ONS definition of sex

[TheBullshitGoesOn]

I was perusing the ONS definitions of sex and gender here:
www.ons.gov.uk/economy/environmentalaccounts/articles/whatisthedifferencebetweensexandgender/2019-02-21

It has been updated recently. I don't know what the previous version said but I spotted at least two bits that alarmed me.

Firstly, it uses the phrase 'assigned at birth' in the section about sex.

Secondly, there is some waffle about how people become boys/girls/men/women through learned behaviour. So fuck knows what definition they are using for 'woman' in their stats.

Maybe someone should point out to the ONS that sex has been defined in UK law since 1970 as a combination of chromosomes, gonads and genitals:

swarb.co.uk/corbett-v-corbett-otherwise-ashley-fd-1-feb-1970/

and that the Equality Act 2010 defines the two sexes as:

man: a male of any age
woman: a female of any age

section 212: www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/section/212

That's crap. Especially if they use gender to mean sex in their actual surveying.

That last paragraph basically lays out their view that
Male/Female = "assigned" at birth, biological and sex based.
Boy/girl/man/woman = gender. Open to everyone and anyone.

While they pay lip service to recognising the difference between sex and gender, they have let go of the sex based meaning attached to the words man or woman.
We really are losing the words "Man" and "Woman" actually. You see it everywhere.
It's very upsetting.

I very much doubt we can trust the ONS to record any stats relating to men/women accurately anymore.

I'm not reassured by the tone, it seems that our sex will only be considered important when the issue is biology; health and reproduction.

You can only believe that is possible if you live in a world that mimics a gated community.

I am not reassured by it at all.

They have clearly decoupled woman from any meaning related to sex.

They have clearly decoupled woman from any meaning related to sex.

Except that ONS cannot do this since the two sexes are defined in UK law.

All we have to do is insist that ONS complies with the legal definitions of sex.

Can we write to them,?
I'll have a go tomorrow see if there's a contact page or something

There is a complaints option under Contact Us, but I don't know if that is the appropriate route.

I will also contact them, but a streaming cold is stopping me from thinking properly at the moment so I may not be as coherent as I'd want. And I'm not particularly knowledgeable. So it would be great if you could contact them too DpWm. And anyone else. The more, the merrier.

And I'll use your links Jacky. Thanks.

Just me who thought you meant One Night Stand then?

May I use your graphic on Twitter tomorrow OP?

Certainly Mrs.

It never crossed my mind Dodo. I clearly live a sheltered and innocent life.

Is this true that gender and sex are legally interchangeable in UK law?

Sorry image didn't attach. Here it is.

Just written to the ONS to complain about their inaccurate and misleading wording and suggested a more fact based statement. Looking forward to their reply!

Inspired me to check my local and county councils wording on their policies too and I ended up writing two more letters. One had 'sex (gender)' and the other had 'gender reassignment (gender identity)' listed as protected characteristics. Dumb nuts.

Thanks for the heads up and inspiration TheBullshitGoesOn

Is this true that gender and sex are legally interchangeable in UK law?

I think not, since sex is a protected characteristic in the Equality Act 2010, as is gender reassignment. The two are treated separately and differently which indicates the terms are not interchangeable.

Sex is defined in law as a congruence between chromosomes, gonads and genitals. 'Gender' is not defined in law, nor is 'gender identity'.

Further, the Gender Recognition Act 2004 is clear that it creates a Legal Fiction; that changing 'gender' does not mean changing sex since sex is biological and cannot be changed.

This document, written by lawyer Julian Norman, is helpful here;

docs.google.com/document/d/1b7viOWsx-Wgw344fujX3QddaJN8d4JKJoaVhyzMz1so/edit

Here is a talk about sex and gender given by Julian Norman:

They use this to estimate the population FFS IPS
And it's fake. They don't even carry out the surveys.
ONS are one government entity I would trust as far as I could throw them.

jackyholyoake thank you for the information. I will take a look. Language is so important in this debate.

I will also contact them. It's important to remain cool and simply tell them they have incorrect information on their website that needs correcting from A to B.

Not arguing the toss about who's definition is best. Negate the entire premise.

They link to this page for more information about gender identity.
www.gires.org.uk/resources/terminology/

Another infiltration and change by stealth.

Thanks OP for finding that.

There is also the FOI route for details of why they changed, under what requirement and who requested it...

www.ons.gov.uk/aboutus/transparencyandgovernance/freedomofinformationfoi