Consultation extended to Monday at noon

[Thegirlinthefireplace]

Anyone else get the email?

I'm not expecting the balance of responses to be in our favour. It's been a lot harder for us to get the word out and they have the might of Stonewall onside.

I bet GC responses are the most lengthy though.

It wasn't a referendum. Hopefully they will take into account evidence and advice from experts as advised by Kathleen Stock.

I bet GC responses are the most lengthy though.

Bet they're the most intelligent too.

I agree Ova. Many of the responses and especially, I think, many of the pro-reform responses will be of the one-click variety. I think most of the detailed responses will be gender-critical. Whether that will make any difference, I don't know.

Even if a few thousand consistently say "this particular thing is a problem", surely they'll at least have to read that, won't they?

Someone on here the other day was saying that in a Serious Case Review, if even one person had highlighted a possible risk and it was ignored and that resulted in whatever the SCR is about, then it reflects very badly on the person responsible. If several people highligted the risk and it was ignored then obviously that is even worse. Im not sure how it works in term of law and any court cases or anything though.

People are highlighting possible risk in this consultation.

If nothing else, it will have enabled lots of GC people to contribute to the debate without fear of abuse.

I'm sort of hoping that it's not a vote - as in, "26000 say this and 27000 say that so they win".

Even if a few thousand consistently say "this particular thing is a problem", surely they'll at least have to read that, won't they?

No it's not a vote. It's to give info to Parliament for when the proposal goes through. So the government can say "yes we know 99% of people hated this idea but we want to do it anyway because XYZ" and it'll still pass if enough MPs vote for it, and vice versa. I would hope it gives MPs the background that this is at least controversial and not a simple issue.

Government and MPs probably won't read every individual response especially when there's that many. What they'll likely do though is get analysts to write a report on the results, which will then be public, which will bring out themes like lots of people saying "this thing is a problem".

Yeah, I agree it's not a referendum, and that considered, unique responses will carry more weight than sheer numbers, but I still believe it will be very easy for the government to construe this as a majority of people being in favour to help wave it through.

Wonder how many completed it from abroad? Hmm.

Well, I just did mine and it gave me a nice chance to vent!

And I then got to 'come out' on facebook as GC. Was nervous about that before but now feeling quite relaxed. :)

I managed to persuade a couple of others, which I know is only small fry compared to some, but if we all did that, it should mount up?

I'm worried that the extension is because they weren't expecting much in the way of a GC response as It was mostly publicised through LGBT groups. I hope it's not just giving Stonewall time to push back against the push back! Hope this is just paranoia.

I saw a couple of mentions that the current plan is to reduce the requirements for a GRC but keep the principle of gatekeeping. Trying to please everybody while burying the whole issue in a cave marked 'never never ever touch this again'

Trying to please everybody while burying the whole issue in a cave marked 'never never ever touch this again'

Misguided IMO. The whole refusal to debate this has prompted many to dig & question deeper than they otherwise would have and many are now questioning the need for the GRA at all. Other, more recent legislation has obviated the need for it.