I objected to gender ideology at work and now need support

Hotfeetcoldfeet · 2022-07-12T19:08:31+00:00

First post but been reading the feminist board for a while. I don’t have any GC support IRL and thought this would be a good place to find some hopefully. I work in the public sector and have recently seen snippets of Diversity and Inclusion material which will soon be published and widely distributed to staff. I’ve raised concerns to the senior leader who has produced this material as it seems to uncritically put forward a gender ideology view, via language used (eg cis gender women) and resources positing gender ideology. I’ve contacted them and said that I think that the material presents gender ideology uncritically, as fact, rather than presenting it as an opinion /belief. I’ve said that my GC views are protected by the Equalities Act and should be presented alongside gender ideology, in order to give balance. I’ve said I’m happy to share my GC views with them. Ultimately, I’m worried about gender ideology being accepted by staff in my workplace as fact. Pronouns in email signatures are creeping in and the person to whom I’ve objected has their pronouns stated. They’ve said they’ll raise my issue higher up the chain, which I’m seeing as positive. I’m probably catastrophising but I’m worrying about putting my head above the parapet, as it’s not something I usually do. I would value any wise words you can give me, and also if there are any resources or anything anyone can think of that might help my case, I’d be hugely grateful. I’ll be reading about the issues in a more targeted way now, in order to be prepared if I get the chance to discuss my GC views further. Thanks so much in advance

FiddlefigOnTheRoof · 20/09/2022 09:12

If you are based at 102PF and want some support, really happy to chat about it as I’m based nearby in a different civil service org. PM me if so.

OldCrone · 20/09/2022 09:11

I just tried to link to the Policy Exchange report mentioned by @JuneOsborne . I'll ask MNHQ why they keep hiding the link. Seems an odd thing to hide. It's easy enough to find if you google the title and author.

Transgenderism and policy capture in the criminal justice system
Maureen O'Hara

May 30, 2022

Why criminal justice policy needs to prioritise sex over ‘gender identity’

This report addresses the impact of policies and practices within the criminal justice system in England and Wales which classify and treat suspects, defendants in criminal trials, and convicted offenders on the basis of their ‘gender identity’ rather than their biological sex. In recent years, self-declaration of ‘gender identity’ has been adopted as policy by all of the key criminal justice institutions, despite the fact that this is not aligned with the law. This change appears to have come about largely as the result of policy capture, as it is a widely contested belief and has been adopted without public scrutiny. Current criminal justice policy prioritises the wishes and feelings of those who identify as transgender over the rights of others, and particularly over the sex-based rights of women, such as rights to single-sex facilities. This publication examines the detrimental effects of this approach and makes recommendations about the development of policies which are based on acknowledgment of the significance of biological sex in the field of criminal justice.

ToFindNewWays · 20/09/2022 09:07

Just to say: proud of you 💪🏼 ! You absolutely rock.

OldCrone · 20/09/2022 09:02

JuneOsborne · 14/09/2022 18:00

Well, I have never had a post instantly hidden before, I promise I said nothing offensive.

All I did was try and point you in the direction of the recent report written by Maureen O'Hara about Transgenderism and Policy Capture in the Criminal Justice System.

I did put a link in that allowed you to download the report. Maybe it was that?

@MNHQ Am I not allowed to link to published reports?

policyexchange.org.uk/publication/transgenderism-and-policy-capture-in-the-criminal-justice-system/

Transgenderism and policy capture in the criminal justice system

May 30, 2022

Why criminal justice policy needs to prioritise sex over ‘gender identity’

This report addresses the impact of policies and practices within the criminal justice system in England and Wales which classify and treat suspects, defendants in criminal trials, and convicted offenders on the basis of their ‘gender identity’ rather than their biological sex. In recent years, self-declaration of ‘gender identity’ has been adopted as policy by all of the key criminal justice institutions, despite the fact that this is not aligned with the law. This change appears to have come about largely as the result of policy capture, as it is a widely contested belief and has been adopted without public scrutiny. Current criminal justice policy prioritises the wishes and feelings of those who identify as transgender over the rights of others, and particularly over the sex-based rights of women, such as rights to single-sex facilities. This publication examines the detrimental effects of this approach and makes recommendations about the development of policies which are based on acknowledgment of the significance of biological sex in the field of criminal justice.

This looks excellent. Pdf download at the link. Probably deserves its own thread.

oldwomanwhoruns · 19/09/2022 20:06

You can always refer to the 'Single Sex Exemptions' in the Equality act.
So men cannot expect access to ladies wcs, changing rooms etc. Doesn't matter how they dress.
So no, tw are not w.
www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/notes/division/3/16/20/7

Metabigot · 18/09/2022 09:31

tempester28 · 14/09/2022 18:28

Well done! you have done the right thing. I don't work in the corporate world or the civil service so don't have to worry about my words as such. I do believe that one day there will be a backlash and a reversal of belief in this ideology ( and a lot of wasted paper and time) I also believe that we will come to learn that this ideology was conceived of to damage our society, however, I don't expect others to agree with me on this point.

I have got the work inclusion group to agree that GC also needs to be included
Otherwise it's not really inclusion is it. They agreed with my point
Thanks to maya I feel I can make headway now

Working in HR helps as we advise on dismissal _ set policy etc

JuneOsborne · 14/09/2022 19:52

Hotfeetcoldfeet · 14/09/2022 19:03

The Maureen O’Hara paper (on page 6 of 73!) is fantastic… it’s crystallising everything that’s sloshing around in my brain that I’m not clever enough to verbalise!

