Column in Observer from EHRC head

[DomesticatedZombie]

amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/feb/20/ehrc-is-here-to-support-the-rights-of-women-trans-people-everyone?fbclid=IwAR0iRz5N4RbakqGtTaLYhIJonxeXUjagQj0Hl3rVENFJAiE5Lo3NDCrSKow

'The EHRC is here to support the rights of all – whatever anyone says to the contrary
Kishwer Falkner'

'we are determined to uphold our independence, impartiality, evidence-based decision-making and to resist undue influence from any quarter'

'Where we have modified our position on self-ID for trans people or the Gender Recognition Act, we have done so because new evidence about the tension between trans and women’s rights is emerging. Only last week, there have been seemingly contradictory legal judgments on the meaning of “sex” in law. Other cases are in the pipeline. Recently, public responses to our strategic plan have shown a huge increase in concern about these competing rights.'

Bloody brilliant. I think the Baroness deserves a wee thank you card .

'new evidence... is emerging'
I would say that it's been blindingly bloody obvious from the off, but at least now it's starting to be acknowledged that 'being kind' to one side involves totally shafting the other.

Well written. I acknowledge that Baroness Falkner had to frame it as "new evidence…emerging" because it would otherwise look like criticism of the previous Chair and committee for being oblivious to the perspective and representation from women's groups.

Exactly.

'Evidence we should have been acknowledging all along but were too fucking captured and partial to do so' would be truer, but probably unhelpful.

Props to the Baroness.

What a breath of fresh, clean air.

Good to see.

Frustrating however to have to constantly frame it and play along as if they discovered the problems all by themselves and haven't been warned /questioned by women fir years.

But if that's what it takes then we will just have to deal I guess

This is extremely welcome.

@Whatwouldscullydo

Good to see.

Frustrating however to have to constantly frame it and play along as if they discovered the problems all by themselves and haven't been warned /questioned by women fir years.

But if that's what it takes then we will just have to deal I guess

some of it is wrt legal cases - in this letter the Baroness referenced the two court decisions in Scotland - they were only last week

• and yes it is frustrating, but we may as well get used to the fact that women in this argument are going to be blamed whichever way it goes. There won't be any 'winning'. At best there will be a cessation of risks, which is not usually terribly spectacular. And none of the women who've clarified various legal points will be getting back any of their hard earned bloody cash they've spent on getting the government to uphold the existing law and iterate that yes, humans are a dimorphic species.

Nor will there be any redress for any of the very brave women who've had their lives turned upside down by being sacked, arrested, harassed, threatened, vilified, trashed, insulted, mocked or intimidated - all for the crime of asking that women be considered as equally human and with equal power and agency to males.

The aim is for a very quiet and unspectacular return to reason and sense, so that we can all get on with all of the other very pressing issues that we've set aside while we fight to retain basic reality as a factor in law and legislation.

Yeah I get that. Just frustrating when you see alot of " where r the feminists now" comments.

As usual it's always the fault of women as u say. What ever happens.

Not to mention the pure glee at women getting fucked over which seems to trump even their own daughters amd wives and mothers well being.

It hard sometimes to keep your mouth shut to allow this " way back". Even though we need to.

I think anyone here could be asked "why didn't you spot this sooner?"

Janice Raymond gets a pass, if she's here.

@NecessaryScene

I think anyone here could be asked "why didn't you spot this sooner?"

Janice Raymond gets a pass, if she's here.

tbf, there were very active FWR posters anticipating this from the outset of MN (building on observations of trends in 90s). Most of them are long gone and it was associated with a fair amount of anger, iirc, as other posters thought they were over-interpreting what would be the logical outcome.

I was three when TSE came out.

I think.also to be fair there is also a difference between regular people who are juggling a million things in their day to day lives and may be late to the party and people who's actual job it is to figure these things out.

I mean you shouldn't have to relalky tell these people any nore than you'd expect to solve a crime yourself gather all the evidence write the reports etc then hand over to the police.

yes, absolutely, scully - women are having to raise all this money to get the courts/police/govt to do what they ostensibly are set up to do

@DomesticatedZombie

yes, absolutely, scully - women are having to raise all this money to get the courts/police/govt to do what they ostensibly are set up to do

Public Sector Equality Duty. Where's the fairness in the poorer part of the population having to fund basics like this because the major institutions are actively hostile to them?

Maybe women should sue the government for absolutely bloody fucking everything. Class action to make reparation? Never mind pardoning the bloody witches of 1544 - let's have an apology for Marion Millar et al, for a start!

@DomesticatedZombie

Maybe women should sue the government for absolutely bloody fucking everything. Class action to make reparation? Never mind pardoning the bloody witches of 1544 - let's have an apology for Marion Millar et al, for a start!

Going by the witches she's got around 500 years to wait.

…seemingly contradictory legal judgments on the meaning of “sex” in law

Ah, does this explain that thread from the poster trying to argue about a sex/biological-based definition of women? Trying out those arguments here.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4477423-What-is-the-biological-definition-of-a-woman-and-man

Public Sector Equality Duty. Where's the fairness in the poorer part of the population having to fund basics like this because the major institutions are actively hostile to them?

Harder now that even crowdfunding sites remove the bloody funds.

How can we possibly compete. I mean when instructions are actively paying people to mis represent the law to them on top of receiving charity donations amd government funding to further spread illegal advice

Bloody wonderful article. I agree that we know this already, but I think she is trying to do a tactful version that everyone (apart from the TRAs) is happy with. Such a relief.