Sex Equality and Equity Network - Gender crit network for civil servants.

I’m HMRC and have been issued with plain ones. I also once had the one issued with the ID card that had ‘HMRC’ printed on but we were told not to wear it in public in case our pass was lost or nicked. I also had one issued to all nominees for particular awards.

I have bought the suffragette colours one from eBay and will be wearing it this week.

Many people in my office wear rainbow lanyards because they are persuaded to be allies and it’s nice to have something colourful to wear and for free! They are well meaning and want to ‘be kind’ and have no idea that some people are pushing an agenda.

I've been in the CS for 10 years and have never been 'issued' with a lanyard of any description, I've always had to provide my own. Id agree that we should be provided with neutral ones though - I've seen people around with lanyards that have their area of work printed on them, but sadly I've never been given one.

they all wear their own neutral company brand blue and grey lanyards and no others. This is the correct thing to do.

As I wear mine. I see people wearing rainbow lanyards at work and I have to consciously repeat in my head "they mean well, they mean well, they mean well....." It can be very hard not to ascribe extra beliefs to people that most of them probably don't share. I can remember when I thought myself that rainbow lanyards were just a nice supportive thing, and that helps.

If it was up to me maybe I'd wear a rainbow lanyard twined round a green purple white lanyard and pinned with a dinosaur badge. And let people make of that what they will

Thanks for highlighting this. I'm in HMRC and have just signed up.

There is one mention of the network on our yammer, in 'Religion and belief activities'. I'd have likes to see it in the diversity theme but it's had 17 reactions of which only one is the sad emoji so possibly listing it under beliefs makes it less likely to get attacked. Also much less traffic 🤔

E.gt. the dentist practice I go to - they all wear their own neutral company brand blue and grey lanyards and no others. This is the correct thing to do.

I'm not in the Civil Service, but reading with interest because the Civil Service affects everyone in the country.

I think all Civil Service personnel should be issued with a bland CS laynyard for CS personnel. No rainbows. No political affiliation. You're there to do a job, one hopes, not to do any virtue-signalling.

I really do understand the "if they're doing trans colours, then I'm wearing Suffragette colours".

But when you're at work, you are supposed to treat everyone equally. So No political colours should be allowed. None at all.

Otherwise, all must be allowed.

I've changed my mind about SEEN lanyards already. Lanyards shouldn't denote anything in the civil service.

I'm with you jelly

I can't wait for SEEN to contact me. I'm old enough to not worry about my career. I'll put posters up, organise our local group and wear a lanyard. I'm not having this anymore.

I was appalled at the responses to the SEEN network, and I am so glad the network has been created.

The reaction to the network’s formation demonstrates the need for such a network!

I work for the Civil Service, and I reported both threads to the yammer moderators and I know other colleagues did too, one of the threads was withdrawn. Both times the moderators responded very quickly and included links to the civil service code of conduct. I was appalled at the responses to the SEEN network, and I am so glad the network has been created. Horrendous and frightening. You wouldn't dream of criticising any religious beliefs that may go against your own at work. 😡

Hello, do you think it's time for Kelly-Jay Keen to be allowed back onto mumsnet? She's doing tremendous work on behalf of women and girls. She is being invited to speak at various countries now and has just returned from a tour in the US.
:)
https://www.youtube.com/@KellieJayKeen

@AmaryllisNightAndDay @emsyj37 I definitely agree that having both options, where possible, is the best solution.

@aseriesofstillimages I agree that we don't all have same needs or preferences and it's not about "hating women". I am lucky enough now to work in a place that has both single-sex shared facilities and also individual toilets. And neither are very busy. Though the individual toilet cubicles are not near the others and not well signposted so it's not obvious that they exist or where they are.

It's important that when a new building is designed and shedloads of money are being spent these problems are recognised and solutions are designed in. Somebody must have thought that the glass-end corridor with individual unisex cubicles in my old workplace was a great idea!

@aseriesofstillimages the office i work in (and actually most of my Department's new offices) have a choice of single sex and 'gender neutral' fully enclosed toilets of the style you prefer. There are, however, some which have NOTHING BUT the ones you prefer, and no 'ordinary' single sex ones of the style that was standard 10 years ago. That is what people are objecting to - not that an additional facility is offered that may be more suitable for some, but the total removal of single sex facilities which the majority (according to the Sex Matters survey, the Govt call for evidence on toilet provision that was done earlier this year I think, and the average person I speak to) prefer. You are welcome to have your enclosed toilets, but can you understand that most people (including every single man i have ever discussed this with) want to keep the single sex facilities? Nobody is denying you your preference, we would just like a choice, that's all. I don't think that is an unreasonable ask.

Haven't RTFT yet, but just wanted to say hooray for this. I worked in the Government Equalities Office when all this started, and attempted to tackle it. Let's just say it didn't do my career any good at all and I am no longer a civil servant!

Different people have different priorities and preferences. Personally, as someone with IBS and who had heavy periods for many years, my idea of ‘privacy and dignity’ is a self-contained toilet cubicle with decent sound proofed floor to ceiling walls and a sink in there. When I had a workplace where all the toilet facilities were like that (and unisex), it was much less stressful for me. Now I’m in a building with communal single sex toilets I tend to seek out the toilets in quieter parts of the building so it’s less likely others will be in there at the same time as me.

I have no preference as to the sex or gender of the person in the cubicle next to me, whether it’s a self contained unit or communal. I know plenty of other women who feel similarly.

I recognise most people on this forum feel very differently. But please don’t pretend that all women feel the same about this, because we don’t.

I’ve learnt a lot in the last year or so. From here and multiple other sources. It’s been unbelievably illuminating and shocking and I’m very grateful to many posters and writers. Maybe those initially anti-SEEN just haven’t considered the full picture yet. I reached out to ‘educate myself’ to help a friend and their child and I have come to a very different place than I anticipated

Totally agree. I don’t bother with debates on company wide forums as the arguments are never in good faith. Unfortunately this makes others think that the loudest and public are the only belief and are too scared to voice their concerns.

If you see inappropriate comments on Yammer, report them if you don't feel comfortable challenging them on the thread. I try to avoid getting embroiled in the debate on there as it's just pointless - but when I have seen offensive or inappropriate content I do report it. If enough people report this stuff then eventually they will have to tackle it.
Also take the time to report to SEEN if you can.

This is awful. Please report them.

Thank you and fingers crossed.

Sorry meant that for LK1972 but haven't worked out how to reply yet.

Thanks for commenting. Solidarity with you. The only thing that makes me feel better was that although a few hundred had commented. A few hundred had not.

I am disappointed that those I assumed would be intelligent people, show such a lacking in critical thinking. Hey hoy.