Sunak: I’ll change the Equality Act to protect women’s spaces

[Binglebong]

Sorry to dump and run but this needed sharing.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/06/02/rishi-suank-equality-act-protect-womens-spaces-tory/

And yet, look at where we were last general election. How even defining what a woman was considered horrifying. Remember Jo Swinson. Remember Lisa Nandy’s responses too.

For everyone saying ‘should have done it 14 years ago’, the full ramifications were not known. They were maybe predicted, some were obvious but for instance, who predicted the rapid increase of girls being referred to GIDS, who predicted how Stonewall would change the trajectory of this.

Saying it should have been a focus 14 years ago seems like an over reach coming from the desire to pin as many wrong doings on the Tories as possible. And frankly, if you are going to do that, take it back to the party in power who passed the GRA and the EA2010.

I have a question. I don’t think I’ve ever applied for a job that has the SSE applied. If anyone has, can they tell me how do they check. Or is it largely done on trust?

Thats the wrong law to be repealed.
When you have disabilities this act has really helped.

I remember that Jo Swinson radio interview!

I don't think many people are saying it should have been done 14 years ago but it should have been done within the time the Tories were in power.

The EA also protects women at work too - there is still discrimination but at least there is a route to address it.
Repealing the EA would be very harmful for women.

A bbc pattern I've noticed is the R4 leading headlines, which this is, being reflected in woman's hour, if it affects women. Especially since it went to a full hour with more time being given to current news.

But who knows if Nuala will touch it

You do realise that Labour have pledged to make getting those certificates even easier?

Sure, fire away at the Tory party but I am always surprised when posters put more faith in Labour on this particular issue. Both major political parties in the UK carry blame on this issue.

Had 14 years, not it should have been done 14 years ago.

In October 2020 this was their response to the gRa consultation: Elizabeth Truss said: “it is the Government’s view that the balance struck in [the GRA] is correct, in that there are proper checks and balances in the system and also support for people who want to change their legal sex.”

Thats less than 4 years ago, Mr Johnson cut the fees to £5 as well.

They've not rowed back on any of this.

Throwing this back on Labour almost 20 years is a reach, Starmer wasn't even an MP then.

I'll reserve judgement until i hear Labours response.

Can you explain how that would be the case?

If sex is defined in the EA as biological sex, it cements what a woman is and also includes all trans identifying females.

Kemi Badenoch is on the Today programme now to discuss this.

My guess is that Labour will play it down and state that there are protections for women already there due to the EA and the tories are making a fuss about nothing. Then spin it with a load of stuff about women and girls

Yes just listening!

Err stop making things up.

Labour said they want to simplify the process and there will be a consultation first.

That is not a "pledge" unless you ve a leaked copy of the manifesto???

Lets have a debate on facts, not alternative ones.

Wes Streeting did say he supported Victoria Atkins' ban on puberty blockers. It was only reported briefly, but it's in a newspaper somewhere!

This is a good foothold for women. It'll help when pressing Labour. It's also more sunlight - people who dismiss the issue are likely to look into it more deeply.

As Signalbox says, though, there's a risk this becomes tied to the Tories - I'd imagine that Labour will be researching and checking public response and opinion to this, though.

Labour will say that "it has always meant sex and we love trans people"

Exactly

Great

This and the Cass Review makes the backlash against women worth it

I know Labour will fail on this. But at least the message is getting through

Kemi on R4 @ 8.10 interview on this.

I was responding to the poster saying they would like the EA repealed

Wes Streeting has migrated so far on this issue in the last few months he's had to ship his belongings to a new address.

Ah gotcha @CassieMaddox

Sigh, Badenoch and Husain are talking past each other. I can see Badenoch's point but 90+% of the listeners won't.

pp is correct. Labour did realise the statement and pledged to make it easier - look up Dodds last year

I'm sorry but a party that has made getting a GRC far far easier and cheaper, is not to be taken seriously, its electioneering, just as the promise of building 150 new GP surgeries is or their 2019 "40 new hospitals"

This government made it cheaper, but did not make it easier. The process now is the same as it always has been - a diagnosis and two years of proof of living as the new gender.

I think the current government has sat back and watched this all unfold, but its recent court judgements that have made it clear that government needs to clearify what was the intent of the GRA and PC of GR was.

Im happy for this to be a talking point in the election, even if it just clarifys what single sex means for service providers and users.

I want every political to clearly state that eddie izzard had no business being in female public toilets.