Ann Sinnott AEA rejects Robin M White accusations of anti-trans

[Abitofalark]

Ann Sinnott article in The Critic about White's accusations against her consultancy, Authentic Equity Alliance (AEA):
thecritic.co.uk/accusations-of-transphobia-are-pure-misdirection/

Extracts:
" White said that I am an “anti-trans-campaigner” in an “anti-trans movement”. Neither I nor AEA are anti-trans. While AEA’s founding aim is to promote the interests of women and girls, our consultancy and training is based on the law and thereby impartial. The 2010 Equality Act (EA2010) single-sex exception permits exclusion of transwomen from women’s services, provided it is a proportionate means to achieve a legitimate aim.

"The single-sex exception is a bane for transwomen like Robin White. Clashes of interests around single-sex services can be a quagmire. AEA helps organisations navigate a route through the swamp."

'AEA is not a campaigning organisation though we do respond to government consultations, correspond with government departments and occasionally sign joint lobbying letters and statements. We also scrutinised EHRC’s EA2010 guidance (aimed at all sectors but predominantly the business sector) and found that 25 documents contravened the EA2010 single-sex exception. Following protracted correspondence with AEA, the EHRC either amended or removed the guidance from its website in July and August 2020. See AEA’s “Equality Matters” booklet for further detail. The guidance stood for 10 years and is the source (along with misguidance from the Government Equalities Office) of the current outcry from transgender people that their “rights are being taken away”.'

thecritic.co.uk/accusations-of-transphobia-are-pure-misdirection/

I've just subscribed to The Critic. Can't wait to get my first copy.

It takes a certain kind of imagination to think pro-women=anti-trans.

It takes a certain kind of imagination to think pro-women=anti-trans.

It seems contagious amongst groups where misogyny is rife. 🤔

It was unexpected of Sinnott to describe RMW as a "masterful illusionist" wrt the novartmedia interview as I would strongly dissent from the description.

Let’s look at White’s illusionist sleights of hand and the diverting of attention.

I'd say the success of those is roughly in line with RMW's skills as an author and in practical skills such as organising the bundle in a recent employment tribunal. However, I defer to Sinnott's wider understanding of the landscape in this area and there were plausibly other reasons for the rhetorical flourishes.

To be fair, I'm mostly exposed to RMW's mind and writings on MN (in addition to RMW's co-authored Practical Guide) and these have informed my perspective.

www.legalfeminist.org.uk/2021/09/02/a-practical-guide/

It is continually interesting when someone in such a public facing, senior role openly presents TQ+ interests as necessarily incompatible with women's rights and states that to support women's rights and access equally is a threat and unacceptable behaviour.

It confirms the misogyny involved and tries to present this as a righteous and ok thing. So this needs to be discussed properly. It's useful that it is being demonstrated that TQ+ interests and women's interests are incompatible, and this needs openly discussing.

For a start this would suggest that the Equalities brief needs splitting and separate people represent gay, sex, and TQ+ interests so no one characteristic is politically affected or subordinated to another.

I'd never heard of AEA. It's interesting to know about this consultancy working in the same field as certain others providing training to employers but AEA doing it with accurate knowledge and regard for the actual law. The most shocking thing is what she discloses about the errors in guidance put out by the EHRC and the GEO.

There should be an inquiry into what went on at the EHRC and how it got into such a state. It is the official statutory body, meant to be the repository of expertise and to monitor, advise, investigate and recommend on the operation and development of the relevant law.

Good to see she is exposing and coming out publicly against smears and accusations that could damage a consultancy providing much needed expertise and quality in this area.

It’s pure DARVO, isn’t it?
The fact that they always infer anti-trans from pro-women must mean that to them, pro-trans actually is anti-woman.