Government announces preferred candidate for EHRC chair

[teawamutu]

Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson.

I don't know anything about her, is this good news or Harperson plus?

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-preferred-candidate-for-chair-of-equality-and-human-rights-commission

I like her already.

How much of a shoe in is she though, I'm glad it's not HH but if the Alphabety Mafia kick off, might the government lose their nerve and decide on someone less controversial to the rent-a-gobs, like HH.

teawamutu · Today 18:18

OTOH r/transgenderUK think she's a massive terf, and at least some of the right people are furious

She seems like a perfect fit!

They will do anything to not give Reform ammunition so I doubt it

I'm really optimistic about this. It's right to have someone who doesnt have a public position on the cursed issue but is based in reality, and it's good to have someone from the women's sector. But I think she must actually be a moderate gc because in 2020 the only people signing letters in support of gender critical women's right to meet were hard line free speechers, or other gender criticals.
I had picked up from tra's on twitter a couple of years back that women's budget group was too terfy for their liking. OK the bar will be low but it's not a bad sign. And Jolyan is annoyed so hooray!

She follows a LOT of GC women on BlueSky:

https://bsky.app/profile/maryannstephenson.bsky.social/follows

Is he? That is promising.

Kaveney who creepily regaled a roomful of women with a description of how lovely and silky his penis is. It’s not a “great hairy prong” apparently.

Brain bleach please.

Shudder.

Please include a warning on this sort of post - I just did a little bit of sick in my mouth.

I hadn't read the Government announcement properly and admit I hadn't realised the advertising and decision making re taking over from Falkner had gone so far.

But as the Government cant recommend but there will be 2 committee questioning sessions we will no doubt find out more.

Dr Stephenson will appear before WESC and JCHR as part of pre-appointment hearings. The committees will provide advice to ministers before she is formally appointed.

Lets face it compared to the WESC anyone would appear a bit terfy though in reality she seems to be in the WPUK grouping. (and have already forgotten their stated position once they flounced off saying none of us were socialist enough for them to bother going on campaigning )

It is good news, Mary Ann is a sensible woman, fully apprised of all the issues.

It's also worth remembering that the government are now fully aware of what unhinged transactivism looks like:
The excessive number of men claiming to be women in prison for sex offences.
Dr Upton has helpfully showcased the demands of men to access their women colleagues when they're undressed and the tendency of the NHS to threaten women who expect privacy from the Uptons of the world.
The public displays of toplessness and pissing in the streets in response to the SC judgement expose the anti social nature of individuals involved.
And of course the game changer of Cass who's exposed the harm being done to children and young people
While some of the emotionally incontinent MPs on the Women Equalities Committee will no doubt beclown themselves in public, the government will be looking for a rational, intelligent person who will continue the return to sanity around all this.
Fingers crossed that Mary Ann will fit the bill.

WTAF!

I've met her a few times through work. I think she's sound.

If she's even a remotely sex realist person, this will be good.

Women don't really have to do anything, transactivists will take her on the high-speed train straight to her destination.

I'm happy with this. They were always going to go for someone with strong Labour links, so it could have been much worse; most people don't know who she is, but she comes across as sensible and moderate; and of course the Timothys are throwing a fit.

I see it as an indication that at least Bridget Phillipson and Pat McFadden want to steer Labour back towards reality (and polling showing both their constituencies flipping to Reform might have helped concentrate their minds)

They’re already writing letters to have her refused…
https://www.reddit.com/r/transgenderUK/comments/1l43yqr/labour_plans_to_replace_one_ehrc_transphobe_with/

Does the WEC have actual power to intervene on the appointment, or are they purely advisory?

For certain significant appointments - usually this is regulators who need to be independent and hold the government to account - the preferred candidate has a pre-appointment hearing with the relevant select committee before the final appointment is confirmed.

It's very rare for a select committee to say they don't support the appointment, and even if they did the government isn't obliged to follow their advice. The secretary of state could just as easily say "I've listened to your reasoning and respectfully disagree and will go ahead with this candidate."

So formally the WEC's role in this is advisory. It could be a political problem if the WEC is absolutely scathing about the candidate.

Cabinet Office guidance is here: Cabinet-Office-Guidance-pre-appointment-scrutiny-of-public-appointments.pdf

Over on trans reddit they are also looking into her background and finding things which they don't like, the same things that we do like. So between us all we might get a full picture. What a team our two forums make. Go team!

A poster over there has found a few things:

She has obviously been defending the right to speak on this for a long time. She signed letters against deplatforming in 2015 and 2017.

The womens budget group's submission to the GRA consultation in 2018 looks pretty sensible and it's clear they understood the problems. Linked here.

https://www.wbg.org.uk/publication/consultation-on-reform-of-the-gender-recognition-act/

The Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre has some services for women that include trans women, but also has female only services based on sex.

It sounds like she rarely or never directly addresses gender identity or trans people but her whole career has been working for the female sex. This isn't going down well in some quarters but it must be a really good thing.

My fave quote:
Hopefully she's not an anti-trans bigot, if she understands concepts of 'privacy' and 'dignity'.

Manderleyagain · Over on trans reddit they are also looking into her background and finding things which they don't like, the same things that we do like
That's handy, saves us having to look into her background😉

Operation Let Them Do The Digging While We Sit Back And Have A Cuppa😃

So Baroness Falkneer is definitely stepping down? And wants to? She’s been such an amazing woman in face of unimaginable pressure.

It's worth pointing out that Falkner was a bit of a non-entity when she was appointed -- basically nothing is now available on google linking her to anything trans related prior to her appointment in 2020. In late 2020 Truss with her four commissioner appointments and appointment of Falkner kicked off a major board led reform effort within the EHRC seeking:

"... radical change by re-positioning the Commission as a rigorous, objective regulator in the field of equality and human rights as opposed to its perceived historic position as an advocate for activist groups."

There was immense resistance to that amongst the staff and leadership of the EHRC which culminated in a very public investigation of Falkner herself for misconduct. A investigation against which she defended herself out of her own pocket and was completely cleared. (Of note is that the the compensation for the chair is per diem.) Over all it's been a brutalizing experience for her and her accomplishments over that adversity are very considerable.

SexMatters has an outline of some of the events and links to resources at: about us | what we are up against | ehrc timeline (no web link because previous links seem to have caused a post to become blocked)

So, Stephenson's roll will be presumably different from Falkner -- carrying on with the new mission rather than leading a major institutional reform. And she's likely to be very well briefed about what she's likely to be up against. It seems inconceivable that her capability (and willingness) to engage the issue weren't carefully considered for such a lightning rod appointment.

In addition, we owe Falkner a huge debt of gratitude. She's a pivotal figure in turning the tide against the trans insanity. It cost her a lot but she saw it through (and then some).