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Parliamentary staff urged to police pronouns and ‘identify transphobia’

64 replies

IwantToRetire · 13/05/2023 20:06

The UK Parliament authorities have drawn up gender-identity guidance for hundreds of civil servants working in administrative roles in the House of Commons and Lords, which has been circulated internally for the last three years.
One section of the 15-page guide warns that staff should “learn to identify what transphobic behaviour looks like and understand that these must be met with an attitude of zero-tolerance”.
It lists examples including “another colleague refusing to use a trans person’s preferred pronouns or names”, adding that this “should be dealt with in an appropriate manner”.

The pamphlet, obtained by The Telegraph, has been criticised by campaigners and a senior MP as “concerning” and “compelled belief”.

The guidance also says that staff who keep Parliament running behind the scenes can “use the facilities that match your gender identity or that most closely align with it”, with both single-sex and gender-neutral facilities available.

It goes on: “It is your choice and we will support you to access the toilets, showers and changing rooms that feel right for you at that time. It may be that you access both male and female facilities, which we support.”

This is despite single-sex spaces being protected by the Equality Act 2010. The guide states several that gender reassignment is a protected characteristic under this law, but fails to mention that sex is protected too.

Parliamentary staff are also urged to ensure that “trans experiences are celebrated” and that “trans colleagues feel comfortable bringing their authentic self to work”.

... continues

Original article is in the Telegraph but reproduced by yahoo Parliamentary staff urged to police pronouns and ‘identify transphobia’ (yahoo.com)

Parliamentary staff urged to police pronouns and ‘identify transphobia’

Parliamentary staff have been urged to police gender pronouns and report “negative behaviours”, The Telegraph has learnt.

https://uk.style.yahoo.com/parliamentary-staff-urged-police-pronouns-170000893.html

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bd67thSaysReinstateLangCleg · 12/07/2023 21:41

we will support you to access the toilets, showers and changing rooms... It may be that you access both male and female facilities...

Do the Workplace (Health Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 apply in Parliament? Because they require single sex or single occupant loos in workplaces.

LizzieSiddal · 12/07/2023 17:37

Fuckers!

SammyScrounge · 12/07/2023 17:35

IwantToRetire · 13/05/2023 20:06

The UK Parliament authorities have drawn up gender-identity guidance for hundreds of civil servants working in administrative roles in the House of Commons and Lords, which has been circulated internally for the last three years.
One section of the 15-page guide warns that staff should “learn to identify what transphobic behaviour looks like and understand that these must be met with an attitude of zero-tolerance”.
It lists examples including “another colleague refusing to use a trans person’s preferred pronouns or names”, adding that this “should be dealt with in an appropriate manner”.

The pamphlet, obtained by The Telegraph, has been criticised by campaigners and a senior MP as “concerning” and “compelled belief”.

The guidance also says that staff who keep Parliament running behind the scenes can “use the facilities that match your gender identity or that most closely align with it”, with both single-sex and gender-neutral facilities available.

It goes on: “It is your choice and we will support you to access the toilets, showers and changing rooms that feel right for you at that time. It may be that you access both male and female facilities, which we support.”

This is despite single-sex spaces being protected by the Equality Act 2010. The guide states several that gender reassignment is a protected characteristic under this law, but fails to mention that sex is protected too.

Parliamentary staff are also urged to ensure that “trans experiences are celebrated” and that “trans colleagues feel comfortable bringing their authentic self to work”.

... continues

Original article is in the Telegraph but reproduced by yahoo Parliamentary staff urged to police pronouns and ‘identify transphobia’ (yahoo.com)

So they are trying to stifle opinion in the Mother of Parliaments, to impose a system that only trans people want' just as they did in Scotland. Of course Labour and the Lib Dems will support this undemocratic imposition.
Have the Tories got the guts to take trans activists on? Surely they will not tolerate being spied on and reported by the house staff?

Bosky · 15/05/2023 18:44

Agreed. No need for the Thought Police. They just need to change their conduct.

