Uni misrepresenting Equality Act

[Tweddle]

I recently started university as a mature student and was asked to complete some diversity and inclusion training online.

As I suspected it would be, they completely misrepresented the Equality Act, quoting the protected characteristics of gender instead of sex and gender identity instead of gender assignment.

It also talks about making sure all students feel accepted and safe but this training makes me feel anything but safe due to my gender critical beliefs.

I really wanted to address this with them and I think I will send an email. Can anyone give me any pointers? I know my belief is protected because of Maya Forstater and I really want to get that across so that they know they are not legally able to penalise me because I don’t believe in gender.

I’m quite nervous but I think this is too important to ignore.

I work in a university and had the same response to the EDI training.

I sent a succinct, polite email to the EDI general queries email with a link to the Equality Act pointing out that the training materials incorrectly quoted UK law and when would this be amended please? I also asked if this had been provided by a third party, and commented that I'd found some of the "home-made" training courses (on safety) very good so perhaps we could produce the EDI in-house too. I then escalated it to the Head of EDI when I got a dismissive response from a they/them.

I would send the same kind of query if any of the other mandatory training (ie on RIDDOR, COSSH or GDP) was legally inaccurate.

I now feel justified in refusing to do any further mandatory training, as it's a waste of my time if it turns out to be made-up guff the employer has bought without checking.

You are legally entitled to believe literally anything you want.

What you can do is start harassing female students, making the environment feel unsafe for them. Also please place hateful misogynistic stickers around campus that can cause an unsafe environment and will be tolerated by Universities.

Oh, wait ......

OP can you fish out the Reindorf review which refers to universities and their illegal overambitious EDI policies?

I would keep it fairly factual and non-personal at this stage if I were you OP.

Tell them they've misquoted the EA and please can they correct. Use the link direct to the legislation: Equality Act 2010 (legislation.gov.uk)

You could say that often the cause of misquoting the EA is because training or advice has been taken from outside providers such as Stonewall* and that you are worried that they may also be unaware of the Forstater case, and may be leaving themselves exposed. Microsoft Word - Sex Matters Understanding Stonewall Risk 080721 FINAL.docx (sex-matters.org)

*Check What Do They Know website for any FoIs on your university's dealings with Stonewall.

The GDPR type angle is also worth mentioning, this is a good one to send them:
Personal data an employer can keep about an employee - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Sex not Gender!

I think you've got the wrong thread.

Interesting username Stephannee. Very reminiscent of another transactivist campaigner.

I have no idea why you would randomly suggest the OP is likely to harass anyone. She asked a perfectly reasonable question about advice in approaching the university. Your post appears to be harassment though. Perhaps if you stopped projecting and started listening, you would be able to put forth a rational and coherent response.

Sorry, I meant GCAs.

I don't know that other(?) Stef ever stops wanking long enough to campaign for anything.

OP I agree with @Leafstamp they may have been misinformed by activists posing as trainers and never bothered checking for themselves.

@Stephannee
This the Feminist board

@Stephannee why are wittering on about stickers?

My uni edi training included a trans toolkit with frankly unbelievable statistics about trans people especially in relation to suicide.

I wrote to the edi time expressing my concern re inaccuracy and advising they also checked the Samaritans advice around linking causes with suicide attempts.

They replied politely and accosted my points.

There's still inaccurate copies of the original document available on the internet though.

I did an experiment once and Googled any local uni to me plus 'trans toolkit' and they're all misrepresenting the law that I can see.

"Reply deleted"

Are we not allowed to chat here unless we have "gender critical" (aka anti-LGBT) beliefs?

You are not allowed to break the forum rules as set by the owners of this site, no.

You are free to start your own chat site with your own moderation.

I was hoping the rules would permit a balanced debate which invites people with differing views.

Calling gender critical people anti LGBT is not a balanced debate though

This isn’t about debate or differing views. This is about the actual law i.e. fact, and the fact is that the Equality Act is very clear. Your views don’t change that.

Thank you everyone for the advice

I don't know that other(?) Stef ever stops wanking long enough to campaign for anything.
😂

Do tell Stephannee, what is it about the Equality legislation that you would like to debate?

Does the three strikes rule no longer apply?

Pity, if so.

Tweddle, I’m sorry your thread has been hijacked. Hopefully others will be along to answer your question. I’m about to return to work in the UK and find myself wondering whether I will need to start a similar thread thereafter.

In a surprise turn of events, the paragraph completely misrepresenting the Equality Act has gone and this is in its place

It doesn’t list protected characteristics anywhere now. I think someone else might have flagged this up with them.

Thank you! As a member of academic staff I have to do EDI “training” every couple of years. It’s a ridiculous online thing which is extremely patronising and focuses on transgender stuff way more than sex or disability. And sails pretty close to the wind in its representation of the Equality Act .

But at my place, they’ve drink the Kool-aid - they have a menopause policy which doesn’t mention the word “woman.”

so you might try your Student Union. But good luck - I’m sure most other female students agree with you, but are not so articulate.

Oh just read your later posts - it’s because we are now subject to the higher Education free speech legislation. My university is pretty pissed off with this.