An update, in case anyone hasn't seen it on Twitter or by email......
Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day and I made my way the Central Employment Tribunal in Holborn where I met my barrister Anya Palmer.
This was the "case management preliminary hearing", a two hour closed hearing to work out what the issues of the case are and in what sequence they should be dealt with.
Employment Judge Tina Elliot was presiding, and the solicitor and barrister for CGD were there. It was an all-female meeting, as my solicitor didn’t attend (to save costs and ensure that donations go as far as possible).
"Ladies", said the judge "this is going to be a very interesting case".
The judge highlighted that there has not been a previous case testing whether beliefs (or lack of beliefs) about sex and gender identity are protected under the Equality Act, so it “has the flavour of a test case”. We all agreed.
Alok Sharma the Minister of State for Employment has also said it is an important case, and it featured in the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development’s newsletter recently as one to watch.
Having reviewed CGD Europe’s defence to my claim and some of the points they raised in it, we asked to add the US parent organisation, and a senior member of its management, as Respondents. All are now being represented by the same UK lawyers.
We had already been given dates in November for a hearing, but because there are so many issues to deal with, it was agreed to make the this into a preliminary hearing to deal with an initial set of issues. The issues are whether my relationship with CGD Europe during 2019 was covered by the Equality Act 2010 and the all-important question about whether gender critical beliefs are protected under the Act.
There is work for both sides to do now in getting together all the documents the tribunal needs to look at (“the bundle”) and writing witness statements.
The date for the preliminary hearing was set as Wednesday November 13th, with four days for the hearing and two for deliberation (although it will probably take some time to get the judgment after that). It will be open to the public and the press. The judge gave us a date for a full merits hearing in May 2020.
Ladies (and gentlemen) this is going to be a very interesting case.