If it is against their "religious" beliefs to comply with the reasonable instructions of management then they need to find another job. It wouldn't be tolerated if they were Christians and referred to all non-Christians as "heathens" or Muslim and referred to non-Muslims as "infidels".

Just because their "religion" has "pet-names and pronouns" based on trans identity rather than sex they are not entitled to bring their divisive, religious practices into the workplace. It's one step away from referring to colleagues as "cis", "biological women", "menstruators", "prostate-havers", etc.

bd67thSaysReinstateLangCleg · 15/05/2023 17:46

^It will be much more difficult in an instance where the people creating and implementing the questionable policies will remain in place and can't be compelled to change their personal views.
^

They should not be compelled to change personal views. They should be compelled not to allow personal views to override the Equality Act 2010 when drafting policies.

ResisterRex · 15/05/2023 17:38

Scottish Parliament: hold my beer

Officials referred to trans rapist Isla Bryson using female pronouns

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/883ec0ba-f281-11ed-99c7-9412839daee7?shareToken=e64cd699e8cdace6ba87111520970846

Parsley1234 · 15/05/2023 07:54

when I worked there what I noticed was the most woke vocal people got their way all the time most normal people just rolled their eyes got on with their work but situations like sanpro in mens loos or an incentive to ask everyone who we interviewed if they identified as black became the norm any person who questioned it was reprimanded

Bosky · 15/05/2023 07:37

Shelefttheweb - yes, that was the point I was making. Apologies if that was not clear.

Shelefttheweb · 15/05/2023 05:31

That should have read “Equally insisting someone uses missexed pronouns is forced speech and harassment.

Shelefttheweb · 15/05/2023 05:30

The Civil Service has a duty of care to its GC employees too and must not bully them eg by producing a document that denies their freedom of belief. Forstater states you must not use ‘misgendering’ to harass others, it does not say you cannot misgendering or that misgendering by itself constitutes harassment. Equally insisting someone does so is forced speech and harassment.

Bosky · 15/05/2023 02:35

notsurewherenotsurewhy · 14/05/2023 19:18

I think SEEN is a legitimate, legal counter to a:genda and the Civil Service would be very unwise to try to discriminate against members

I agree; and at the same time I've been horrified at how open the condemnation of SEEN has been in a number of conversations I've been part of (all with staff predominantly below SCS). The disregard for impartiality grinds my gears. And this is how it happens, right - not by the employer discriminating against women with a reality-based view of their own rights, but by the zealots making it so that that very normal view is unspeakable.

Junior staff wouldn't get away with making racism or anti-semitism or islamophobia or homophobia or transphobia "normal". The employer is failing it its duty of care to employees if management allow it to take place - and if in the Civil Service then also failing in its Public Sector Equality Duty.

Bullying and harassment makes the workplace "unhealthy and unsafe" (in health and safety regs terms) for the people targeted and unpleasant and stressful for bystanders too.

The Law
Although there is no one specific law that outlaws workplace bullying, that does not mean that employers do not have a legal duty to prevent it. All employers have a legal duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees. That includes protection from bullying and harassment at work. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations also require employers to assess the nature and the scale of workplace risks to health and safety, ensure there are proper control measures in place, and take action to remove or avoid these risks wherever possible as far is as reasonably practical.

The Health and Safety Executive also states that “there should be systems in place to deal with interpersonal conflicts such as bullying and harassment”.

See more:

https://www.tuc.org.uk/resource/bullying-work

The union Health & Safety Rep might be a better port of call than a regular workplace rep or Diversity Rep if management allows this to continue. H&S Reps also have far more statutory power than other union reps.

Of course, management needs to know that it is happening.

ACAS info for managers

Handling a bullying, harassment or discrimination complaint at work
https://www.acas.org.uk/handling-a-bullying-harassment-discrimination-complaint

Discrimination and the Equality Act 2010
https://www.acas.org.uk/discrimination-and-the-law

What an employer can do to prevent discrimination
> Public sector equality duty
The public sector equality duty (PSED) is a legal duty for anyone who works in the public sector or does work on behalf of the public sector. Under the duty, you must consider how you could:

stop discrimination, harassment and victimisation for employees, customers and other users of your services

help support equality and equal opportunities in the day-to-day running of your organisation

help make good relations by tackling prejudice and promoting understanding on all protected characteristics
https://www.acas.org.uk/what-an-employer-can-do-to-prevent-discrimination

The cheek of these people! Bullying, discriminating and then "monitoring" their victims. They think they are above the law but they are not.

