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Original poster

EHRC has now sent its new guidance to ministers

160 replies

Charabanc · 05/09/2025 08:01

Here we go...

ETA it's not "guidance" any more, it's the new Code

Equality law regulator submits updated code of practice to Minister for Women and Equalities

Baroness Kishwer Falkner, Chairwoman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said:

“Over the past two years the EHRC has undertaken a major project to update the entire statutory code of practice, which was published in 2011, to reflect over ten years of new legislation. Following the Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers in April, some additional sections required further revision.

“We have now submitted an updated draft of the code to the Minister for Women and Equalities. The government is responsible for laying it before Parliament. Once Parliament has considered its content, I look forward to the EHRC publishing this guidance, fulfilling our statutory role to provide clear information that protects everyone's rights under the Equality Act 2010.

“We have been clear that service providers, associations and public functions should not wait for the code of practice to be published to make any changes needed to comply with the law. As duty-bearers they must assure themselves of their legal responsibilities in their own specific circumstances and seek independent legal advice where necessary.”

Following ministerial approval, the UK Government must lay the draft code before Parliament for 40 days before it can be brought into force.

https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/media-centre/equality-law-regulator-submits-updated-code-practice-minister-women-and-equalities

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SouthWamses · 16/09/2025 17:31

DuesToTheDirt · 16/09/2025 17:10

Nothing is difficult. We all know who is a man and who is a woman. They're just having tantrums because they don't want to do it.

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Or more specifically, they don’t want to say ‘no’ to men.

DuesToTheDirt · 16/09/2025 17:10

moto748e · 16/09/2025 11:54

Why is so difficult simply to go back to how things have been for the last 50 or 60 years or more? It's just a case of people staying in their own lane. What's so difficult about that?

Nothing is difficult. We all know who is a man and who is a woman. They're just having tantrums because they don't want to do it.

moto748e · 16/09/2025 11:54

Why is so difficult simply to go back to how things have been for the last 50 or 60 years or more? It's just a case of people staying in their own lane. What's so difficult about that?

Ereshkigalangcleg · 12/09/2025 11:56

I saw a bizarre M&S advert on Facebook yesterday - it said “underwear to cover all bases (literally)” and one of the pictures had what looked like a pair of lacy male y fronts on it on a very androgynous female body (Which easily could have been a male one). This had disappeared when I saw the ad later on. But the few comments were saying, is that a man, those knickers look like men’s underwear? So I suspect someone in the social media team was being provocative.

Witchymadwoman · 12/09/2025 10:07

ItsCoolForCats · 05/09/2025 11:10

I think M&S is leaving itself open to an indirect sex discrimination claim from women because only providing mixed sex changing rooms poses more of a risk to women then men because of the risk of sexual assault is higher for women. That is

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I think I have seen an example of an M&S store with separate male changing but mixed changing for women to use. That is certainly discriminatory.

Original poster
Charabanc · 12/09/2025 09:45

GargoylesofBeelzebub · 11/09/2025 09:07

When do we get to see it? After the 40 days I assume?

We will see it once it has been laid. So, once the 40 day period starts (which does not include recesses etc).

Keep checking here:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/new/uksi

Legislation.gov.uk

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/new/uksi

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Original poster
Charabanc · 12/09/2025 09:12

Well it won't be laid today (I assume) because the House isn't sitting (as it's a normal Friday).

Although I see that one SI has been laid today, so who knows?!

Then there's only Monday and Tuesday before the House rises on Weds 17th for conference season, and doesn't sit again until Monday 13th Oct.

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GallantKumquat · 12/09/2025 00:34

I should hope that Starmer knows by now that the trans issue alone is enough to take down his government and Labour will be a sitting duck if they can't neutralize it by 2029. There's zero benefit for Labour stalling the guidance unless they intend to table it. This is beginning to have the hallmarks of Labour's chronic problem - unwillingness to make painful decisions and allowing them to fester until events force their hand at the least opportune time.

moto748e · 12/09/2025 00:18

Well, that's bleak, @FlirtsWithRhinos . I suppose the most worrying thing is, the perception that it's getting worse, not better.

FlirtsWithRhinos · 12/09/2025 00:05

SerendipityJane · 11/09/2025 11:10

I am not blaming women. However it does feel like one part of society is being made to give way to another.

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Yes. That's what's so fucking obvious about Genderism and the TA wars. I can't believe they wang on about cishereronormative yet don't see it.

Who sits untouched while everyone argues over who gets to be a "woman" or in "women's" spaces or unisex spaces?

