Does the government consultation re changes to the GRA start this week? Janice Turner thinks so

Good one Lang! I'll do that too. I'm not sure how anyone could object. Well they will of course, but I'm not sure how any such objection could be seen as reasonable.

I'll be suggesting that a DBS-type procedure is instituted to cover all jobs and volunteer positions advertised for women only, using the exemptions.

I am liaising with my kids single sex school to help them be prepared to respond to the consultation.

We need to know what will be consulted upon but I’m guessing that sports organisations for women and girls should be nudged by us to respond.

One clear suggestion to add is that the GRA should be explicit that natal sex should be considered for the purposes of the Equality Act sex exemptions and that legal sex cannot take preference .

This should be fine by TRAs as they have been saying this is the case all along. It should be fine with the government as that’s their response to the petition. It helps cement the exemptions into the GRA

Ouchiebum

The expectation is that the difference in age that people can receive pensions will become uniform. A case is currently being adjudicated.

I have already built up a good network among friends and family, especially males, most of whom are intitially utterly befuddled, then have a wander around the internet and get it without any further prompting. I'm confident that they will complete the consultation.

What seems to get lost in the debate is that women wholly support the right to be trans, and have trans friends, family, lovers, colleagues, partners, neighbours and employees. What I want is for us to stand our common ground against our common threat. Male violence.

The lives of women, transwomen and transmen, men and all human beings are directly harmed by male entitlement, violence and the patriarchal structure. Gender is one of the mechanisms that gives this set of men the power to do this. If we work together to dismantle gender stereotypes, every one of us will benefit whatever our chromosomal make up or presentation.

The tiny group of TRA's are a part of that patriarchal structure. They need gender sterotypes to persist in order to prolong the patriarcy and retain their power.

snappity

lang did ask you not to quote her

Sorry

Womyn so no one is confused

That applies to both sides, of course which will inhibit some trans people from responding

And some women as well, cos of all the doxxing mofo's out there

I was reading the privacy statement on an entirely unconnected govt public consultation last week. There are plenty of safeguards in place and it expressly said that you would be directly consulted before any disclosure if the relevant dept felt the need to identify respondents.

I have the feeling you will be posting this a lot over the course of the coming months!

I was reading the privacy statement on an entirely unconnected govt public consultation last week. There are plenty of safeguards in place and it expressly said that you would be directly consulted before any disclosure if the relevant dept felt the need to identify respondents. Ignore the scaremongering upthread & check the privacy section on this consultation when it is eventually published.

It’s important that all of the organisations we have formed respond as organisations because there will be clout there, and as many individuals as possible. Get your friends, families and partners to respond too.

Yes. I agree. I have a a dozen or so individuals who have nothing to with GC feminism but who have safeguarding concerns promising to complete this. Plus a couple of very small, grassroots orgs who can see the same issues.

Despite what interested parties might tell you, this consultation will have thousands of responses. Every single one matters. And you are not in any danger filling it out, no matter what gets hinted at hereabouts. This is just the usual employment of coercive control.

The consultation must hear grass roots orgs who are actually still in touch with their own service users.

I am dubious about this. The Equality Act 2010 went out for consultation and there was then debate in the House. I can't recall whether it was the full House or a Committee but some groups were invited in, but only the prominent ones. I am personally sceptical how much influence individuals and small groups can have.

I will still respond personally but I am realistic that the impact of my personal response will be miniscule.

Just remember that you will need to respond to the consultation in your real life name which, on the basis of past consultations, is generally published.

That applies to both sides, of course which will inhibit some trans people from responding.

I was in Sunderland this morning and there was a TRA rally going on, so I suspect that the consultation will be starting soon. Could n't help noticing that all the speakers were male and the crowd chanting TWAW had a lot of female voices in it. There's something about men telling women what to do that irks me greatly...

Government is on public record saying consultation will be launched before the start of the summer recess. Nicholas Hellen (also Times) has stated that the consultation likely to be launched to coincide with London Pride (next weekend). I think Janice Turner or Nicholas Hellen likely to be in the right ballpark - next week - even if they don't have absolute concrete knowledge of the day.

broader population don’t have an informed view on the issue

All too often, I think neither the broader population nor our elected officials have an informed view on a number of issues until unintended consequences surface. (I'm think of all of the policies around housing, health, Universal Credit etc. that are still playing out in all of their ramifications. And, how often do we find that these policies disproportionately impact specific vulnerable groups.)

Nice.

It's a pity she ignored disability as a protected characteristic. I note the schoolgirl article earlier in the week is gaining momentum for trans people to vacate the female spaces and colonised disabled spaces in the comments.

How fitting would the Orwell prise be indeed.

If the consultation is indeed published next week, are Fair Play ready to go with their awareness campaign? Or do we all need to chip into the crowdfunder PDQ?

Integrity of the data that informs public policy is another vital aspect of this. Crime statistics, for example.

PS - Thank you Janice Turner! You really ought to have won the Orwell Prize, given your expose of actual newspeak happening right now

I think the most powerful arguments against reforms will centre on the impact of removing sex as a category.

Yes. Absolutely. And women will obviously have to come at this from a perspective of the impact on women and girls.

I shall write again to my MP.

I've said this before, but I'm concerned we may need to find like-minded allies who are worried about changes to the GRC process potentially impacting on freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, accuracy of data, legal repercussions, etc to present those concerns. I am sure there must be a British Jordan Peterson-type who objects on the "compelled speech" principle. I mean, even those super exclusive traditional male's clubs ought to be raising their eyebrows at this...

This thread seems to be discussing a wide range of important issues but I expect the consultation will involve specific, focussed questions. I am concerned that due to the level of concern about gender ideology etc. the influencing power of some responses to the consultation may be weakened if they do not focus on the specific issues being consulted upon.
The crux of the issue re GRC reforms is whether getting a GRC should be easier and a matter of personal choice.
I think the thrust of the argument against is that of the impact of reforms eradicating sex as a meaningful category/ being able to meaningfully categorise people according to reproductive role.
I think the most powerful arguments against reforms will centre on the impact of removing sex as a category.