Contact your MP about the Gender Recongnition Act

[Babieseverywhere]

If you are concerned with the proposed changes to the law, which allow boys/men into every area, space and club currently allocated as girl/women only read on.

Otherwise close the thread.

"What can we do ?"

Write to your MP

Follow up with a visit to the same MP

Tell them that woman's rights are being elimitated in order to virtual signal to the trans population. That these new rules will make things difficult for the original transsexuals and woman. Whilst literally opening the door to female only spaces to sexual offenders.

Take copies of leaflets that they need to read.

Including the Sage leaflet mentioned below, full of all the basic facts.

The Transgendertrend web address with its alternative school based reports on supporting gender non confirming children without throwing girls under the bus.

Tell your MP that many of the original transsexuals are concerned too. Miranda Yardley being a highly recognized example in this category, who is supportive of women's rights and a Mumsnetter.

Search the Mumsnet Feminist section for other links. The damage to girls's safety in schools, woman's rape centres, woman's prisions, women's sports, women's grants, etc.

It is a never ending list of problems but they all start with the potential amendments to the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) that are being debated by government over the next few months.

Tell your MP to OPPOSE the changes to the Gender Recognition Act

When I wrote, I deliberately said I want them to redact my name and address if they share my letters. Because I didn’t want to be targeted by transactivists.

I did this too, when I wrote to my MP.

I emailed - never got a reply. Oddly, my MP didn't get my vote at the last election, despite sending my campaign materials which mostly centred around 'as we are both working women, we share common goals....'

I'm waiting now, like others, and them I'm going to tackle this from the other end - I'll support the change when, simultaneously, the government commits serious time and money to studying and solving the issue of male violence. We wouldn't need to segregate on sex if large numbers of men weren't a threat, so I'll agree to getting rid of the sticking plaster-solution when you show real interest in needing a cure.

I will also need the government to commit real time and money into massive improvements in mental health care, support services, schools and education, the NHS and public infrastructure, as these will all be needed.

Give me those, genuinely improve society for all people, inc and esp trans individuals, rather than just offering another sticking plaster so you can look liberal and trendy.

They should do this anyway and establish consent before they share your personal details with anyone, under the data protection act. It might be worth referring to that to remind them of their responsibility to process your data fairly. I think speeches in parliament are protected by parliamentary privilege.

I saw my MP recently and raised the concerns around the proposed changes as well as the fact that all sides in the debate tend to misuse statistics to try to prove a point. It's a shame that people on all sides quote statistics that can be discredited when looked at - but I suppose it's the nature of activists to do that.

I do fear a backlash against 'traditional transsexuals' because of the action of prominent activists. Being trans is hard enough without the actions of such activists which damages the public perception of trans people.

My MP did take on board my concerns.

I finally got through to my MP after several unanswered emails and unreturned phonecalls, only to have a staffer basically just say they are overwhelmed and desperate with the amount of casework they currently have, especially since my area is one of the Universal Credit roll-out areas that have dumped everyone in the shit. So I got an apology of sorts, and a promise to get around to my letter eventually. I think he was very slightly angling for me to drop it, but since a change in the law will make things even worse for women, no I won't.

I am pleased to hear about all the posters who have spoke/wrote to MPs already. It makes me feel better about doing the same.

Good idea about asking for confidential regarding name and address, with the amount of threats and violence aimed at women who speak out.

It’s worth reading this letter from Harvey Jeni (is it the right way round?) about the Topshop debacle.

It quite spectacularly shows how being trans has become a Teflon coating so thick that the privilege is difficult to wade through.

I read a lot about all this, but this letter was so comprehensive, has covered every aspect, was excellently written and absolutely nailed it.

It’s almost worth just sending it, with nothing else to your MP.

medium.com/@GappyTales/an-open-letter-to-topshop-d7351ef932ab

But mumsnet still isn’t transphobic, right? intolerance isn’t pretty. Trans rights are human rights. And yes, i’m hiding the thread now. I like to pretend my children will be raised in a world where bigots don’t exist.

wictional

I get it. You disagree. Can I just plead with you to read the letter I posted above. Just read it. If you still disagree, then fine.

wictional you are supporting homophobia and misogyny, and you claim you don't want bigorty to exist? OK then.

