Bristol Council consultation into trans inclusion & gender identity policy

Other thread on this here:

www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4620377-bristol-city-council-consulting-on-new-trans-policy?page=1

I reminded them of exactly that in my response Bellini, and also that female safeguarding doesn’t seem to be any sort of a consideration for poor old Bristolians. 😡😡

Bristol City Council needs reminding that the Equality Act applies in Bristol.

It also deliberately misses the point in terms of safeguarding- the very real safeguarding risk when you make toilets gender neutral is that woman have no way of knowing who is a predatory male, and who is just a bloke using a toilet. Sex specific toilets remove that risk, and it certainly isn’t a disproportionate reason.

I was in a parents room alone (breastfeeding room & kids toilet) when a man came in to use the loo because the mens was broken and he didn’t fancy going downstairs, and when I challenged him he threatened me and I was terrified, I was conscious that you are so vulnerable in that space, anything can happen and no one else would even know.

My MP has responded and not said a lot but I know she is hugely supportive of VAWG. I must push my Councillors for a response

Bumped again. I’ve just completed. I’m from Bristol and am furious about these proposals. Why are they even asking, they seem to have already made their minds up judging by how the questions are posed?

Just bumping as the deadline draws nearer.

Done. I pointed out it would end up likely in judicial review and a massive waste of money

Bump. Please consider completing this consultation.

It looks like there is the start of some push back although more needed. Bristol 247 is a super woke paper and I am amazed they even had this article

www.bristol247.com/lgbtq/news-lgbtq/claims-trans-rights-motion-unlawful/

Yes! Because it's just nice.

Though realistically neither interpretation will cover informal social groups. It's always going to be fine to invite whoever you like out for a coffee or a glass of wine. It's when these start to be public groups that single sex spaces are endangered.

I think that we need some much more explicit guidance on the Equalities Act. There are too many TRAs who try to do what Bristol council is doing, defining permitted exemptions as narrowly and restrictively as possible. Since most local judo clubs, knitting circles and book groups won't have the will or the resources to fight court cases this effectively means they can't be single sex spaces if anyone challenges them.

My hope and understanding is that the rules should be interpreted as broadly as possible, with the assumption that spaces may be single sex by default. But this needs to be stated clearly and nationally and that clarification needs to happen soon, while there are still single sex spaces around to protect.

Why are they bothering to have a consultation if they are already telling us what the outcome will be in all their questions?

Reference for the above - sex-matters.org/posts/updates/the-attorney-general-clarifies-the-law-on-single-sex-services/

"Any exception to the prohibition of discrimination must be applied as restrictively as possible and the denial of a service to a trans person should only occur in exceptional circumstances"

Well that's completely at odds with the Attorney General's recent guidance.

"So if one group incurs a modest particular disadvantage and another group incurs a more serious particular disadvantage, justification for exclusion can be lawfully established."

By way of example a ‘women-only’ rule for a women’s judo class excludes all men and will be lawful under paragraph 26 if a joint service would be less effective, and it is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. It will no doubt put people with the protected characteristic of gender reassignment (e.g. trans-women, by that I mean a biological male who identifies as a female) at a disadvantage compared to those without that characteristic. But in my view if the benefit that it confers is sufficient to justify direct discrimination against the whole class of men, it will in almost all circumstances be sufficient to justify indirect discrimination against a much smaller class of trans-women."

Yes it's absolutely so bloody depressing isn't it. Like we've gone back in time. Us women have had our five minutes of freedom and now we've got to get back in our box. Twas ever thus but somewhat ironic that 21st century 'inclusiveness' excludes half the population.

Why should females be made to feel less comfortable than anyone else?

Are Bristol harking back to a two tier system where males take priority all ways and always?

Sorry got cut off, that film that basically said - "Women, know your place" 😡