteristic. We have not been asked that. The whole gender fluid expression stuff that Stonewall have sold the government really grooms us all to accept some pretty weird behaviour......just saying.

[LightofaSilveryMoon]

Women are women. Because of biology.

That's all!

[thebewilderness]

The EA contains a conflict because transgender identified male rights are in conflict with women's sex protections.

[ElenOfTheWays]

The day me saying I've got rotten period pain becomes a hate crime, is the day I formally resign my membership of the human race.

[Mumsnut]

Posie said it took about 6 months between tweeting and hearing from the rozzers.

Some of us could already be under investigation - they just haven't got round to interviewing us yet. I imagine they would need some sort of subpoena to access our details from Justine et al (who would have absolutely no choice in the matter).

Sometimes I wonder whether to ask in site stuff whether Mumsnet have received any such requests lately ...

[Ihavesomeballs]

Gosh the police are going to be busy....on twitter just this morning I have liked 20 anti transactivist posts.......actual criminals will be delighted!