twitter.com/MForstater/status/1416040503079018497
Update on CJ:
Employment Judge Glennie in the London Central Employment Tribunal today ruled that the case of Maya Forstater v Center for Global Development and Others will go forward to a full hearing.
Ms Forstater won her case in the Employment Appeal Tribunal in June 2021, on the preliminary issue of whether gender critical beliefs are protected under the Equality Act. The EAT found that these beliefs; that women are female and men are male, pass the test of being “worthy of respect in a democratic society”. This means that organisations must not discriminate against or harass employees, customers, clients and others covered by the Equality Act for holding this belief.
The Center for Global Development decided not to take a further appeal against this preliminary judgment but argued that the case should not proceed to a full Employment Tribunal hearing until a further preliminary hearing had taken place to determine whether Ms Forstater, who had been a Visiting Fellow with a series of consultancy contracts with the organisation, had any rights as an employee under the Equality Act 2010.
Employment Judge Glennie agreed that the issue of employment status could be addressed as part of a hearing on the full merits of the case. The hearing is scheduled for Monday 7 March 2022 for up to 12 days.
Maya Forstater is bringing a claim against the CGD, its subsidiary CGD Europe and its President Masood Ahmed for direct and indirect discrimination, harassment and victimisation based on her gender critical beliefs, as well as indirect sex discrimination.
Maya Forstater said
“I am delighted that the case is now going forward. It is important to me and to so many women and men. It is not enough that our belief is recognised as being legitimate, unless employers and service providers can be held accountable when they discriminate and create hostile environments for us.
As both the Employment Tribunal and the Employment Appeal Tribunal said my belief that sex is immutable and binary is “consistent with the law”. This is the law which protects women against sex discrimination, which supports safeguarding, and which safeguards gay rights.
It is frightening when you realise that powerful organisations are all lined up to bully, harass, and economically terrorise those who utter truths that are both consistent with the law and with science.
I lost my job in March 2019 - it may take me three years or more to get justice. This will be worth it if it helps to bring back the values of open debate, pluralism and tolerance on the issue of sex and gender, and others."
Looks like some carrots are needed, if anyone can spare them.