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Original poster

Can someone please help me out with pronouns

281 replies

Lollygaggles · 23/04/2020 21:27

So how do I stand in terms of the current legislation, if I refer to a person by the pronouns of their birth, rather than their preferred pronouns?

Would it be compelled speech to be forced to collude with a belief that I do not accept? Also, how does my freedom not to be discriminated against because of my beliefs ( ie that people can't change sex) play out against the protections of Gender Reassignment and the trans person's rights as a legal member of the opposite sex ( though not a biological one.)

Would I be acting in a discriminatory way under the EA by referring to a person as their birth sex, when they have transitioned?

I want to be able to articulate my position very clearly, with reference to the law, but I don't actually know where we are as the law stands on competing rights.

Can anyone help me unpick it please?

OP posts:
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Ereshkigalangcleg · 24/04/2020 00:48

My view is if you use the name of the person and avoid pronouns altogether, whilst the sentences are clumsy and it's pretty obvious you're avoiding pronouns, it would be difficult to challenge...as you are avoiding pronouns, preferred or otherwise.

Mine too.

OhHolyJesus · 23/04/2020 22:24

My understanding is it's complicated, as PP says there is no case law (yet).

The teenage carer who asked if the community police officer was a "he or she" or "boy or girl" or whatever it was, was fined and it wasn't challenged. I'd need to look it up again but there is a thread on it and I think it was recorded as a 'hate Crime'. Poor kid.

It appears that judges can force you into compelled speech when under oath too...

My view is if you use the name of the person and avoid pronouns altogether, whilst the sentences are clumsy and it's pretty obvious you're avoiding pronouns, it would be difficult to challenge...as you are avoiding pronouns, preferred or otherwise.

Personally I like using surnames.

Stay safe OP.

Thelnebriati · 23/04/2020 22:18

My understanding is that it depends if you are at work or not.
Its not a breach of the Equality Act when its between individuals outside of the workplace as you are an individual, not acting as an employee or employer; and it should not be recorded as a hate incident unless it is part of a pattern of deliberate harassment or bullying.

Original poster
Lollygaggles · 23/04/2020 22:01

Thanks both of you. I am really pissed off about this, but will just have to keep repeating their name then I suppose. I hope Liz Truss's recommendations clear up some of the ambiguities of the law.

OP posts:
drspouse · 23/04/2020 21:48

No case law either way.

midgebabe · 23/04/2020 21:45

Don't use pronouns if there is a disagreement over the meaning?

Don't know about law but it sounds like a position which should offend neither party?