Rejoice! For there is another consultation! (EHRC)

[ArabellaScott]

And lo, an angel came and said: it shall be completed by January the 3rd.

And a voice from on high said: Sex Matters has guidance for thee

And also: A glass of festive refreshment may help and perhaps a mince pie

https://sex-matters.org/posts/updates/ehrc-consults-on-code-of-practice/

https://sex-matters.org/take-action/respond-to-the-ehrc-consultation/

'The consultation is open for anyone to respond to, whether you respond as an individual or as an organisation.

• Individuals can include people who give advice, lawyers, academics, campaigners and ordinary citizens wishing to challenge service providers.
• Organisations can include service providers, associations and public bodies and organisations that give advice to others.

You should respond particularly if you are a service provider – a business, charity or public body that provides services to the public – or if you are an individual who uses services (everyone!) or an advisor. It will take you about 15 minutes to complete the survey. '

Please could someone explain what this is?

This is a good explanation: sex-matters.org/posts/updates/ehrc-consults-on-code-of-practice/

Ooh lovely something for tomorrow. Thank you.

Done. Thanks to the links from Sex Matters to help us through. Though I had to have 3 devices open; one with the survey, one with the actual government guidance in question, one with Sex Matters!

Done. I looked over the Sex Matters materials and then completed it from my perspective as an individual with particular relevant experiences and concerns rather than trying to be very formal. Like @Fordian I had several windows open and flipped between them.

Every little helps!

I think individual experience is hugely helpful, too!

Right. I've started. If I'm not back by January the 6th, send a dog with a barrel of booze round its neck.

Good luck Arabella! Sending virtual port and mince pies to speed you on your way.

Thanks for the supplies, Amaryllis. Very fortifying.

Well I've done it, but my goodness that was hard work. Regardless of my GC views my heart is sinking at the thought of having to implement it in practice.

Oh, well done! I need to gird myself again.

Still at it? I don't have a dog. Or brandy. Can send European dry white wine, next door's hissy cat and cheese if useful.

I, er ... got distracted. All contributions of wine and cheese gratefully received, although tbh this might have been part of the earlier distraction.

You're gonna need it... cheers

After a social yesterday where DH over-invested in cheese and we ended up with the exact same amount of wine as we started (generous friends!) you are welcome to a bottle of red and a large chunk of Brie.

I appeciate the care you're taking. I go for the "interested member of the public who doesn't get it all right" vibe - it's quicker 😂

I like the cut of your jib, Amaryllis. Although I'm not sure it's even possible to over invest in cheese.

Bumpy reminder to fill this one in, because the TRAs certainly are:

www.reddit.com/r/transgenderUK/s/GlgEB0pE6t

transsafety.network/posts/draft-ehrc-code-of-practice-concerning-shift-priorities/

Trans Safety Network have noticed some concerning changes that may indicate shifts in the EHRC’s priorities. Among the changes, we note that:
The draft code provides much fewer examples of unlawful discrimination against trans people. The current version of the code provides seven examples of unlawful gender reassignment discrimination by our count, all but one of these examples has been removed or changed to refer to other protected characteristics in the draft code, with only one new example added. This includes removing examples of discrimination by association and perception against cis women who support trans rights and cis women who are misidentified as trans.
In the draft code’s section on exceptions for single-sex spaces, emphasis has shifted from protecting the rights and dignity of trans people to “balancing” trans people’s rights to equal access to public services and spaces against imagined conflicts of rights. Language that upholds trans people’s legal rights has been removed from the chapter at various points.
While we welcome the draft code’s recognition that at least some nonbinary trans people have the protected characteristic of gender reassignment, the draft code strongly implies that some do not and shows a worrying lack of clarity on when this is the case.
In the section of the draft code on religion and belief undue weight has been lent to the protection of “gender critical” beliefs with no detail on other political and philosophical beliefs that constitute a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010.

The draft code provides much fewer examples of unlawful discrimination against trans people.

I know that I'm an annoying pedant but it's many fewer.

Don't tell 'em, Jane! They may lose points for SPAG!

Right. I'm on it like a car bonnet.

I'm stumped by the hovercraft bit, I have to admit.

'In relation to the exercise of public functions that do not involve providing a service to the public, a duty not to do anything that constitutes discrimination, harassment or victimisation applies to ships and hovercraft in all cases'

Hovercraft are well known for their discriminatory behaviour.

I'm deep in it and now having an existential crisis.

This is about disability discrimination. I skipped over it.

You didn't hover?

That would require a level of patience that had vanished about an hour earlier.