Maya Forstater finally has a date for her appeal!

[yourhairiswinterfire]

twitter.com/MForstater/status/1317491923536564226

27-28th April 21.

From the Crowd Justice update too: The free speech organisation Index on Censorship has also been given permission to intervene to highlight the legal issues around freedom of speech.

I've got everything crossed that she'll be vindicated and some sanity will be restored.

Excellent news!

2. I have a silk: Ben Cooper QC of @OldSqChambers
joining @anyabike
and @peter_daly

He has a beard, but don't let that put you off.

Hahahahaha!

Hooray! Go Maya

Good news. I'm getting my spade out.

I got an email because I did a bit of digging last time. But there's something I don't understand. Apologies if this is a stupid question, and I'm not criticising at all, I just don't get it, in a sort of "has the world gone completely mad?" kind of a way.

Maya says in her email:

The question that was put before the Employment Tribunal in November last year was whether my belief that sex is real, binary, immutable and important is protected as a philosophical belief under section 10 of the Equality Act (and also my lack of belief in gender ideology).

But sex IS real, binary, immutable and important! It's not a belief like a religious belief where there is no proof, just faith. It's like having to go to court because you believe in gravity or that the Earth goes round the sun.

@EndoplasmicReticulum that's heretical speach.
On a more serious note you are absolutely correct and it's a sad and ridiculous state of affairs that she had to go to court over let alone that she lost her case and now has to appeal the judgment. Fingers crossed that they get it right this time 🤞

A clever friend of mine said at the time that basing it on a belief was a mistake.

It's like arguing that the sky is blue, the grass is green, based in 'believing' what you see with your eyes and how you interpret colours.

It's all that "speaking your truth" nonsense rather than the truth.

All power to you Maya. There will be digging and now we know there's time.

Also, fab news Index on Censorship have been granted permission to intervene. That sounds important.

But sex IS real, binary, immutable and important! It's not a belief like a religious belief

It's because according to the framework provided by UK law Maya either had to claim that the views that got her the sack (yes, we all know it was from a contract position and we all know that sequential contracts are considered to be equivalent to employment) were philosophical beliefs or just to pack up and go home defeated. It was either to fit into this framework:

andersonstrathern.co.uk/news-insight/what-is-a-philosophical-belief/

or give up.

I’m keeping everything crossed for you Maya. 💐

"A clever friend of mine said at the time that basing it on a belief was a mistake."

Nothing else available in UK employment law to use to challenge the decision that was made.

Been digging again

I'm not so encouraged that Index on Censorship are going to be involved, given their position statement thing detailed in another thread. And what role could they actually have?

It sounds to me like they are intervening in the same was that transgender trend did for keira's case - eg provide own qc, put evidence/opinion/expertise that adds something important on the issue. It sounds like they are intervening in maya's favour.

I love Maya. She's a true shero

A clever friend of mine said at the time that basing it on a belief was a mistake. yes I had that issue too and thanks flowery for information. This then is an even more fascinating case and how it will go for Maya, who knows.

I can now see why those top flight legal eagles are interested

I'd just point out that the Royal Society for Biology has just stated
'Increasing the understanding of life can benefit all, with the complex areas of sex and gender remaining areas of active research in their fields.'
So there is no scientific consensus that sex is real and binary. They removed a tweet claiming this, calling it transphobic.

So there is no scientific consensus that sex is real and binary. does not follow from the statement Increasing the understanding of life can benefit all, with the complex areas of sex and gender remaining areas of active research in their fields.

I suggest some more work is needed in reading comprehension.

A clever friend of mine said at the time that basing it on a belief was a mistake.

And yet a subsequent tribunal has ruled that belief in sex does count as a protected belief.

Sorry tongue in cheek reference to this thread. Reading comprehension just fine.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4052939-email-and-reply-from-RSB

Maya needs a bit more digging I think. Eight days to reach stretch target.

OP thanks. interesting that indexoncencorship are 3rd party intervenors
www.indexoncensorship.org/2020/10/we-need-to-end-the-abuse-around-discussions-of-feminism-and-trans-rights/

Idontmind - what's the issue with index?

the court case judgement MayaForstatervsCGDEurope__Judgment.pdf

That statement is't very neutral.
It's discussed some in this thread here.

Findthetruth - I think it's their ceo Ruth smeeth's recent statement on the gender id debate. There's a thread about it, with index on censorship in the thread title.