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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Period dignity officer update

203 replies

BaileySharp · 06/09/2022 12:42

They've scrapped the role
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-62807683

Rather than appoint a woman they're just scrapping it

OP posts:
Thread gallery
10
BellaAmorosa · 07/09/2022 18:53

So he was sacked and did not resign.

Particularly looking forward to hearing examples of the "threats and abuse" in the Employment Tribunal (or Scottish equivalent).
The whole thing reeks of hurt pride.

FannyCann · 07/09/2022 19:03

I reckon they'll settle @IcakethereforeIam
And probably for more than any tribunal would award. Hmm

Usuallyquiet · 07/09/2022 19:13

4 public sector partners, access to HR, and legal teams - as well as PR.

What an absolute mess.

RhannionKPSS · 07/09/2022 19:19

And they would have got away with it if it hadn’t been for those pesky women on Mumsnet & all the other women with their inconvenient FOIs pointing out their dubious dealings.
Pity that they will settle as it would have been entertaining to see it all unfold in court.

SirSamVimesCityWatch · 07/09/2022 19:25

Oh please, please, please take it to court!!

Antarcticant · 07/09/2022 19:25

From that BBC article, it sounds as though part of the case will rest on the allegation that the partnership didn't follow the correct dismissal procedure - i.e. it was announced publicly before he was formally notified in person.

ArabellaScott · 07/09/2022 19:30

I think nobody would disagree his employers handled it spectacularly badly.

BellaAmorosa · 07/09/2022 19:36

ArabellaScott · 07/09/2022 19:30

I think nobody would disagree his employers handled it spectacularly badly.

Agreed. I'm just puzzled about the sex discrimination angle.

ArabellaScott · 07/09/2022 20:19

I think he's saying he'd not have been fired had he been a woman.

Which is accurate.

FannyCann · 07/09/2022 21:16

It is intriguing that four handmaidens women were responsible for his appointment. One can only guess at their thought processes and agenda. I see the Courier also submitted an FOI. This isn't going to go away any time soon.

Jason probably does have a case. If there was any wrong doing/poor processes around his appointment then the problem is with the Period Dignity Working Group. One or all of those women should be the fall "guys" not him. 🤷‍♀️

Period dignity officer update
Period dignity officer update
rogdmum · 07/09/2022 21:29

The Courier is enjoying this so much- probably their first time to get worldwide attention! And what a beauty it is! 😁

vivariumvivariumsvivaria · 07/09/2022 22:49

That courier journalist is doing a great job.

So, which one of the four handmaidens appointed Mr Looks Good In A Polo Shirt?

I can't be the only one thinking there is an air of Mr Rumbold's secretary here?

FannyCann · 07/09/2022 22:54

Latest article from the Courier, which wasn't behind a paywall (for me).

They certainly are making the most of their moment of glory. You're right @rogdmum I don't think I had ever viewed one of their articles before all this. I hope they are like terriers, with a bone. Grin

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/dundee/3667444/tayside-period-dignity-statement-questions-jason-grant/

BellaAmorosa · 07/09/2022 23:00

@vivariumvivariumsvivaria
You are absolutely not the only one thinking that!

RhannionKPSS · 07/09/2022 23:46

I wonder what Jason will do with his red polo shirt now...

IcakethereforeIam · 07/09/2022 23:48

I wonder if he knew how to get blood out of cotton?

BellaAmorosa · 07/09/2022 23:59

Still bothered by the sex discrimination angle. IANAL, but as I understand it, you compare the complainant to a broadly similar employee of the opposite sex to assess whether there has been unlawful sex discrimination. But this situation wouldn't have arisen if Grant had been a woman so it's hard to compare. It seems to me he was sacked not because he was a man but because of the public reaction to him being a man in what was perceived to be a woman's post. That may be a distinction without a difference, but I think that if a woman had been appointed to a role which her sex made her obviously unsuited for, and there was an outcry, you could argue that she would also have been sacked. If no-one had mocked the appointment, Jason Grant would still be in post.

In an imaginary scenario, an employer appoints a male toilet attendant for the women's single sex toilets. The users complain about the attendant being a man, the attendant is sacked and the role axed. In that scenario, the employee has been sacked because of his sex, but the same would have/has happened to the woman attendant in the men's single sex loos. They've both been sacked for their sex, but their sex is the reason why they are unsuitable. You'd have to argue that it was unreasonable to think of this as a role only for a female or a male (depending on which toilets) - extrapolating from the reasoning behind the provision in the EA2010 for lawful discrimination on grounds of sex when recruiting. So the employer has messed them around by employing them in that role in the first place and should cough up, but I can't see how it's sex discrimination.

I'm probably wrong, but I would love a professional to explain to me how it works, if any employment lawyers are reading...

Datun · 08/09/2022 00:11

I'm sure period officer would be one of those exempt occupations that doesn't have to comply with equality.

Employment where there are cultural sensitivities (such as a documentary where male victims of domestic violence need to be interviewed by a male researcher, or a gay men's domestic violence helpline).

Can they use that? And just say they hadn't realised the extent of public opinion and should have employed a woman.

BellaAmorosa · 08/09/2022 00:37

I would have thought so, @Datun.

To me the sex discrim complaint reads like him channelling his resentment at how he feels he has been treated by women - the panel who appointed him then (he claims) didn't support him and then sacked him, the women who mocked, etc.

UsernameIsDeadToMe · 08/09/2022 00:45

I hope they are like terriers, with a bone

They won’t be. They were an abject disappointment re Humza and the nursery fiasco.

miri1985 · 08/09/2022 04:02

Those FOI responses are nonsense, giving the number of applicants in no way gives out personal data that would be protected by GDPR.

Lets say I said to you there were 3 applicants for this job, 2 were called for interview, one man one woman. How do you have any personal data which would help you identify anyone (apart from Jason Grant) from that?

If the question asking about sex and gender is too controversial like you could be outing someone as trans then ok, refuse to answer that bit but refusing to answer about the number of applicants seems incredibly sketchy. I hope someone is able to challenge their refusal to answer. Its a pity that the couriers FOI doesn't seem to be on what do they know so we could know if they've also had the same response.

frazzledasarock · 08/09/2022 04:53

Who knew you could sue a company for withdrawing a job offer prior to signing the contract!

honkeytonkwoman38 · 08/09/2022 05:07

I was just reflecting to myself that many men work as gynaecologists/ obstetricians yet no one ever bats an eyelid. Many women work in mens sexual health services and female doctors pioneer mens health services yet here it's caused a massive backlash.

Bouledeneige · 08/09/2022 05:30

It was of course a ridiculous appointment - how on earth did the all female panel figure this was ever going to be a brilliant appointment? They must be off the scale woke or completely bereft of common sense.

He has a point about them scrapping the job and getting rid of him. But I wonder how it can be a successful discrimination claim when effectively the appointment should have been reserved for women and that female candidates were excluded from their chance to apply for the job because of a botched and unfair recruitment process.

What on earth possessed him to want to be a Period Dignity Officer? They should've called it Chief Mansplainer to be more accurate.