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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

'Polarised' debate on gender recognition is harming UK, says equalities chief

134 replies

MondayYogurt · 08/08/2020 20:45

Observer article www.theguardian.com/society/2020/aug/08/polarised-debate-on-gender-recognition-is-harming-uk-says-equalities-chief

The departing chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission has said the polarising debate around transgender rights will be damaging to the country if it continues.
In his final interview, David Isaac, who left his position on Saturday after more than four years in post, urged supporters and opponents of gender self-identification to recognise that they had much in common.

OP posts:
ThePurported · 10/08/2020 10:01

I don't think it's his fault that Stonewall was captured after his departure but, yes, it does look like he is trolling. It's the same disingenuous BS we saw in the Labour manifesto and from Maria Miller and Penny Mordaunt. They all support single-sex spaces (but anyone can be a woman and identify into women's spaces).

Funny how the Guardian is framing Isaac's departure as something to do with government agenda without even mentioning the controversy of his appointment!

www.theguardian.com/society/2016/apr/01/nicky-morgan-under-fire-for-choosing-city-lawyer-to-head-equality-body

"The education secretary, Nicky Morgan, has come under fire for choosing a City lawyer with an annual income of £500,000 to chair Britain’s leading equality and human rights body.

Two parliamentary committees have written to Morgan, who is also minister for women and equalities, to warn that there could be a conflict of interest if David Isaac was appointed to the role – because his legal firm carries out “significant work for the government”.

Appearing in front of MPs, Isaac admitted that his salary as an equity partner at law firm Pinsent Masons would “dwarf” the £50,000 he would collect as chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Harriet Harman, chair of parliament’s joint committee on human rights, said there was “obviously a conflict of interest” because the EHRC often took cases against the government.

“What you should be having for the EHRC is someone who is a champion for human rights … You have to be fearless against the vested interests. You’ve got to be an agent for change,” she said.

“The lion’s share of his income will be coming from an organisation that has a vested interest. As they say, ‘he who pays the piper calls the tune’.”

Harman said the issue was not about Isaac, who chaired the gay rights group from 2003 until 2012, but about a wider trend for the government to pick individuals with “illustrious careers in business, management, law” rather than proven campaigners.

She said she would prefer them to opt for people like Shami Chakrabarti, the former director of Liberty, or Sam Smethers, the chief executive of the Fawcett Society.

Isaac was put forward by a Whitehall selection panel and then chosen by Morgan, who asked Harman’s committee and the women and equalities committee, led by Conservative MP Maria Miller, to carry out a “scrutiny session” with him."

(Tragically we now know that neither of Harman's choices would have been any better from women's pov)

Goosefoot · 10/08/2020 13:41

He has got a nerve claiming the nordic countries as an example to be followed.

For example, in Denmark self-id was brought in without anyone knowing about it at the time. They have had to deal with issues brought up by it as they go along.

That seems to be what he wants. Legislative changes to carry on even if there is no public consensus about them, or public knowledge about them.

His underlying assumption is that they are the correct things to do and the discussion is just about getting the general public to accept that point. He's assuming the truth of his assertion.

merrymouse · 10/08/2020 13:48

We also know that self-id has had some very bad consequences in Canada.

wellbehavedwomen · 10/08/2020 15:10

From the Times, 15.06.2019 reporting on the massive, and appalling, Mermaids data protection breach:

The emails also show co-operation with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), another official body with a public stance of neutrality in the transgender debate. In the correspondence, the EHRC appeared to seek trans test cases against schools and service providers.

From the Mumsnet thread on this data breach:

...there are multiple emails from an EHRC solicitor apparently copying SG [Susie Green, Mermaids CEO] into email conversations she was having with trans youth/parents. SG then shared these with trustees (and the world). Emails contain names, addresses, workplace of parent, name of school etc. I feel there are questions about the appropriateness of the EHRC solicitor doing this as well as the SG/Mermaids end of the affair.

Totally neutral, the EHRC. A real honest broker, right there. Hmm

stumbledin · 10/08/2020 15:14

It's maybe not his fault that Stonewall was captured, but it is certainly his fault that he abused his position to give Stonewall undue influence.

I suspect there were no women's groups who were listened to in the same way.

I must admit it had so of passed me by about his connection but is just a further indication of how the private networks are used to further the trans agenda.

Keep hoping someone will do one of those political family trees that spells out how a small group of interconnected people have used their positions to further a personal agenda.

boatyardblues · 10/08/2020 15:25

Keep hoping someone will do one of those political family trees that spells out how a small group of interconnected people have used their positions to further a personal agenda.

I imagine one of the Nancy Drew contingent on FWR (as I think Glinner once described us) has repurposed their kids’ playroom as the investigation nerve centre and has a CSI style wall complete with map pins, post-its, photos and coloured string. Their online partner has an MS Projects timeline all set up. Together, they are busy filling in the blanks. When they’re nearly there, they’ll have Janice Turner and James Kirkup round for a socially distanced gander before handing over their findings....

Goosefoot · 11/08/2020 02:36

You're looking for a link analysis diagram. There are computer programs that will create them if you feed in the right information.

stumbledin · 11/08/2020 14:35

The thing is all the info is here on FWR but because you cant do links it would take weeks / months to dig them all out.

But love the image of a nerve centre!

PearPickingPorky · 11/08/2020 18:28

When he says he's in favour of single-sex spaces, do we know what he actually means?

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