City of London Consultation Results - they can't get away with this

[2010Equality]

Man Friday!

The City of London consultation on “gender identity” and single-sex facilities (including Hampstead Ponds, toilets and changing rooms at running track, facilities at the Barbican etc... ) results are out .

It's bad. The policy has been adopted on the basis of the flawed survey and misreading of the equality act.

My thread here

threadreaderapp.com/thread/1130973355849461765.html

They can't get away with this!

This is the report on the consultation.
democracy.cityoflondon.gov.uk/documents/s113794/2019.04%20Gender%20Identity%20Report.pdf

This is what they say about the responses which were not included (page 7):

1 The 46% (18,459) response which were deemed invalid were respondents who primarily answered the introduction About You section which sought to identify the respondent’s stakeholder status. The one question some of this group answered was Q10 which enquired about their interest in the survey. 5% (989) responded with answers to this question ranging from transgender rights, to protecting women’s spaces, feminism, equality, interest in the subject, being a visitor to London and social media promotion.

2 To ensure that only relevant responses were included for analysis, and findings were not adversely skewed, the eligibility criteria for inclusion was determined as respondents who had answered one of the questions posed (in Section 2 and Section 3) rather than limited their contribution to commenting on Question 10. This group of valid responses is identified as the core cohort. For the purpose of this report they are referred to as all respondents.

I can't find a copy of the consultation questions, so I'm finding it hard to make sense of this. The first sentence of point 1 doesn't seem to make sense at all - what do they mean by 'primarily answered'? What were the questions in sections 2 and 3 which made those who answered them more deserving of consideration than those who only answered question 10. Does anyone have a copy of the questions asked?

City of London was somewhere I always felt safe even well into the evening but now knowing toilets are mixed sex but worse are mixed sex in that it is only those men who do not respect women's boundaries sharing my toilet space will constrain what I do in The City in the evening as it's no longer a location I feel space.

I'm also pissed off that the time I spent doing a thoughtful response was a waste as responses from biological women were disregarded. Is this not discrimination?

I've found the questions now - they're at the end of the document I posted. I'd only looked at the first few pages.

City of London was somewhere I always felt safe even well into the evening but now knowing toilets are mixed sex but worse are mixed sex in that it is only those men who do not respect women's boundaries sharing my toilet space will constrain what I do in The City in the evening as it's no longer a location I feel space.

7 City of London police officers removed a small group of lesbians and other women from the Accenture LGBT+ event

<a class="break-all" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190323143517/www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3539529-Lesbians-removed-from-Accenture-inclusive-trans-event-by-7-police-officers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">web.archive.org/web/20190323143517/www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3539529-Lesbians-removed-from-Accenture-inclusive-trans-event-by-7-police-officers

Is there any way to access all of the original responses and have them analysed?

What about FOIs for the raw data?

What about FOIs for the raw data?

Good idea. Any thoughts on how this should be worded to get the right response?

From thread discussing Times coverage of the City of London consultation (which was apparently removed in November 2018 )

comment by Anlaf Sun 29-Jul-18 17:57:46
"In case you think the consultations not meant to be rigged:

Edwardlord To be clear, thanks to the Equality Act 2010 #trans people are already welcome to use the @ cityoflondon loos that most suit their gender. It is a shame that @ mragilligan and @ thesundaytimes have chosen to publish such a misleading article about our #GenderIdentity consultation. t.co/T2HiVENZpi

CherylMorgan Then why are you running a consultation that invites the public to deny that trans people exist?

Edward lord We aren't. We are asking that respondents affirm that they do accept that trans people exist and that they should be entitled to be recognised in their gender. Anyone who is unable to give that affirmation is unlikely to respond fairly to the other questions in the consultation.

Well well well
twitter.com/edwardlord/status/1023506373445910528?s=19

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3320557-City-of-Londons-sneaky-Consultation-to-end-its-Single-Sex-Spaces-in-Sunday-Times?pg=2

I think we need to look at the 'independent' company brought in to give a veneer of respectability to the consultation.

smart-consult.co.uk/

I have never seen a consultancy business which fails to name a single member of staff. Funnily enough I've never seen a consultancy business with such a basic website. They've been on twitter only since August 2018. There's a Smart Consult at Companies House but it doesn't appear to be this one.

