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Original poster

Does anyone fancy emailing the DWP?

35 replies

sashh · 10/02/2021 08:00

As some of you know the DWP has removed 'sex' from its equality statement, I have received yet another reply telling me 'gender is more inclusive'

I have sent the following email - name redacted obviously but to [email protected] -this is my local team, the others are

OCU1 – Disability - PIP/DLA/CA/AA cases
o OCU2 – North East England
o OCU3 – West Midlands
o OCU4 – North Central
o OCU5 – North West England
o OCU6 – London & Essex
o OCU7 – North & East Midlands
o OCU8 - Wales
o OCU9 – South East England
o OCU10 – South West England
o OCU11 – Scotland
o OCU12 – Retirement Services

Dear X, thank you for your letter dated 25 January 2021, your ref redacted

I am rather puzzled by your reply. You state that 'gender' is to be 'as inclusive as possible'. Every single human being in the world has a sex (male, female or intersex) but not everyone has a gender. I do not have a gender and an increasing number of people are rejecting this social construct due to 'gender stereotypes' which are damaging for everyone.

So how does removing a term, identified in law, from your equality statement and substituting one that is offensive and damaging correspond with 'inclusivity'.

On a further note, the Equality Act is about being 'fair' not 'inclusive', this is for many reasons, eg some people are exempt from the act due to clashes between the rights of groups with 'protected characteristics' eg to learn to drive a car you must be at least 17 years old (or 16 in some circumstances), you must also be able to see.

You are still discriminating against me because I have a sex.

I look forward to your explanation.

OP posts:
nothingcomestonothing · 10/02/2021 15:53

Emailed today, inviting them to explain why they think they can unilaterally decide to change a characteristic protected by law to a social construct which has no legal definition. Can't wait for the reply.

Original poster
sashh · 10/02/2021 11:57

@TheLaughingGenome thank you, I'm hoping a 'drip drip' effect will work.

OP posts:
TheLaughingGenome · 10/02/2021 09:02

Thank you for doing this, OP. I'll be emailing.

Original poster
sashh · 10/02/2021 09:00

@dancemom and @highame thanks. I do feel a bit like banging my head against a brick wall.

OP posts:
dancemom · 10/02/2021 08:48

Thank you for doing this OP, if we all roll over and accept this we will slowly be erased

highame · 10/02/2021 08:25

Like the way you've put that op

Original poster
sashh · 10/02/2021 08:24

I just do not understand how failing to record the data required of them by law is deemed acceptable

And being a public body they have a 'duty' to:

Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Act.
Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.
Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

OP posts:
Biscuitsanddoombar · 10/02/2021 08:22

Bloody hell, they’re so stonewalled aren’t they!

I just do not understand how failing to record the data required of them by law is deemed acceptable

Would the ombudsman be a possibility?

Original poster
sashh · 10/02/2021 08:16

@Biscuitsanddoombar Yes that is what I have been saying since September.

They closed my case, I went to the Sec of state who sent it back to the DWP

OP posts:
Biscuitsanddoombar · 10/02/2021 08:12

I couldn’t give a toss whether they think gender is ‘more inclusive’! sex is the protected characteristic under the equality act and sex is the data they should be collecting as a public body. Organisations can’t just decide which bits of laws they’ll comply with & which bits they won’t!