Fairplay for women take ONS to judicial review for redefining sex in census

[fatblackcatspaw]

fairplayforwomen.com/

However on a quick reread Gender recognition certificates are acceptable as other evidence of sex

The guidance refers to legal documents 'such as' GRA or passport. Passport is pretty much self-ID (just needs a GP letter). 'Such as' could also include driving licenses etc that are just self-ID. That is why the guidance turns the sex question into a 2nd gender ID question.

Just a reminder to ask for a paper census form

Jeremy Vine on radio 2 covering gender identity question in the Census on Radio 2 now, if anyone is feeling strong of stomach.

@MaudTheInvincible

Thank you 😊

@EightiesRobot

The guidance refers to legal documents 'such as' GRA or passport. Passport is pretty much self-ID (just needs a GP letter). 'Such as' could also include driving licenses etc that are just self-ID. That is why the guidance turns the sex question into a 2nd gender ID question.

Do you (or anyone else) know where this guidance actually is? I think I understand the issues, but when DH went to complete online yesterday there is no sign of any actual guidance!

The guidance is on the census website under Help

@testingmitb

I'm pondering a t-shirt with

'Mumsnet gardening club'

written on it.

Mumsnet Lady Gardener would be funnier.

It actually says that data on sex is needed to understand what services are needed and to monitor sex discrimination/equality but then basically says answer according to any legal document and does not give a restricted list. It's just a mess.

It's just occured to me that probably the only document I have to prove I'm female is my child's birth certificate where I'm listed as 'mother'. All the others can be changed.

If you write that you don’t have a gender, will you be included under the LGBTIQ umbrella as agender?

Better not to answer the gender question at all, especially if you can send a copy of the sexinthecensus template letter, which includes this explanation:
I am sorry that that I am unable to contribute to responses to the new voluntary Question 27, because of the way it has been worded. I do not accept that I identify with a gender, so I am unable to respond with either a “Yes” or “No” to the question “Is the gender you identify with the same as your sex registered at birth?”. When you are considering why response rates to this question were not higher, please take cases like mine into account.

The template letter to send with your completed paper copy of the census can be found on this page now

https://sexinthecensus.org/when-your-census-code-arrives/

PP was asking about whether they'd be able to handwrite it, I think you would, it's not terribly long

Contributed but haven’t managed to keep up with how the legal action is going. Is there any hope for it?

Fair Play for Women (who are bringing the legal challenge) posted this update to their Crowdfunder on 2nd March. The crowdfunder is now closed because it reached its stretch target

COURT DAY SET FOR 9th MARCH

GOOD NEWS: Today we have received an order from the Court listing our case for next Tuesday (9 March). We will be arguing for interim relief from the Court such that the ONS is ordered to immediately take down the Guidance pending judicial review.

In that same hearing we will also be asking for permission to proceed to Judicial Review to declare the Guidance unlawful.
Our primary and most urgent objective is make sure the Census runs without guidance that conflates sex and gender identity. This means the Guidance could be gone this time next week. Just 12 days before Census Day on 21 March

Our team has worked at incredible speed to get into Court before Census Day. Its a relief to know we've now secured the date! Thank you for the amazing support that's made it possible to get the best legal team for the task

We now have just 24 hours left until our crowdfunder ends. We are tantalisingly close to our target of £90,000!

Legal proceedings are highly unpredictable. There is still a lot to do in a short time. We'd go into next week with more confidence if we could reach £95,000

If we do exceed £90,000 then we will ring fence anything above that amount to be used for any future legal action, on this matter or other aspects of our work

Thank you for your faith in us. One last push to get us home and dry!

My best wishes and thanks,

Nicola

Can I ask why the letter is different for NI & doesn’t have the bit about not answering the gender question?

I’ve downloaded it to copy for when my paper form arrives but I’m confused as to why it’s different - I don’t want to have to claim a gender, should I just add in the refusal of that question as it is in the Eng/Wales letter?

(I’m the pp without a printer, thank you to everyone saying it’s not too long to write out)

Can I ask why the letter is different for NI & doesn’t have the bit about not answering the gender question?
Because the gender question isn't in the census in NI.

@MaudTheInvincible thank you

Thank you hallou I thought there was only one census not different ones per area but of course it makes sense as each area will have specific needs.

Yes!!!

I see Kathryn Bristow of the Green Party has already declared an intention to fill in the census inaccurately. twitter.com/shahrarali/status/1369323313894481927?s=21

“So doesn't really change anything, I and most trans women are going to put female still, trans men are still going to put male. Will just make the data a little less consistent.”

You would think it would be shocking that a political party representative (and one would assume aspiring politician) publicly declare their intention to break the law - £1000 fine - but, somehow, it isn’t surprising at all, is it.

It is entirely baffling to me that there are people telling trans people to put inaccurate data about themselves on the census. If you're not countable, you don't count when the cases are made for service provision, so then the services you need won't be there when you need them because you actually did truly invalidate yourself and deny your own existence when it mattered most!

Is there a date for the full hearing next week?

@Manderleyagain

Is there a date for the full hearing next week?

FPFW site says 18 March.

More digging need to fund it.