I thought I'd look up their business to see what their offices look like, but got a lovely picture on google earth of a Mailbox service.

So what else can be found at Suite 401 26 Cheering Lane, Suite 401, London, E20 1BD?

Smart Travel - crappy travel co that hires minibuses Brightstar care - crappy nursing home services.Toy World London Ltd. Smart Investment Ltd. Si01 Ltd. The Smart Cleaning Team.

All of these companies are run by the same couple Mr Adekunle Akande & Ms Tina Akande.

Except for our helpful Smart Consult which is Adekunle Akande, Tina Akande, Kevin Sharpe and Peter Garner.

Very little information on any of them. Adekunle Akande is a freemason in Essex, showing at least that while they may be sexists, the Masons aren't racist any longer.

Sceen shot re link above.
Mr Edward Lord may have deleted.

They've been on twitter only since August 2018.

When did the original survey go out?

Adekunle Akande is a freemason in Essex
Isn't Lord a mason too? Small world.

Very little information on any of them. Adekunle Akande is a freemason in Essex, showing at least that while they may be sexists, the Masons aren't racist any longer.

Edward Lord & Freemason's 'inclusive' brotherhood:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3323475-Surprise-The-Masons-now-welcome-Transwomen-but-not-women

(extract)
"The Times understands that a senior judge, who is a Freemason, was asked to look into the legal implications of gender reassignment before a possible relaxation of the law. As a single-sex association, lodges are exempt from sexual discrimination legislation on admissions criteria but discrimination against members is a different issue.

Under the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and the Equality Act 2010 a man who has joined the Freemasons cannot be excluded after becoming a woman because gender reassignment is a protected characteristic."

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/freemasons-to-admit-women-if-they-first-joined-as-men-n6mrqm6zl

re the nonsultation, looking at the company behind it is probably irrelevant - loads of companies carry out nonsultations every day.

in fact, I'd argue part of their fee is about making it as much of a nonsultation as possible.

Adekunle Akande is a freemason in Essex
Isn't Lord a mason too? Small world.

Not 'just' a mason but an influential mason apparently.
Googling Edward Lord + Freemasons brought up this article specifically focussing on the disproportionate power and influence of Masons within the City of London Corp:

June 14, 2018 by reclaimec1
"

(extract)
A letter Lord penned while still chair dated 4 May 2016 is appended to the minutes of the Standards Committee meeting of 13th May 2016. We will intersperse our own comments into this:

You raised with me on Thursday, prior to the meeting of the Court of Common Council, your concerns regarding the potential influence of freemasonry within the Corporation and the need for greater transparency, particularly with regard to the Guildhall Lodge. You also expressed specific concern about the gender restriction on membership of freemasonry in general and Guildhall Lodge in particular, i.e. that it is only open to men.

As I told you on Thursday, I am a freemason, but am not a member of Guildhall Lodge. For the sake of openness, I should tell you that I am a Grand (i.e. national) Officer of the United Grand Lodge of England and chairman of one of its committees." (continues

this apparently was 'a Grand Lodge committee, this was the United Grand Lodge of England Universities Scheme Committee.'

reclaimec1.wordpress.com/2018/06/14/edward-lord-the-city-of-london-and-freemasonry/

Edward Lord & his friend John Bercow (Speaker of House of commons) are also linked:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3396169-John-Bercow-sex-pest-ridicules-GC-Women-friend-of-Pink-News-Edward-Lord-who-refused-UQ-about-prison-policy-following-Karen-White-Case-Unconnected

LongTermPerm wrote Wed 01-Aug-18 :
"Those of you who have responded to the consultation, how did you get around the fact that every question is based on the premise that:

a) you accept everyone has a gender identity
b) this is assigned at birth
c) public spaces are segregated on the basis of gender, not sex?

I found it impossible to choose a relevant tick box for any answer, and had to begin every text box response with 'Assuming you mean sex not gender...'

Presume my responses will be ignored?

SwearyG Wed 01-Aug-18 replied:

"Edward Lord said they would be in his now deleted tweet, LongTermPerm

I have submitted a freedom of information request on how the responses will be considered and weighted. I wonder what they'll say to me."

