Page 3 | Sunak intends to review the EA

ArabellaScott · 2022-10-28T09:22:17+00:00

This tucked in an article in the Telegraph on sex ed in schools: 'Mr Sunak also intends to look to review the Equality Act to make it clear that sex means biological sex rather than gender. This would mean that biological males cannot compete in women’s sport and other single-sex facilities such as changing rooms and women’s refuges will be protected. It would also mean clarifying that self-identification for transgender people does not have legal force, meaning transgender women have no legal right to access women-only facilities. A Downing Street source said that protecting women and girls is a priority for Mr Sunak’s administration.' https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/10/27/age-appropriate-sex-education-set-enforced-sunak-administration/

RandomMess · 28/10/2022 12:49

I would be very grateful if someone would produce a draft letter, well paragraphs, to include in a letter that I can send to my mp to ask for her support in this.

ResisterRex · 28/10/2022 12:45

The GRA should undergo post-legislative scrutiny. And be repealed.

ChristinaXYZ · 28/10/2022 12:43

I think if your MP is the leader of a party mired in all this ideology @RosalindsAFuckingNightmare and @Davros then it is really worth while writing to them. They more than anyone else need to see the weight of public opinion on this.

happydappy2 · 28/10/2022 12:32

He needs to repeal the GRA. People cannot change sex so why is the government pretending some men are actually women? It's bonkers. Now that same sex marriage is legal there is no justification in handing out GRCs.

AdamRyan · 28/10/2022 12:28

Hmm. Sounds great on the surface but I'm concerned it's a trojan horse to remove protections the act gives to lots of discriminated against groups so workers have less protection against unfair treatment.

The devil will be in the detail - if it's "just" strengthening the wording in the sex based section that's great

Original poster

ArabellaScott · 28/10/2022 12:27

Abitofalark · 28/10/2022 12:22

I don't see that as a viable proposition. The GRA enshrines a right independently of the Equality Act. It cannot have primacy over it once the GRA is there. Had the Equality Act introduced the right or owned the right as it does say, the former Sex Discrimination Act now incorporated in it, it could have done something within the Act to consider the boundaries of that right, how to define and use terms and to balance it in the context of other rights. And then of course there are the Convention rights, now enshrined in the Human Rights Act, also looming over all. You cannot have primacy over that either.

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So, what has to change to ensure women's rights are protected?

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RoyalCorgi · 28/10/2022 12:26

Davros · 28/10/2022 10:34

🙏 fantastic news. I would write to my MP but it's Keir Starmer so might not be worth it

Definitely worth doing. There are lots of Labour Party members who have tried contacting Starmer about this, but he just ignores them. He can't, or at least shouldn't, ignore a constituent. He needs to know just how strongly people feel about this.

Abitofalark · 28/10/2022 12:22

ArabellaScott · 28/10/2022 11:51

Yes. The GRA is fine so long as the EA is given primacy.

'it’s the statutory guidance that needs to be reviewed and clarified'

Yes. Let's get them to hash this out and nail it down and any other appropriately galvanising metaphors.

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I don't see that as a viable proposition. The GRA enshrines a right independently of the Equality Act. It cannot have primacy over it once the GRA is there. Had the Equality Act introduced the right or owned the right as it does say, the former Sex Discrimination Act now incorporated in it, it could have done something within the Act to consider the boundaries of that right, how to define and use terms and to balance it in the context of other rights. And then of course there are the Convention rights, now enshrined in the Human Rights Act, also looming over all. You cannot have primacy over that either.

Original poster

ArabellaScott · 28/10/2022 12:13

This is from July:

archive.ph/vsDfq

'While Mr Sunak will insist the Conservatives have “zero interest” in inflaming controversies around contentious social issues, he is set to highlight the use of existing laws that are being “used to engage in social engineering to which no one has given consent”.
“The worst offender in this regard is the 2010 Equality Act, conceived in the dog days of the last Labour government,” he will add.
“It has been a Trojan horse that has allowed every kind of woke nonsense to permeate public life [and] it must stop. My government would review the Act to ensure we keep legitimate protections while stopping mission creep.
“Our laws must protect free speech, block biological men from competing in women’s sport and ensure that children are allowed to be children.”
Earlier this month, Mr Sunak said he hoped to reverse “recent trends to erase women” by cracking down on gender-neutral language.
He has also stressed biology is a “critically important” factor policymakers must consider when they draw up rules around participation in sports and the use of single-sex or gender-neutral toilets.'