Can I just plead with you to read the letter I posted above

In that letter, it states:

"Please can you explain to me why legislation enshrined in the Equality Act that protects women on the basis of their biological sex is being ignored in favour of a non legislated for, and subjectively experienced identity, that is neither clearly defined nor even understood and recognised by the vast majority of your customers or staff"

The Equality Act and the Gender Recognition Act would seem to be at odds with that statement. If a transwoman with a GRC had been refused service, then Top Shop would have been legally in the wrong to do that. Yet a lot of that letter seems to be applicable to some people's views of transwomen.

saga

I thought you were all for keeping gender snowflakes out of women’s spaces?

I thought you were all for keeping gender snowflakes out of women’s spaces

I am - but at the same time, the discussion about the Equality Act is wrong.

No it isn't:

Gender reassignment

28(1)A person does not contravene section 29, so far as relating to gender reassignment discrimination, only because of anything done in relation to a matter within sub-paragraph (2) if the conduct in question is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.

(2)The matters are—

(a)the provision of separate services for persons of each sex;

(b)the provision of separate services differently for persons of each sex;

(c)the provision of a service only to persons of one sex.

pencils

Gender Recognition Act

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/7/contents

General

(1)Where a full gender recognition certificate is issued to a person, the person’s gender becomes for all purposes the acquired gender (so that, if the acquired gender is the male gender, the person’s sex becomes that of a man and, if it is the female gender, the person’s sex becomes that of a woman)

So if someone is undergoing gender reassignment, they can still be refused access to services that are single sex.

However, once someone has a GRC, then they have legally become the new sex.

Saga there is an exemption in the EA (which I just posted) that permits single sex services to exclude trans if it is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. This is currently the same whether the person has a GRC or not. It's not surprising if you are unaware of this exemption because vanishingly few service providers have the guts to use it these days.

Miller's report, BTW, recommends getting rid of this exemption:

Exemptions in respect of trans people

21.Significant concerns have been raised with us regarding the provisions of the Equality Act concerned with separate-sex and single-sex services and the genuine occupational requirement as these relate to trans people. These are sensitive areas, where there does need to be some limited ability to exercise discretion, if this is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. However, we are not persuaded that this discretion should apply where a trans person has been recognised as of their acquired gender “for all legal purposes” under the Gender Recognition Act. In many instances this is unlikely, in any case, to meet the proportionate test. (Paragraph 132)

22.We recommend that the Equality Act be amended so that the occupational requirements provision and / or the single-sex / separate services provision shall not apply in relation to discrimination against a person whose acquired gender has been recognised under the Gender Recognition Act 2004. (Paragraph 132)

At the same time the report recommends changing the GRA to self-ID (which is what is about to be consulted on):

7.Within the current Parliament, the Government must bring forward proposals to update the Gender Recognition Act, in line with the principles of gender self-declaration that have been developed in other jurisdictions. In place of the present medicalised, quasi-judicial application process, an administrative process must be developed, centred on the wishes of the individual applicant, rather than on intensive analysis by doctors and lawyers. (Paragraph 45)

Under the Equality Act there is currently provision made for certain exemptions for single sex facilities even for people with GRC. Another poster posted them and I copied them into the gender neutral changing rooms thread. So no, GRC holders are not considered to actually be the opposite sex in everything.

Cross posted

I want that exemption strengthened and applied. I want women's rights to single sex spaces to be respected as having a protected characteristic ourselves.

I want that exemption strengthened and applied. I want women's rights to single sex spaces to be respected as having a protected characteristic ourselves

Yes this!

Gender reassignment

28(1)A person does not contravene section 29, so far as relating to gender reassignment discrimination, only because of anything done in relation to a matter within sub-paragraph (2) if the conduct in question is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.

(2)The matters are—

(a)the provision of separate services for persons of each sex;

(b)the provision of separate services differently for persons of each sex;

(c)the provision of a service only to persons of one sex.

I can see that - but doesn't that only apply to gender reassignment discrimination?

At present under the Equality Act Trans person with a GRC can legally be from single sex services if it is a proportionate means of achieving a ligitimate aim

I can't see anything about GRC in that bit. As far as I am can see, the Gender recognition Act gives someone with a GRC the same rights as someone of the sex they legally have become.

I have got an appt with my MSP arranged, its in a couple of weeks. She sounded quite interested to speak to me and said she hadn't looked at the issue in detail yet.
Some of the proposed changes to gender Recognition in Scotland are pretty scary e.g. Self identify from age 12 was one thing being considered, spouse transing can't be cited as reason for divorce etc
I'm still working my way through the consultation document

Read what has been posted. It specifically mentions GRC.