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3320557-City-of-Londons-sneaky-Consultation-to-end-its-Single-Sex-Spaces-in-Sunday-Times?pg=3

I've put in a FOI request for the raw (anonymised) data and for the contracting documents between the City and Smart Consultancy

re the nonsultation, looking at the company behind it is probably irrelevant - loads of companies carry out nonsultations every day.

I think its best not to discount anything tbh!

Great work you lot. 💪💪👏

for context of services affected:

Anlaf wrote, Thu 13-Sep-18
" if I may borrow this from the Man Friday version of the survey, you should especially fill this in if you live, work or worship in the City, or if you visit any of their facilities:

City of London facilities and services:
80 Leadenhall Street Sexual Health Clinic
Adult Education
The Barbican Centre
Epping Forest
City schools
Gyms and other sports facilities
Highgate Men's Pond
Kenwood Ladies' Pond
Libraries
Mixed Bathing Pond
The Museum of London
The Old Bailey
Parks and playgrounds
Parliament Hill Lido
Public toilets
Shared supported accomodation for single women
Shared temporary accommodation for rough sleepers
Toilets and changing rooms in City Corporation schools, offices and other work spaces
Tower Bridge"

Ineko Thu 13-Sep-18 wrote:
"I live in one of many properties owned by the City of London. The survey has never been mentioned in any letter or email, or in person by anyone from the City since it was announced."

Anlaf wrote:
"the survey was only accessible through twitter to start with.

I found this piece too islingtontribune.com/article/transgender-survey-comes-under-attack

Professor Sullivan, who chairs a running club that uses the City’s Parliament Hill athletics track, said “They only informed the Parliament Hill running track users group about the consultation after I prompted them to do so, yet it affects the track changing rooms.”
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3320557-City-of-Londons-sneaky-Consultation-to-end-its-Single-Sex-Spaces-in-Sunday-Times?pg=4

Ooh hoo- Professor Sullivan (from that previous piece on the running track) is also having none of this

twitter.com/ProfAliceS/status/1131120877364568064?s=19

This is a stitch-up, with dissenting women's voices flagrantly cast out of consideration. I would be keen to talk to journalists and/or write about it.

Edward Lord Freemason & (self-identified) feminist:

(extract)
"As a feminist, the ethicacy of that position inevitably troubles me, as it does in respect of any organisation that defines who may become members by means of gender or other arbitrary distinction. For me the balancing test has always been whether I feel the positive benefits of Freemasonry – be they social, charitable, or more ethereal through its moral teachings – outweigh the disbenefits of its arbitrary segregation by gender. This is a question which will undoubtedly vex me for many years to come. Hopefully, one day, I might be able to fully answer it. In the meantime, I will carry on enjoying Freemasonry as my hobby and as a means through which I socialise with some of my friends, whilst hopefully doing a bit of good for charity and wider society." edwardlord.org/2016/04/28/diversity-champion-it-is-time-for-me-to-come-out-i-am-a-freemason/

Yes, BreakWind the only company that resides at 26 Cheering Street is Mail Boxes Etc which provides mailboxes and 'virtual offices' for companies who for whatever reason choose to not reveal a physical address. The use of the word 'suite' is just there to fool people into thinking it's a physical office.

Guardian Article February 2018 by Dawn Foster:
'Secret Freemasons should have no place in public life'

"It seems almost retro to be talking about Freemasons again, but after two alarming reports there is light on their darkness again. First, over the new year there was an allegation from retiring Police Federation chair Steve White that freemasonry was blocking reform within the force, preventing women and black officers progressing professionally. And this weekend saw a report that two lodges set up to recruit at the Palace of Westminster are continuing to operate: one established for members of parliament and staff in the Commons and Lords, and the second for political journalists."

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/feb/05/freemasons-masons

SwearyG did a massive amount of work on this last year.

When the consultation was launched (on Twitter by Edward Lord) it was apparent that none of the standard accessibility versions had been released.

I remember someone checking and there were no signs or information about the consulatation at the Women's Ponds. City of London Corp could have canvassed views there to get a representative sample of views (if they had been interested)

see:
SwearyG Thu 26-Jul-18
"I spoke to someone at the CoL today. They’re “working on” accessibility. They don’t think an equality impact assessment is necessary or required.

I have no words."
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3317922-City-of-London-Corporation-consultation-is-out-this-covers-Hampstead-Ponds?pg=4