Bullying at Work

This guide for union reps make it clear that unions are best placed to help give workers the confidence to challenge anyone they believe is bullying them.

https://www.tuc.org.uk/resource/bullying-work

nettie434 · 15/05/2023 01:36

The problem here is that the document does not seem to have been updated to take account of the Forstater Judgement.

I do think an important part of the judgement is that it states that it does not mean that people can 'misgender colleagues with impunity' and that employers are liable for ensuring that transgender employers are protected from workplace harassment, the same as every other employee.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/60c1cce1d3bf7f4bd9814e39/Maya_Forstater_v_CGD_Europe_and_others_UKEAT0105_20_JOJ.pdf

There's a nuance here that differentiates between incredibly broad definitions of transphobia and treating another colleague in an unfair way in the workplace.

The other part of the document that needs revising is the unrealistic advice about using lavatories which doesn't take account of the fact that the Houses of Parliament is a nightmare place in terms of accessible design and plumbing. There are hardly any women's lavatories and it doesn't have enough lavatories for people with disabilities either. To me, this makes it unfair to suggest that people can choose whichever loo they want. By contrast, I was at a conference a few weeks ago and noticed that the building had separate loos on every floor for people with disabilities, men, women and non binary/transgender/agenda people.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/60c1cce1d3bf7f4bd9814e39/Maya_Forstater_v_CGD_Europe_and_others_UKEAT0105_20_JOJ.pdf

GailBlancheViola · 14/05/2023 23:22

This part always gets me. One side gets to do whatever the hell they want, but the other side who wants single-sex spaces, does not. The hypocrisy is off the charts.

No prizes for guessing which sex the people are who want to access toilets, showers and changing rooms of their choice and are supported to do so.

ArabeIIaScott · 14/05/2023 23:14

It may be that you access both male and female facilities, which we support.

This should really be 'it may be that you want to turn all facilities mixed sex'.

MrGHardy · 14/05/2023 23:07

“It is your choice and we will support you to access the toilets, showers and changing rooms that feel right for you at that time. It may be that you access both male and female facilities, which we support.”

This part always gets me. One side gets to do whatever the hell they want, but the other side who wants single-sex spaces, does not. The hypocrisy is off the charts.

ArabeIIaScott · 14/05/2023 22:12

Tallisker · 14/05/2023 12:20

I've seen the creep into my bit of the civil service. We have a really good balance of the sexes and I was told shortly after joining that the department was known for its sex equality.

However we have a gay man who promotes LGBT themes all the time, and a recent joiner identifies as queer. The visibility of the (now) LGBTQIA+ message is now front and centre. The two of them present to the leadership group on how to root out LGBTQIA+ phobias, advise on pronouns etc. My (gay) director now calls himself 'cis'. Lots of people have taken to wearing the Proud Trust lanyard which is rainbow stripes on one side and the trans colour stripes on the other.

The new queer member of staff has recently joined a:gender, the civil service pro-trans staff group which dictate language. This is celebrated and applauded.

There is a recent staff group called SEEN (Sex Equality & Equity Network) who promote sex-based rights and strive to protect those with gender-critical views. The howls of outrage about the formation of this group are frightening, the vitriol directed towards its members is dreadful.

Hope is lost, in my view. They 'gender-neutralise' all the language and this then get written into policy. I watch institutional capture happen round me all day long. This is how it happens.

Christ.

Thank you to every civil servant who joined SEEN. You are making a difference. Every time anyone condemns the network, it makes a difference. It may not be apparent yet, but this kind of calm, rational stance is invaluable, in beginning to counter the authoritarianism.