I thought it might be useful. Glad you found it.

PutinIsAWarCriminal · 14/09/2022 19:12

Well done for speaking out. I'm very much in favour of the choice to announce your pronouns, but the fact that women have their own reasons for not wanting to announce the reason they face daily discrimination must be respected. I believe in inclusively and tolerance, but the rights of one group must not cancel out the rights of the women who fought so hard to make the workplace a better place for women. Until women have true equality we cannot afford to let the rights we do have be chipped away.

Useruser1 · 14/09/2022 19:09

I haven't RTFT but in raising it at all you are doing the right thing and will inspire others 🤘

Original poster

Hotfeetcoldfeet · 14/09/2022 19:03

The Maureen O’Hara paper (on page 6 of 73!) is fantastic… it’s crystallising everything that’s sloshing around in my brain that I’m not clever enough to verbalise!

OP posts:

Original poster

Hotfeetcoldfeet · 14/09/2022 18:52

I’ll Google the mystery link, thank you

OP posts:

tempester28 · 14/09/2022 18:28

Well done! you have done the right thing. I don't work in the corporate world or the civil service so don't have to worry about my words as such. I do believe that one day there will be a backlash and a reversal of belief in this ideology ( and a lot of wasted paper and time) I also believe that we will come to learn that this ideology was conceived of to damage our society, however, I don't expect others to agree with me on this point.

babyjellyfish · 14/09/2022 18:28

Most of us leave our politics out of the work environment.

Unless our political beliefs are that trans women are women, in case we ram them down everyone's throats?

JuneOsborne · 14/09/2022 18:23

TastefulRainbowUnicorn · 14/09/2022 18:06

@JuneOsborne If you report one of your own posts and ask MNHQ to unblock the link they will do it if the link’s not against their rules (doesn’t sound like it would be!) It sounds interesting.

Thanks for this.

I can't see that it would be against the rules, it's authored by an academic and is carefully written. I suppose it could be the source of the link, but again, it's the policy exchange, the UK's leading think tank (according to them!) And an educational charity, so that seems unlikely. But who knows, eh?

Libertyqueen · 14/09/2022 18:13

Whitehorsegirl · 14/07/2022 10:23

My feedback as a manager: choose your battles.

What do you think will happen in the end? what is it that you are trying to achieve?

You are employed in the public sector. They will always pursue a strict equality and diversity policy.

All you have achieved here is to stand out for all the wrong reasons.

Also you do not speak for all feminists and I would find it personally offensive to have someone claim that they are doing a presentation on the feminist view of gender identity. Your view is only that, your personal view. You would be presenting views that are held by some feminists, not all.

Most of us leave our politics out of the work environment.

Your are perfectly entitled to have your own views and beliefs and you should not be discriminated against because of it, but your workplace chooses the culture it want to create for its employees and you then have the choice of working there or not working there if their values don't match yours...

From a legal perspective the OPs employer is opening themselves up to discrimation claims if they present belief in gender identity as something everyone must subscribe to. Whether you personally agree with gender identity beliefs or are gender critical is neither here nor there. It is a protected characteristic so must be presented with care. Since her employer is already presenting one side they would do well to present the other belief in order to guard against prejudice.

LaughingPriest · 14/09/2022 18:11

OP can you ask, when they say "TW are women", what definition of the word "woman" are they using? It's not the dictionary definition i.e. female, so they need to clarify this if discussions are to be productive.

TastefulRainbowUnicorn · 14/09/2022 18:06

@JuneOsborne If you report one of your own posts and ask MNHQ to unblock the link they will do it if the link’s not against their rules (doesn’t sound like it would be!) It sounds interesting.

JuneOsborne · 14/09/2022 18:02

This reply has been hidden

This reply has been hidden until the MNHQ team can have a look at it.

JuneOsborne · 14/09/2022 18:01

I just tried to post the link again. It's definitely the link causing the post to be hidden.

JuneOsborne · 14/09/2022 18:00

This reply has been hidden

This reply has been hidden until the MNHQ team can have a look at it.

JuneOsborne · 14/09/2022 18:00

Well, I have never had a post instantly hidden before, I promise I said nothing offensive.

All I did was try and point you in the direction of the recent report written by Maureen O'Hara about Transgenderism and Policy Capture in the Criminal Justice System.

I did put a link in that allowed you to download the report. Maybe it was that?

@MNHQ Am I not allowed to link to published reports?

JuneOsborne · 14/09/2022 17:57

This reply has been hidden

This reply has been hidden until the MNHQ team can have a look at it.

Original poster

Hotfeetcoldfeet · 14/09/2022 17:46

Yes it’s horrible, I’m quite grumpy about it at the moment !! But I’m also very bloody minded so I’ll keep on going and try to be strategic about it and not annoy people too much or get emotional!!

OP posts:

Theeyeballsinthesky · 14/09/2022 17:46

I cant add to what PP have said but I wanted to say you’re incredibly brave to stand up for what is right & do this 💐

bellinisurge · 14/09/2022 17:45

Our office was veering into the bullshit when, I think, our head of legal was made aware of the Forstater case andwe had an all staff email saying "it's entirely up to you if you put pronouns in your email signature. We are fine either way". This is public sector.