Observer Article today

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I don't know if anyone has already posted

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/dec/18/scotland-controversial-proposed-gender-reforms

Yes, it's a great leader column. No surprise that it is in The Observer and not The Guardian. My only criticism is that this should have been published long ago and not the weekend before the seemingly inevitable passing of this dreadful piece of legislation.

It's a bit frustrating that it talks about a compromise. As if no one had talked about compromise before. No debate is why we've never been allowed to talk about how self ID affects us.

That's an excellent editorial, explains what is being proposed and what it means for women really clearly.

Of course what they're proposing isn't really a compromise, because there isn't a compromise position between 'some men are women' and 'no men are women' - its binary.

Great article and I know it's the Observer, not The Guardian, but where has this sane, sensible level of debate been for the last few years? Infuriating!

And comments are invited! Is that a first? In the form of emails, not BTL, I wrote something but managed to selet3 before sending. Oh well ( picks up virtual pen again)

She probably wrote it - she does write leader articles for the Observer as well as her own column.

Thank god for the Observer. Excellent piece. Well summed up:

But in Scotland and Westminster, self-described progressive politicians have proved too gutless to advocate balance and compromise. It is marginalised women – in prison, in domestic abuse services, and who require intimate care as a result of disability – who will bear the consequences of their cowardice.

That was unexpected! Great news.

Exemptions for organisation like this are clearly laid out.

I was just about to say, the article is a bit misleading in that it implies single sex services and spaces cannot exclude a trans person with a GRC. The Equality Act expressly provides that single sex services are not discriminatory on grounds of gender reassignment, provided it is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. That is the case whether you are talking about excluding a trans person with a GRC or without one.

My understanding was that Beira's Place had been carefully set up as a private company in order to be able to refer tw to services that would appropriately meet their needs while still allowing women who want single-sex spaces to have them.

Private companies are prohibited from discriminating in the provision of services, just as public bodies are. That’s why, for example, the people who ran the B&B who wouldn’t let a gay couple share a bed were held to have unlawfully discriminated.

Letter #2 sent…failed to see there was a limit of 250 words though, oh dear!

Brilliant. I can't be outside Holyrood on Wednesday but I'm going to fire off some last ditch emails quoting excerpts of this article to the MSPs I've contacted previously. All those Labour and Tory ones who parrotted how they would table amendments to ensure the sex exemptions could be maintained - yeah right...

Jack McConnell, former First Minister, has also asked for the Bill to be paused

C'mon!!!

If you haven’t signed this yet

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/623243

For anyone emailing in response you have to give an address and phone number…

Emphatic. Read this from a FPFW social media link earlier today. Gobsmacked, in a good way😀