Men. Not the exciting ones with identity but the boring invisible ones that society bends itself around all the time. Invisible not because they are ignored but because they are the default, the ones who are just way things are. The ones with the power of patriarchy. Mankind, the Man on the Street, Everyman. The ones who embody "normal" and in doing so push out everyone who isn't them - women, disabled people, trans people - to fight over who gets to have boundaries and a name and a voice within the cultural and social space that's left and who just gets to be a feature of passing interest spread around different types of people.

Ereshkigalangcleg · 11/09/2025 23:37

GargoylesofBeelzebub · 11/09/2025 21:45

But women were being made to give way in favour of men. We were being asked to give up what little we had carved out for women and cede it back to men. That’s not acceptable.

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I agree. I personally don’t care which spaces these men use as long as they stay out of the women’s. My interest in them ends there. I’m not advocating for them to take over disabled spaces. But I’m exercising my right to say I don’t want them in female spaces. Beyond that, they’ll have to figure it out and other people are free to object to them annexing other spaces.

SingleSexSpacesInSchools · 11/09/2025 22:22

Charabanc · 11/09/2025 21:38

But there is so much riding on this SI, and it's had such a huge amount of attention. She's got to make sure it's all done properly.

That's not how politics works, even if it should

GargoylesofBeelzebub · 11/09/2025 21:45

SerendipityJane · 11/09/2025 11:10

I am not blaming women. However it does feel like one part of society is being made to give way to another.

Show quote history

But women were being made to give way in favour of men. We were being asked to give up what little we had carved out for women and cede it back to men. That’s not acceptable.

Original poster
Charabanc · 11/09/2025 21:38

But there is so much riding on this SI, and it's had such a huge amount of attention. She's got to make sure it's all done properly.

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SingleSexSpacesInSchools · 11/09/2025 21:24

Charabanc · 11/09/2025 20:55

It's only been a week and I imagine the document is very long. I assume she has a team reading it, who will then advise her.

Does anyone know how long it usually takes for a Minister to approve an SI?

This was supposed to be a nod through, they don’t read full laws let alone these things

Original poster
Charabanc · 11/09/2025 21:10

IwantToRetire · 11/09/2025 21:07

Not forgetting she is the lead candidate to by Deputy Leader and will be out and about canvasing.

Actual vote isn't until October.

I wonder if she does become Deputy Leader whether she will give up being Minister for Women.

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No reason why she should, if Starmer doesn't move her. Rayner was Housing, Communities and Local Govt Minister.

Although Phillipson is also Education Minister, so one of those jobs might go to someone else.

Deputy Leader is a non-job though, like Deputy Prime Minister.

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IwantToRetire · 11/09/2025 21:07

Charabanc · 11/09/2025 20:55

It's only been a week and I imagine the document is very long. I assume she has a team reading it, who will then advise her.

Does anyone know how long it usually takes for a Minister to approve an SI?

Not forgetting she is the lead candidate to by Deputy Leader and will be out and about canvasing.

Actual vote isn't until October.

I wonder if she does become Deputy Leader whether she will give up being Minister for Women.

Original poster
Charabanc · 11/09/2025 20:55

It's only been a week and I imagine the document is very long. I assume she has a team reading it, who will then advise her.

Does anyone know how long it usually takes for a Minister to approve an SI?

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SingleSexSpacesInSchools · 11/09/2025 20:50

Charabanc · 11/09/2025 20:23

BTW, I looked it up. The EHRC statutory instrument has not been approved by Bridget Phillipson yet, but once it is it will be laid before parliament and will be available to read here:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/new/uksi

Pretty big, important info. Wonder why it’s been delayed so long.

Arran2024 · 11/09/2025 20:34

SerendipityJane · 11/09/2025 11:10

I am not blaming women. However it does feel like one part of society is being made to give way to another.

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The law is the law. Stonewall etc had misinterpreted it and wrongly told trans people they could use whatever service they liked. The matter went to court and the situation has been clarified. So no one is being made to give way.

Original poster
Charabanc · 11/09/2025 20:23

BTW, I looked it up. The EHRC statutory instrument has not been approved by Bridget Phillipson yet, but once it is it will be laid before parliament and will be available to read here:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/new/uksi

Legislation.gov.uk

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/new/uksi

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TWETMIRF · 11/09/2025 12:21

SouthWamses · 11/09/2025 10:42

Anything not single sex should be called ‘unisex’ or ‘mixed sex’. We should not be promoting a harmful belief system through the use of ‘gender neutral’ signs.

Yes, single sex spaces are by default gender neutral as they are for males of any gender identity or females of any gender identity. Mixed sex is not a banned descriptor, it's just clear and highlights what the TRAs don't want people to realise.

Ereshkigalangcleg · 11/09/2025 11:53

What’s the solution?

SerendipityJane · 11/09/2025 11:10

Charabanc · 11/09/2025 10:44

Again, that is not women's fault.

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I am not blaming women. However it does feel like one part of society is being made to give way to another.