Campaign Launch: Why it's time to review the Equality Act. 60 tickets left.

[PencilsInSpace]

You know how we are constantly being told that there are no planned changes to the EA, and that therefore the proposed changes to the GRA don't affect us?

Well, it turns out a group of politicians are launching a campaign to review the EA.

The launch event is free to attend, Wed 20th June, 4-6 pm, House of Commons

Description

The Equality Act 2010 was established to cover nine protected characteristics: Age, Disability, Gender Reassignment, Marriage or Cvil Partnership, Pregnancy and Maternity, Race, Religion or Belief, Sex, and Sexual Orientation.

However, in 2018 alone, we have seen the gender pay-gap issue, punish a Muslim day letters, concerns about anti-Semitic attitudes and behaviour, and the Windrush Scandal. All of these issues have in common the way in which they compel us to question what equality means in today's society. A number of characteristics such as homelessness, ethnicity, and poverty, although can give rise to discrimination, are not covered by the act. We believe that the equality act needs to be strengthened in order to ensure that we live in a fair and equal society for all.

We are marking the launch of our campaign with an event in Parliament titled "Why it's time to review the Equality Act?". Our speakers include:

1. Afzal Khan MP and Shadow Minister for Immigration
2. Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith
3. Wes Streeting MP
4. Shabana Mahmood MP
5. Jess Philips MP
6. Mark Lewis (Solicitor)

I'm going to this.

OMG it has just hit me how they are going to do this. They will put through an "all or nothing" amendment to improve the live of the poor and the homeless and ALSO replace "sex" with "gender identity", with huge amounts of press about the poor and homeless bits and media silence on the sex bits and the impact it will have on women.

And when we resist, they will accuse us of betraying the poor and the homeless. They will paint us as "transphobes who will throw the poor and the homeless under the bus", when in fact we recognise that the poor and homeless are hit very hard by replacement of single-sex services, like sex-segregated homeless shelters and battered women's refuges, with ladyfeelz-segregated services.

Yes this is the plan. They've gone as far as they can by appropriating LGB and now they are moving on to appropriating disabled people and poor people.

You people are amazing for going there and challenging it at source.

They will say in the introductory remarks that they won't be discussing sex and gender and so there will be no questions allowed or points raised on the issue. I hope you call them on it.

They will also insist on 'respectful' debate i.e. No one challenge that TWAW.

They will also shush and fake the mike from anyone who challenges this so speak quickly and succinctly.

They can’t take sex of the table
Homeless rights are overwhelmingly men’s rights. What happens when women are homeless?

Immigration policies hit women hardest

The gender pay gap is about equality of pay which is based on sex

I hope you're right. I was at the Westminster Forum and it seemed to me that the people who asked questions from a different perspective were not offered the same respect. I wanted to ask a question but wasn't called on.

Trying to work out if I can make this. Wonder if there will be a chance for questions or if people can send in questions if they cannot be there?

I wonder how we might get speakers onto things like this?

Just heard back from my 'possible' child sitter, she is not free to have my son on Wednesday.

So I can't join you but I wish you all well, please do keep us updated.

Have you got a particular question you want raised?

There's 43 left. Just got one. Not going to let gender be changed for sex

Let's keep this thread buoyant so we can decide on some really piercing questions to ask on behalf of all by those who can make it.

I'd like to know why domestic violence refuges are given as an example of a perfectly legitimate use of the exceptions provided for in the Equality Act, yet the Government funding conditions to refuges actually prohibit their use.

See:
www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/schedule/3/part/7
www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/notes/division/3/16/20/7

Seems like a good case to strengthen the single-sex provision in the Equality Act.

That is an excellent question BetsyM00 - hope someone asks that, and we get an answer.

@PencilsInSpace "Have you got a particular question you want raised?"

I want to make sure biological sex remains a protected category for all the reasons you can imagine.

The info says "The Equality Act 2010 was established to cover nine protected characteristics: Age, Disability, Gender Reassignment, Marriage or Cvil Partnership, Pregnancy and Maternity, Race, Religion or Belief, Sex, and Sexual Orientation."

I can imagine that there will be times when some of these do clash, so we need to know that things will be worked out to preserve the rights of everyone.

I'm going. Pm me if anyone going wants to meet up first.

Call me cynical but I'm extremely concerned about this move. Existing legislation is not being upheld, but would deal with all their complaints. Misogyny and anti Semitism aren't even on the agenda.

I'm so busy and can't get out of work early on Weds but I know some amazing women are going.

I'm going and would like to meet up first. Please PM me. I used to know central London very well but have entirely forgotten where there's a nice pub that way.

That's a shame, Erishkigal. Would've liked to see you.

Under the leadership of Wes Streeting the NUS abandoned its long-standing commitment to free education and backed a graduate tax as its preferred outcome of the Browne Review into higher education funding

What a career politician he is.

Call me cynical but I'm extremely concerned about this move. Existing legislation is not being upheld, but would deal with all their complaints.

Me too. Thanks Prawn for going!

Good point upstart

Does anyone who's not going have any specific questions they want asking?

At a public meeting of the Redbridge Citizens' Assembly on 6 May 2014, Cllr Streeting on behalf of his group promised that, if elected, he would not reduce the level of Council TaxSupport provided to low income working age residents. Once elected, the Labour council cut the level of support so as to treble from April 2016 the amount of Council Tax paid by supported residents, and his council made a further reduction from April 2017 and is proposing a third reduction from April 2018

Can someone ask why we have a mendacious politician on the panel who went back on election promises to the people who he is now claiming to represent?

I'm going!