Small victory and Thank you

[IveChangedMyNameForThis]

Hi all

I mainly lurk and I occasionally post. I’m posting because due to what I have learnt on this board I have recently challenged an organisation on using ‘gender’ instead of ‘sex’ in their policies. They have today replied and agreed to change.

So I just wanted to encourage any other lurkers that I can be done and to please do so.

I’d like to thank (in no particular order) Venice for telling me to ‘stand up they can’t punch us all’ Posie for her most excellent rant, WPUK, FPFW, Transgender Trend, Lisa Muggeridge, Critical Sisters, Miranda Yardley, R0wantrees, LangCleg, Datun, Offred, Olennas Wimpole, Karen Ingala Smith, Jennifer James, bewilderness, young crime, Lucy Bannerman, Janice Turner, Charliethefeminist, Magdalen Berns, Caroline Farrow, MrKhtake2, Julie Bindel, Anne Ruzylo, QuentinSummers, BarrackerBarmer, ItalianGreyHound that’s by no means an exhaustive list, but I’ve learnt from you all so THANK YOU to you and all the other amazing women I’ve learnt from on here and twitter. I’m sorry if everyone I’ve listed is straight, white and middleclass (I don’t know if they are, it’s not my intention if I have done) I try to listen to everybody and some of the people are just usernames I know nothing about. So if I haven’t specifically thanked you, but you’re an obvious one know I am also very grateful and if anyone’s in touch with anyone I’ve named who’s been banned please pass on my thanks.

But the main thing is I’m nobody and I’m not political but I’ve learnt enough from this board to challenge and I’ve made a difference, so you can too. All lurkers please find one person to email today and just do it, that can be your MP, your gym, your favourite clothing shop, your kids school, girl guides, NSPCC, Your local swimming pool, but rise up and challenge someone today, an email will take you five minutes and the pen really is mightier than the sword

👏👏👏👏👏

Well done, you've inspired me

Well done, OP!

Well done OP!!
May I ask what you said? My workplace have also listed gender not sex in their inclusion policies, I was wondering whether/how to challenge it. Do I just point out it's wrong, or do I try to explain why it might be a problem?

That's great.

I think having clarity on sex / gender is really important.

In some situations organisations may need or choose to use both sex and gender identity.

Many mean sex but use gender.

If it concerns Diversity and Inclusion policies, they are framed around the 2010 Equalities Act and should specifically reference sex and gender reassignment as they are 2 of the 9 protected characteristics.

I used the equalities act when amending a questionnaire to state sex not gender. Our organisation follows the equalities act therefore why would we collect data on gender?
Small steps.

I just pointed out what the LAW in this country was and that if they didn’t have the correct policies in place they would be unable to challenge sexism as that is based on sex not gender. I got a very nice email back and they agreed with me, I suspect they knew exactly where I was coming from

So now is definitely the time, fill in the consultation and then ‘an email a day, will keep the batshit at bay’

catkind

There are some good examples of how local authorities were politely challenged about their misquoting the Equalities Act on the WPUK page. The vast majority corrected.

womansplaceuk.org/grassroots-womens-pressure-forces-local-authorities-to-comply-with-the-law-over-sex-and-gender/

I think we need to frame more stuff using that framework. I think really people basically don't know what they are doing and why.

Its worth checking schools' Diversity and Equality policies. THey are usually posted on their websites.

If they are incorrect it will most likely be an error in good faith.

As so many LAs were incorrect, it stands to reason that many public services will be similarly incorrect as policies are often copied from what is believed to be a trusted source.

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Got it. Will draft an email. Actually I already drafted two then chickened out and deleted them as they got too long and political. I'm never sure if people are writing these things from a position of ignorance or a position of having swallowed the Stonewall line whole, and find it hard to address both possibilities at once. Brief and legal sounds like an excellent solution.

Fantastic work OP!

Can we ask @MNHQ to do the same?

I've had to de-reg and re-reg recently and they ask for your 'gender but then give 'male' and 'female' as the options.

M&F most definitely refer to sex. There are 120+ genders (apparently).

catkind
I think a lot of people did it originally because they had no concept of their being a difference between sex and gender and think 'gender' sounds more polite than 'sex' and stops people from hilariously answering "Yes please!"

*there

FFS. Autocorrect.

I agree @MNHQ either need to ask for Sex or your Sex AND Gender. It would probably help their advertisers to know that info too

Lots of places have 'sex OR gender' in their equalities policy. I always feel like this is some kind of get-out-clause. Anyone know enough about legalese to tell me if this is the case??

The protected characteristics in the Equalities Act are Sex and Gender Reassignment (along with sexual orientation, race, religion, marital status, disability and two others which I need to google )they’re two separate things. If they have Sex or Gender in their policy they’re wrong and should be challenged.

‘an email a day, will keep the batshit at bay’

Love it! Words to live by. Well done OP. Brava!

♥️

Thanks, you’ve inspired me to send an emsil to a local NHS Trust who seem to have muddled up sex with gender in their eeuslity & diversity policy..

Equality even...

FlowerpotFairyHouse I think that's exactly what it is. Ooh, sex sounds rude! You can't put that on a school form!

OP, great posts and thread..

Here, OP, have a virtual hug.
You are not 'nobody', you are one of the MN feminists like the rest of us, and like everyone you just listed.

Well done, and thanks for the morale boost.