Statement about the emergency evidence session by the EHRCJ Committee

[ArabellaScott]

14 women's rights organisations have written to protest at bias in the Scottish Government's GRR Bill - I'm guessing it's okay to reproduce large parts of this statement, as it's public:

'Women – in particular those with concerns about the potential impact of this bill on women who have experienced male violence – have been treated with contempt throughout this process, first by the Scottish Government, and now by the majority of the Scottish parliamentary committee. Their concerns have been belittled, misrepresented and dismissed.'

...

'The following questions should all be asked of Mr Madrigal-Borloz:

Is it your view that women and girls around the world are singled out for discrimination and disadvantage, such as female infanticide, education denial, forced marriage, restrictions on their liberties and rights, and multiple other legal, social and economic disadvantages, on the basis of something other than their physical sex?

Which countries that have introduced self-declaration systems for legal gender recognition have undertaken evaluations of the impacts on women and girls? Please provide MSPs with details of any such reports, the scope of the evaluation undertaken, date published etc.

How is the monitoring of effects of such laws on women and girls possible where datasets have ceased collecting data on sex, in favour of collecting data on self declared gender identity?

How do you define harms against women and girls? Is it your view that harms should be confined to physical and sexual assaults?

What analysis have you undertaken to assess the degree of reluctance women and girls experience in reporting any incidents? For example, concerns about accusations of committing a hate crime.

What importance do you place on ensuring women and girls’ privacy, dignity and psychological safety?

You claim that women objecting to this law change believe that all transwomen are predators. Please can you provide specific examples of organisations that have made such statements in Scotland.

How would you expect evidence to be found about the change in the incidence of non-contact sexual offences committed by males in women-only spaces, such as voyeurism, after changes in the law and policy?

In countries that have introduced self-declaration systems for legal gender recognition, what measures have been put in place to quantify the numbers of women and girls self-excluding from women-only spaces and services that are now open to transwomen?

Is it your view that safety and fairness matter for women and girls in sport?'

This statement is signed by:

Evidence-Based Social Work Alliance
Fair Play For Women
For Women Scotland
Frontline Feminists Scotland
Keep Prisons Single Sex
MurrayBlackburnMackenzie
Scottish Feminist Network
Sex Matters
Women and Girls Scotland
Women’s Rights Network
Women Voting With Our Feet
Woman’s Place UK
Women Speak Scotland
FiLiA
Johann Lamont (former MSP)
Elaine Smith (former MSP)
Jenny Marra (former MSP)
Marlyn Glen (former MSP)

forwomen.scot/18/12/2022/emergency-evidence-session-by-ehrcj-committee/

Brilliant-she mentioned women in prison and skewed statistics

Pam Gosal asking about an amendment to review impact of the bill's impact on single sex spaces.

RA suggests a pause to carry out missing impact assessments would be useful. Not just Scotland - you can see across the board - there haven't been impact assessments on women

RA - There is an increasing neglect of collecting sex data (gender being used instead)

I can't say how brilliant it is to hear this UN expert articulate very clearly all of the things we've been saying on this board for years. ❤

RA talking about the need to differentiate clearly between sex and gender. And 'there are things in the GRA that are already problematic'.

'What happens doesn't stay in Scotland' The inverse of Fight Club! Reem is nailing a lot of the important points - lack of impact assessments, the corruption of data.

Oh god I'm absolutely in awe of "the person from the UN" right now.

Maggie Chapscomefirst ought to hang her head in SHAME for the rest of her natural life. Shameful. Shameful shameful shameful, the lot of them who are either hell bent on destroying women's rights, or too feart to do what they're bloody paid to do.

Reem on Belgium: 'it's clear they haven't carried out impact assessments... nor data collection'
They've come to something that's made sense for them but we need to look at that holistically and bring it back to Scotland and look at the needs of everyone in Scotland.

Fulton. Nobody understands what Fulton says. SPEAK SLOWLY BIG MAN.

Asking whether her views accurately represent the UN. Roughly.

Thank you for doing this, ArabellaScott. It’s much appreciated.

Fulton: Evidence, wrt safeguarding and risk management.

What evidence from other countries?

RA - lack of a concerted effort to do Impact Assessments.

There is evidence in reports in the media. Go to prison managers. the issue is it's not consolidated or analysed.

At least 30 cases in the UK brought by feminists/women's orgs to try and challenge erasure of single sex spaces, reasser ttheir right to ID based on sex.

Of course if you don't see this borught togethr, you don't see it as an issue. But it is an issue, and we see this in many countries across Europe and the world.

Small example - I've been contacted by a number of women organisations in all their diversity, saying that this is a concern, self exclusion is a concern, the understanding of a need for dingity is not a consideration (it doesn't need to be contact based sexual assault) - fear - this is also a form of violence.

MAles may not understand these issues.

Whose voices do we hear?

Pam Duncan-Glancy - have you had discussions with orgs in Scotland and if so, whom?

Bit more of Reem (I know it'll be in parliamentary record, but for those who aren't able to listen along right now)

Reem: "evidence in prisons where violation of sanctity for female prisoners has caused problems, but issues of non consolidation you don't see the trends.

Since 2018 for example there have been at least 30 cases brought by NGO women's orgs, they tried to challenge erasure of women's spaces id based on sex and of course if you don't see this all brought to g in one place what's the fuss about, but it is an issue, we see this also in many countries in Europe and across the world. I've been contacted personally by a number of women orgs in all diversity, including transwomen, that have said this is a concern for them, the understanding for the need for dignity is not present, it doesn't need to be sexual violence, someone in your space that will flash you, you're fearing of being in their vicinity , this is also a form of violence and being a male, you may not understand these issues, it also comes down to who do you ask about this, whose voices do you hear about these issues. Men may not have a full understanding of something as simple as that as so essential as that. "

@ArabellaScott Oops didn't realise you were typing along!

RA - I spoke to whomever reached out to me, but I won't disclose without agreement - you KNOW who they are, they're listed in the letter

It's all good, pombear!

Now RA talking about how people can't talk out because there is pressure on those who provide 'single sex spaces' not to talk out, she says Canada has similar issues.

'we are saying single sex spaces alongside mixed sex'

YES!

Third spaces.

Can't listen along just now so thanks to all the who are giving the details of what's being talked about.

Reem Alsalam sounds AWESOME!

'It's our job to reduce the barriers for access' - not to second guess people's reasons - talking about religious faith groups

She fucking BOSS. So calm. So sensible. So informed. So polite.

Pam ... 'em ... oh. Okay thank you'.

PDC - what other examples did you look at in other countries.

RA - this is my remit - it's not about GR, GR is established in internatnional law - self ID is not.