And every time it is smeared and insulted, it proves the need for its own existence, and it proves the bigotry in those smearing and insulting.

Eventually the imbalance becomes so overt its undeniable.

ArabeIIaScott · 14/05/2023 22:08

nilsmousehammer · 13/05/2023 20:32

Come on then Sunak: this is a call for compelled belief and compelled language and to be prejudiced against anyone of other beliefs or choices. It's religious intolerance with threats of punishment, from a service with a duty to the entire electorate, not just fellow believers.

This has got to be rooted out. This kind of intolerance has to end, it's been indulged for far too long.

People are free to call themselves whatever they want and believe what ever they want. They are not entitled to remove other people's needed resources, access and inclusion, or to compel others to enable them against their own beliefs, particularly in ways that make them uncomfortable and which are oppressive to others.

Yep.

Tallisker · 14/05/2023 19:24

That is so true notsure

SEEN is indeed a proper Cabinet Office-approved staff network and apparently it's taken many months to be launched as all the i's have to be dotted and all the t's crossed. The monitors of the network are like the monitors on here, quick to leap to condemnation at the mere whiff of anything they deem transphobic.

notsurewherenotsurewhy · 14/05/2023 19:18

I think SEEN is a legitimate, legal counter to a:genda and the Civil Service would be very unwise to try to discriminate against members

I agree; and at the same time I've been horrified at how open the condemnation of SEEN has been in a number of conversations I've been part of (all with staff predominantly below SCS). The disregard for impartiality grinds my gears. And this is how it happens, right - not by the employer discriminating against women with a reality-based view of their own rights, but by the zealots making it so that that very normal view is unspeakable.

HarrietJet · 14/05/2023 18:38

Tallisker · 14/05/2023 18:10

H*arrietJet

How much sanpro do you think is going anywhere in the gents?
*
None! But the bins have to be provided if they're doing things properly (I and another colleague have expressed our utter horror that there are no sanitary bins, hopefully highlighting the idiocy of this initiative). And the contractors don't check how full the bins are, they just empty/replace them each visit. It's such a ridiculous waste of money. Transmen have both the women's loos and the marked accessible gender neutral loos to go at, no need for the gents to have this 🙄

Of course, sorry Blush. It's hard to tell sarcasm sometimes, the whole mess is so surreal...

Tallisker · 14/05/2023 18:10

H*arrietJet

How much sanpro do you think is going anywhere in the gents?
*
None! But the bins have to be provided if they're doing things properly (I and another colleague have expressed our utter horror that there are no sanitary bins, hopefully highlighting the idiocy of this initiative). And the contractors don't check how full the bins are, they just empty/replace them each visit. It's such a ridiculous waste of money. Transmen have both the women's loos and the marked accessible gender neutral loos to go at, no need for the gents to have this 🙄

HarrietJet · 14/05/2023 17:59

Tallisker · 14/05/2023 17:44

We've got sanpro in the men's loos but no one will answer how the additional costs for collecting the waste (doubling the provision of bins will have a much higher cost to the contract) but apparently in one office the men's loos has a general waste bin by the sinks. I expressed my horror that sanpro waste was going into the normal bins (must check what happened about that)

Show quote history

How much sanpro do you think is going anywhere in the gents?

PorcelinaV · 14/05/2023 17:45

HarrietJet · 14/05/2023 17:07

It may be that you access both male and female facilities, which we support
Wtf??

You can have girl mode and boy mode. Eddie / Suzy Izzard taught us this.

Tallisker · 14/05/2023 17:45

*how the additional costs will be met

Tallisker · 14/05/2023 17:44

Parsley1234 · 14/05/2023 17:02

I worked for the civil service when they decided to put sanpro in men’s loos what fresh hell was this I put on a group chat what a waste of money. I got disciplined for hate speech - bullshit

We've got sanpro in the men's loos but no one will answer how the additional costs for collecting the waste (doubling the provision of bins will have a much higher cost to the contract) but apparently in one office the men's loos has a general waste bin by the sinks. I expressed my horror that sanpro waste was going into the normal bins (must check what happened about that)

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