A job for someone who wants to do robust research into equality and gender issues

[Witchlight]

www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/index.cgi?SID=b3duZXI9NTA3MDAwMCZqb2JsaXN0X3ZpZXdfdmFjPTE2NjYzMDAmcGFnZWNsYXNzPUpvYnMmdXNlcnNlYXJjaGNvbnRleHQ9OTQ1ODQyNjYmb3duZXJ0eXBlPWZhaXImY3NvdXJjZT1jc2ZzZWFyY2gmc2VhcmNoX3NsaWNlX2N1cnJlbnQ9MyZwYWdlYWN0aW9uPXZpZXd2YWNieWpvYmxpc3QmcmVxc2lnPTE1ODE5NDgyNDMtYTBjOTQzYWE4ZmUxN2Y5MWFkNTg4YmM5OTQ3YzdmYWMxZGFjYjBhZQ==

I have neither the skill nor the experience to do this job. However, if someone wanted to influence government policy towards reality, this would be a brilliant place to do it.

Sorry I can’t do a better click link

What a brilliant job! But too far away from me (as if I was qualified!).

So: BUMP

I think that the description is concerning. Suggests a pre research bias towards a change in law, which is hardly what robust research should be about.

As it is about the LGBT action plan I suspect that even with the evidence of research if it didn't fit the stonewall training your work would be overlooked!

Wonder if they are looking for researchers to help with the GRA survey which they keep saying is so big they have had to sub contract it or something.

Would love to get an insider's view of that!

I see nothing about a pre-research bias towards a change in law - where are you getting that from?! It's a pretty standard civil service research job description.

I agree with 4am, it is a standard job. I just thought I would highlight it, as Social Researchers get to validate the research that goes into policy and specify and undertake their own. If one of the many people who pass by this forum was interested, it would be interesting to be able to challenge the data and conclusions reached by companies such as Stonewall et al.

Bump

I dont think it is anything to do with changing law. Its to implement the Governments LGBQ++++ action plan which was finalised and therefore informed the questions in the GRA survey.

That was of course deliberate, as a way of slanting the results by the questions that were asked - and the ones that weren't.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/lgbt-action-plan-2018-improving-the-lives-of-lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender-people

The bias towards a change in law isn't explicit, but it is implied here:

You will have an interesting and varied portfolio of work, and the opportunity to lead and shape projects on LGBT equality to directly inform policy decisions. Your analysis will be seen and used at high levels, with opportunities to report to Ministers and contribute directly to important social changes.

Seemed to be lots of hints at an anti-GC viewpoint eg.

"The role will likely require you to:

Collaborate with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and other stakeholders to harmonise and promote sexual orientation and gender identity measures for use in government and other data sources, and to fully utilise relevant data to generate new analytical insights; "

Promoting gender identity measures for use in government and other data sources, in collaboration with the ONS, does not sound like it's going to be much in women's interests.

But agree that all GC women and/or men with the relevant skills and interests should apply. Particularly if they are themselves LGB as there will be many opportunities in the role to improve the lives of LGB people. But how much that happens and how much the LGB are sacrificed to the T will depend a lot on the viewpoint of whoever takes up the role.

For example, the opportunity to "Deliver and manage a portfolio of research projects on key policy issues, such as conversion therapy" could look very different and have very different consequences, depending on who you think are most at risk of conversion therapy, the LGB or the T.

DS is an SRO and has been working in an area where he feels the government’s policy is just wrong and based on misinterpreted data. He managed to get one of more “sound-bite” policies removed from the policy documents on the basis of flagging up (many times) that there was no evidence that it worked.

Like most CS he has to be a-political, but you can make a difference. If one of the many informed women got the job, it wouldn’t suddenly be all roses, but could be better.