Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Original poster

Organisations representing women's legal rights

28 replies

Triffiddealer · 03/03/2022 12:45

Sorry if this has been asked before but:

I've just signed a new contract of employment within the civil service - and the following appears under discrimination:

There must be no unlawful discrimination against any eligible person on the grounds of gender, gender reassignment, pregnancy or maternity, marital status, race, colour, nationality, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age etc.

No mention of sex - as defined in the Equalities Act 2010.

How come they are able to just remove sex discrimination - which is clearly defined as male or female. How is this legal? They are not changing the terms for disability, race or age? I mean even if they added 'sex or gender ID' that would be something to consider- but to just delete it?

I assume they have been Stonewalled - but are any women's organisations campaigning against this and challenging it? As I am just starting and have to pass probation I don't want to do anything officially yet, but can I donate to an organisation that challenges this or can I do anything outside of my job so that sex discrimination isn't just 'deleted'?

OP posts:
SamphiretheStickerist · 03/03/2022 13:30

Pragmatically the law is the law and is worded specifically to mean what is intended. Any organisation that chooses to disregarded the actual wording leaves itself open to legal claims. It isn't simply a case of "Ah well, I know what you meant"

If you don't see what I mean to take any other law and change one operative word:

At a zebra crossing piglets have the right of way...

Even if you can't get exorcised by the sex / gender debate surely you can objectively view that!

Theeyeballsinthesky · 03/03/2022 13:28

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

SevenWaystoLeave · 03/03/2022 13:17

Pragmatically, how do you think gender discrimination and sex discrimination differ? If you are facing a practical issue of misogyny in the workplace, do you think the fact it says "gender" not "sex" on your workplace policy would actually change the support you would get or your legal rights in any actual material way? Or is your real objection here to the fact that sex and gender are frequently recognised as synonymous, both in law and common speech, in which case your actual issue here is just one of pedantry about language and not actually a concern that you're not protected against discrimination?