The chair of SEEN is being sued.

[PriOn1]

We can’t post Crowdfunder links here, but there is now a Crowdfunder entitled “Chair of SEEN sued for saying 'only women menstruate'by Elspeth Duemmer Wrigley”

Text from website:

Who are you?
I'm Elspeth Duemmer Wrigley. I work for an arms-length body to a government department (part of the Civil Service) and love my job. I'm also gender critical, and chair of a governmental department SEEN (Sex Equality and Equity Network). SEEN represents those who are gender critical in our workplace.
What can you tell us?
The way I describe the case is restrained by my situation. I am writing this in a personal capacity, but am still employed and must comply with my employer's code of conduct and the Nolan Principles of Public Life. This places certain restrictions on me.
I’ve given as much information as I can, but I hope that what I set out below is sufficient to understand what’s going on.
So what happened?
I work for an arms-length body to the main government department. The case has been brought by a claimant who is an employee of another arms-length body. The claimant is taking their own employer, the government department and me to court.
Among other matters, the claimant is suing the government department for allowing our departmental SEEN network to exist (on the basis that the existence of the network has the effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating and/or offensive environment for the claimant).
What is the SEEN network?
SEEN (the Sex Equality and Equity Network) is an official cross-governmental staff network. We also have networks in three government departments (including the one being taken to court). SEEN is known as the gender critical network and is the only civil service network that clearly treats sex and sexual orientation as concepts defined in the Equality Act, which should never be conflated with or replaced by ‘gender identity’.

Yes, there was reference to the standard of lawyering in update 4:

The anonymity application was put off on that occasion, because the judge didn’t think the claimant’s lawyers had done an adequate job of explaining what they wanted, or why they said it was justified, and because the claimant wasn’t there to answer questions.

I have a feeling that popcorn sales are going to spike this time next year.

RMW was successful in Taylor vs Jaguar, although that was a clearcut case of workplace bullying.

RWM has written the standard book (with a coauthor I've forgotten) until such time as Ben Cooper, Anya Palmer, Naomi Cunningham, Akua Reindorf etc. and an appropriate collective of solicitors (is there a collective noun I should use?) perhaps collaborate to rectify matters.

RMW has a thriving practice.

It might be unwise to underestimate the influence that some people have.

It's usually a person with perfectly legal gender critical beliefs taking their employer to a tribunal for discrimination. This one is a trans person taking their employer to tribunal for allowing GC beliefs to exist and be spoken about in the workplace.

Interesting times! And a 14 day hearing! What on earth will take that long? I think there may be a fair chunk of women on annual leave next November

But I hope the refusal to grant anonymity may help others in similar boats.

RMW has a lot of credibility having addressed both the Scottish and UK government hearings on this issue. They have also been prepared to go on TV raising their profile.

This case will be interesting as @Tallisker says this is different because the claimant is a TW and testing out the limits of GC belief from the opposite point of view. As Civil Service Employers are involved it could be key in defining the line at work.

Mention of that book reminds me that RMW described Maya as 'wittering on' when she wrote to RMW's publishers about the outdated content of the book following the judgment in her successful appeal.

Such a revealing choice of words.

Latest update from Elspeth:

Almost there!
Witness statements have been exchanged, bundles have been finalised, and we are rapidly approaching the start of the final hearing on 22nd June.

I will be giving evidence on behalf of the sex equality Civil Service staff network, SEEN.

SEEN has intervened in this case because the Claimant is attempting to have our network disbanded and to have me and other members disciplined for expressing gender
critical views at work. If the Claimant were to succeed in this attempt, not only would it have devastating effects on me and my colleagues, it would have serious consequences for the rights of gender critical employees in workplaces up and down the country.

We are now seeking to raise a further £35,000 to see us through to the end. SEEN has no financial resources of its own and could not afford to participate in this important case without the generosity of our supporters and donors. This is why I am asking for your help in meeting this target.

Your generous donations will enable us to defend ourselves and protect the rights of gender critical people throughout the organisation. If you can, please help us with this final push.

Thank you again for all you've done.

Elspeth.

This is an important case as it will have implications for all of the SEEN networks. Can garden in the usual place.

Can we watch online? There seems to be less publicity about this case than others, but this is a trans person taking his employer to court, not like Peggie, Darlo nurses, Jennifer M, Faye R-C etc etc. It’ll be important.

Is truth not a Nolan Principle? If someone is claiming that men menstruate, that is a deliberate, outright falsehood and must be in contravention to the Nolan Principles. How on earth did lies and promulgation of anti scientific propaganda take over the blinkin’ Civil Service?

Bumping this for more carrots !

I think Tribunal Tweets will be covering it. I'm not sure about watching online. It will be at Leeds Crown Court.

I'd have thought truth would come under Objectivity:
"Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias"
and Honesty ?

Both principles that transactivism has trashed in recent years.

I'm actually kind of amazed this case is going ahead. GC views are protected. The SEEN networks were set up because gender identity was being prioritised over the protected characteristic of sex, and lots of employers were acting unlawfully as a result. The linked case (Andreas Mueller - public servant sued...) was settled

Well, it will be good to see Naomi Cunningham go head to head with Robin Moira White 🤭

I'd completely forgotten this one. I suppose it's not like a public body bringing a case or defending a case where they'd have an obligation to stop when it was obviously lost. I wonder if it can be thrown out early on though rather than have to sit through evidence? It's so clear in law now that GC beliefs is a protected characteristic group. If you can have an LGBTIJK++ group you can certainly have a GC one. Far fewer initials.
And really, it's RMW against NC? Poor old RMW, outgunned and a hopeless case to start with.

Well done, Elspeth.

Gardened, again. Good luck! If anyone finds out that it's possible to watch online please let us all know. What sometimes works is to search for the case at courtserve.net, but I can't find it there yet - maybe it will be possible nearer the time.

Gardened. Somehow this one had passed me by

More carrots planted. Would love to watch this if poss. As PP said, I am astonished this is going ahead, but as it is, I think it is so very important for all SEEN groups.

Honesty and Objectivity are (along with Integrity and Impartiality) fundamental Civil Service values, set out in the Civil Service Code.

And yes, how on earth this could have been ignored is astonishing.

Planted a few more seeds - gosh this has been going on for a long time.

Gardening done, best of luck to Elspeth

Has RMW acted as counsel in a case of this nature before? I don't recall seeing his name on any recent ET cases discussed on this board.

I once saw a picture of a woman in probably her 70s at a protest, with a placard saying "I can't believe I'm THIS OLD and still having to protest this shit". That's pretty much how I feel - my first active involvement was against David Alton's 1987 attempt to restrict abortion availability.

Good luck Elspeth and all SEEN members across the public sector. That could have been me but I'm now happily retired, so I've donated for my old self!

I've donated safe in the knowledge that my boss is a. an old friend and b. extremely GC, so any doxxing attempt would possibly get me a pay rise!