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Newcatbrowntail · 28/10/2022 12:07

esp write to Keir and labour if they are your representatives in parliament. Even write to your councillors

Newcatbrowntail · 28/10/2022 12:06

Write to everybody in power to support this, they need to hear from. The silenced majority

Datun · 28/10/2022 12:03

I'm place marking in case there's a any more news about this. I wonder if Badenoch and Braverman have been bending his ear.

Original poster

ArabellaScott · 28/10/2022 11:51

Smilelesstalkmore · 28/10/2022 11:05

I think that with TRAs shouting 'GRA reform doesn't mean anything for women, it's just an administrative change, the Equality Act is separate so just shut up', they have actually taken their eye off the ball. While they have been trying to silence women in that way, attention has now been drawn to the EA and how the statutory guidance is woolly, and how it relates to GRA reform and having a GRC. And hopefully now that will get some scrutiny.

Yes. The GRA is fine so long as the EA is given primacy.

'it’s the statutory guidance that needs to be reviewed and clarified'

Yes. Let's get them to hash this out and nail it down and any other appropriately galvanising metaphors.

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Original poster

ArabellaScott · 28/10/2022 11:49

donquixotedelamancha · 28/10/2022 10:48

I would write to my MP but it's Keir Starmer so might not be worth it

All the more reason to me.

I actually think the best outcome would be both parties cooperating because it might remove the risk of self ID permanently.

Yes. I think this could be a golden opportunity to write to bloody everyone. Here's a golden bridge; everyone can be assured it's a mutual compromise; let's urge unity and co operation etc

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Original poster

ArabellaScott · 28/10/2022 11:47

SirSamVimesCityWatch · 28/10/2022 10:31

Oh my god, please, please let this happen.

I will be writing to my MP to communicate my support of this. He's a Tory, bit of a twat, total yes man who always votes with the government, and he's ignored my emails on this is the past, but that was when the noises coming out of number ten were different. If the top dog is signalling a clear pro-woman agenda he is likely to be more interested in supporting it, the little weasel.

I will support any weasels or reverse ferrets that appear. I am happy to build them all tiny golden bridges.

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Winterthoughts · 28/10/2022 11:25

Please get this done by next election: could actually be worth the term "legacy" at this point

AlwaysTawnyOwl · 28/10/2022 11:19

My fingers are crossed this sounds like good news.

And as the EqA is reserved legislation applying equally in Scotland to the rest of the UK it won’t matter what Nicola passes in Scotland because the EqA will take precedence.

BernardBlacksMolluscs · 28/10/2022 11:11

Abitofalark · 28/10/2022 11:06

Cheering news for which much thanks. But it's the GRA that muddies the waters and the terms and their meanings and gives the right to change sex legally, from which everything else flows.

Yes indeed

the GRA is sexist claptrap and should go in the bin

Abitofalark · 28/10/2022 11:06

Cheering news for which much thanks. But it's the GRA that muddies the waters and the terms and their meanings and gives the right to change sex legally, from which everything else flows.

Smilelesstalkmore · 28/10/2022 11:05

I think that with TRAs shouting 'GRA reform doesn't mean anything for women, it's just an administrative change, the Equality Act is separate so just shut up', they have actually taken their eye off the ball. While they have been trying to silence women in that way, attention has now been drawn to the EA and how the statutory guidance is woolly, and how it relates to GRA reform and having a GRC. And hopefully now that will get some scrutiny.

RobinStrike · 28/10/2022 11:04

This is such good news! If Sunak manages to change the whole landscape of legislation and discussion it will make it so much easier for GC Labour MPs. If only this had been announced before the 5pm Thursday cut off we could have asked Starmer where Labour would stand on supporting this.

BernardBlacksMolluscs · 28/10/2022 10:57

The Tories really understand this is a USP for them, don’t they?

it’s the reverse of the landscape that saw the GRA waved through

’we can look progressive at no cost to ourselves’

unfortunately there would be a cost to Labour of doing this. Some of their more batshit members would try to tear the party apart over it

and YY to hoping they leave the act itself alone. It’s fine, better than fine

it’s the statutory guidance that needs to be reviewed and clarified

MrMrsJones · 28/10/2022 10:51

Brilliant news

TheKeatingFive · 28/10/2022 10:51

Great news. Thank fuck for some sensible adults in the room.

99problemsallsecondaryschoolrelated · 28/10/2022 10:49

This is certainly one bright spot. Why can’t Labour see how important this issue is to their electorate! They are literally throwing votes away.