Equality Act - what next?

[ArabellaScott]

The petition to look at this seems sadly to have virtually ground to a halt:

www.mumsnet.com/talk/petitions_noticeboard/4722618-petition-to-update-the-equality-act-thread-2

Government have responded with a dismissive:

'providers are already able to restrict the use of spaces/services on the basis of sex and/or gender reassignment where justified. Further clarification is not necessary.'

What next?

We know that providers, while technically able to exclude males, just do not and will not. Nobody seems to agree on or understand the law fully. Legal experts get in huge tangles arguing about it.

The current situation means women are excluded from many women's spaces, there is no provision for single sex services apart from Beira's Place in Scotland, there are still males in women's prisons, and in hospitals.

What do we do if the government and EHRC won't listen? Whatever the law says, this situation is untenable.

Chair of the petitions committee has canvassed Mumsnet before:

www.mumsnet.com/talk/work/3839359-MNHQ-here-are-you-returning-to-work-or-have-you-recently-returned-after-parental-leave-Tell-the-Petitions-Committee-about-your-experiences

'The Petitions Committee has the power to:

take written evidence

take oral evidence (at Westminster or elsewhere)

go on fact-finding visits

write to the Government or other public bodies (perhaps on the basis of evidence taken) to press for action or further explanation of policy decisions

produce reports with recommendations to the Government.

The Committee will also be able to work informally.

The Committee will be flexible in the approaches it takes to its work on petitions, tailoring its response to the issues raised.

If the Committee looks into a petition in an area covered by another select committee, it will notify, and where appropriate consult, the Chair(s) of the relevant committee or committees before the Petitions Committee takes any evidence, written or oral, on the substance of a petition.'

Well, spookily, my MP is on that Committee.
Saves one letter.
Are there letter templates for those to Committee Members pls?
Suggestions welcome.
Thanks in advance.

Despite there being several pages of info on how the petitions committee works, I'm still not quite sure if emailing them will work.

Be good to hear from someone with more knowledge of hte processes.

Yep!

The sex matters letter asks MPs to -
Please write to Catherine McKinnell MP, chair of the Petitions Committee, and express your interest in a debate. And also to Kemi Badenoch, Minister for Women and Equalities, asking her to reconsider the petition taking account of all 10 reasons why sex matters in the Equality Act.

So I would guess they would be our best bets but there's often stuff around them ignoring unless it comes via MP...

That reasonable letter 10 June 2023 about conversion therapy I had thought was by Catherine McKinnell was to her and to Elliot Colburn, from Mike Freer Minister for Equalities.

Elliot Colburn looks as though he doesn’t understand problems
that can arise from clashing rights.
www.elliotcolburn.co.uk/news/trans-rights

Maya started this thread if you want to add ideas to it

100,000 signatures on the Equality Act - What next www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4759614-100000-signatures-on-the-equality-act-what-next

Meanwhile the petition is still ticking up nicely! I hope people do keep on signing it, it can still make a difference to its impact 💚💜

What about when we have an MP who ignores comms from constituents? And/or staffers who do the same?

I don't know (& I expect to be ignored) 😖

Unless told definitely NOT to write I'm planning to write to them both & cc my MP

If it is not done for people in general to contact the committee, those petition signers who are their constituents could try to be particularly persuasive especially to those among them who may not be interested or sympathetic.

Catherine McKinnell
Newcastle upon Tyne North
Labour 126 signatures.
Is she in the Labour Women's Declaration?
What is known about her?

Tonia Antoniazzi✨
Gower
Labour 128 signatures
Interested

Marsha de Cordova
Thanked by the Labour Women’s Declaration
labourwomensdeclaration.org.uk/thank-you-marsha-de-cordova/
Battersea
Labour 265 signatures

.Tom Hunt
Thought DoE guidance did not have enough teeth.
Ipswich
Conservative 90 signatures

Elliot Colburn
Seems to be keen on GRA reforms without understanding the conflicts with the EA.
Carshalton and Wallington
Conservative 139 signatures

Christina Rees
A number of Welsh MPs including Nia Griffith and Christina Rees sit on the APPG on Global LGBT+ Rights, which was recently found to be secretly pushing poor policy into Parliament on behalf of lobbyists. Welsh politicians hold five of its fourteen Vice Chair positions, including former Stonewall Chief Executive, Baroness Ruth Hunt.
Neath
Independent 74 signatures

Have to stop for now

102,111 signatures

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/623243

It's still going up

Catherine McKinnell
Newcastle upon Tyne North
Labour 126 signatures.
Is she in the Labour Women's Declaration?
What is known about her?

She has done a fair bit on Women's pensions, and talked about care and childcare provision and talks about feminism. I don't see any egregious woo.

That’s good to know about Catherine McKinnell, Arabella.

Anyone want to relive the moment???? Video of THE MOMENT.. And rewatching makes the fact that @RubyTrees got the money shot at dead on 100 000 all the more amazing!

twitter.com/FionneOrlander/status/1633821110922883074?s=19

We started yesterday on 86457 .we end today on 102 259

I had to go out just before lunch yesterday, so I missed the final countdown, but have very much enjoyed reading it back, especially the flurry of gifs.

It is at a very aesthetically pleasing palindromic number now.

Isn't it just

Ooo very nice!

Majestic. I think it's that extra digit.

105,000 signatures!

If you haven't signed yet please do. The more signatures we have the better!!

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/623243

Then let your MP know you've signed by clicking on the link below

sex-matters.org/take-action/write-to-your-mp-about-the-petition/

😍

@Boiledbeetle I had fingers already pressed down on 2 keys and the 3rd ready to go (on a Mac). As soon as the numbers started moving I kept repeatedly pressing with finger no. 3 and just got very lucky!

Over 105,000 now.

105501 signatures

If you still haven't signed there is still time. Go to petition.parliament.uk/petitions/623243

Then click on

sex-matters.org/take-action/write-to-your-mp-about-the-petition/

To let your MP know you've signed.