Women & Equalities Commitee live today at 2.30

[ArabellaScott]

'The Women & Equalities Committee will hear from witnesses tomorrow 9/12 on Reform of The GRA at 2.30 pm. Witnesses include @Docstockk
@ProfAliceS
@GoonerProf
& Prof. Stephen Whittle, Alex Sharpe.'

(from Allison Bailey's twitter feed)

www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/dfc9f53e-2ac4-4c30-8712-e3df47938fd7

^I noticed a tweet from Jane last night that mentions we have another Judicial Review at the end of the week-does anyone know what she's referring to?

❤️❤️❤️ Professor Rosa Freedman, Dr Kathleen Stock, Professor Alice Sullivan ❤️❤️❤️👏👏👏👏

@yourhairiswinterfire

^I noticed a tweet from Jane last night that mentions we have another Judicial Review at the end of the week-does anyone know what she's referring to?

Is it the prison one that was postponed?

So the first female MP that I saw was Kate Osborne, Labour, Jarrow, and the fair-haired one was Conservative Sara Britcliffe, Hyndburn and Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Labour, Streatham. And Peter Gibson, as Gaspode noted above. They're all new MPs as far as I can see. And the deputy chair, Angela Crawley SNP, Lanark, MP since 2015.

Rosa, Kathleen and Alice were fantastic. The last few questions from the Committee suggested they had their fingers in their ears though 🙄

Rosa, Kathleen and Alice did a brilliant job. I don't know how they remained so cool. That MP who more or less accused Rosa of lying was a real treat, exposing herself as a total idiot as well as incredibly rude. This wasn't the whole committee so if they were self selected it doesn't bode well for the quality of their report. Hope it's not all being left to the zealots.

I can’t believe panel 1 are saying there should be no waiting period at all, despite their being no annulment process, leaving detransitioners like Keira Bell stuck in the wrong legal gender for ever.

And Scotland are proposing it be available from age 16. Which is surely utterly bonkers? What other legal status change is irreversible, yet has no wait period?

None!

I'd say the ability to get another enquiry opened days after the relevant minister outlined the governtment's intentions was evidence of quite an advantage!

very good point @anotherFOIrequester

Publication of written responses also pretty odd. 74 on 1 December, then a few today just to get to Stonewall's submission at ref 1575 before the session

I'm so glad Rosa made the point in several different ways that all the definitions in law need to be added/re-written so we have total clarity and everybody knows what the law is. Also, it can't be stated often enough - if it's not a medical problem, why is hormone and surgical treatment on the NHS such a priority? Why the resistance to a full psychiatric evaluation before being granted a GRC?

I noticed that the chair thanked Professor Whittle, Professor Alex etc but when it came to introducing the second panel, it was Rosa Freedman, Kathleen Stock and she couldn't read Alice's name so wasn't sure of that - did she not have a list in front of her including appropriate titles of Professor and Dr??

Somewhat disrespectful.

I noticed that she referred to Professor Alex's exhaustion with the whole process..... many of the TRA's proclaim exhaustion on a frequent basis - I wonder why it is so tiring?

Congratulations to Rosa, Kathleen and Alice. Can't imagine how nerve-wracking that must have been. Some very weird questions and a couple of the committee clearly looking for quotes they can use to undermine the whole process. It really didn't feel like a process in which everyone was listening. Very disturbed by it.

Really hoping this is not a stitch up.

Are all the MPs on the committee fired up TWAW chanting and unable to apply any critical thinking at all? Is there nobody who is on the side of women?

@gardenbird48

I noticed that the chair thanked Professor Whittle, Professor Alex etc but when it came to introducing the second panel, it was Rosa Freedman, Kathleen Stock and she couldn't read Alice's name so wasn't sure of that - did she not have a list in front of her including appropriate titles of Professor and Dr??

Somewhat disrespectful.

I noticed that she referred to Professor Alex's exhaustion with the whole process..... many of the TRA's proclaim exhaustion on a frequent basis - I wonder why it is so tiring?

well noticed on both counts. it's interesting, that she referred to 'exhaustion' - does she believe it or is she being kind?

I can't see why this needed to happen so soon if there hasn't been pressure from external organisations, but also from within the committee.

I think it stinks, Hecates.

Is it the prison one that was postponed?

Ooh, possibly Ova, thank you.

@HecatesCatsInXmasHats

The MP who wasn't listening to Rosa or Kathleen properly about the evidence and/or lack of it was Nicola Richards the Conservative MP for West Bromwich East

"We have friends and family that are trans, so it is particularly concerning that they are at heightened risk of experiencing domestic violence, homelessness, hate crime, discrimination, and assault. The process of transitioning is mentally, physically, financially, and emotionally challenging, even before considering the bureaucracy involved." www.conservativehome.com/platform/2020/08/nicola-richards-and-alicia-kearns-why-it-makes-sense-for-us-to-reform-the-gender-recognition-act-gra.html

It really didn’t seem as if there was Arabella. The entire committee seemed made up of “TWAW no debate” types

I’m genuinely gobsmacked that MPs don’t seem to understand the importance of being clear about definitions when drafting or amending laws. In what other area of law is this level of ambiguity left to slide?

So no amount of crystal clear data or evidence or explanation will ever be admitted, will, it, because these people are operating on an 'us v them' system, and anyone who does not share the belief in transubstantiation TWAW is de facto lying.

Nicola Gibson MP

Thanks for the Nicola Gibson MP article on the GRA @Kit19

a bland repetition of 'received knowledge' with no critical thinking ("Having this certificate does not add any “extra” equality rights, impact the inclusion of trans people in single-sex spaces, or the provision of services.") which would be ok if she then started critically thinking after hearing the evidence, facts and common sense this afternoon which show her statement is inaccurate... there's more to it than that.

Why did Nicola Gibson MP effectively accuse the professors of saying transwomen are predatory when they'd only said that there's no difference in the offending rates of males whether they are men or transwomen?. and then after the professors explain again that there's no difference in the offending rates of males whether they are men or transwomen, Nicola Gibson MP talks again of saying saying transwomen are predatory. how does someone like this become an MP?

Sometimes we do seem to repeat ourselves, or because nobody pulls out the salient points of recent threads.

This is NOT another consultation. This is the procedure that always happens after a minister puts forward a proposal. The relevant Committee discusses the implications of putting that into practice.

So after how every many delays Liz Truss made an announcement in the HoC about her response to the consultation. see link I posted earlier in thread.

So Women and Equality Commission have asked people to respond to Liz Truss' proposal and along with written submissions are taking verbal submissions.

Maybe someone needs to write up a thread about Parliamentary procedure.

I must admit I dont know what happens if say a Committee says well we listened to a range of submissions and it seems that the proposals from X Minister (the Government) just aren't going to work!!

I'm curious how this committee was formed - will they have volunteered? How come they are all TWAW (as far as I can see) and apparently actively hostile to women's views?

Thanks Stumbled

Maybe someone needs to write up a thread about Parliamentary procedure.

Might be useful if anyone can face it!

I’m having to watch this bit by bit because a)the sound quality is so terrible to be frustrating and b)it makes my blood pressure rise.

But did one of the respondents on the first panel actually say it doesn’t matter what info a form asks for, because trans people will just fill it in however they feel?