Legal system • Page 3
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Equality Act and sex – important Scots cases on the horizon
Michael Foran for Scottish Legal News
Two cases concerning the meaning of sex within the Equality Act:
• the appeal of Petition of For Women Scotland CSOH 90 and the decision of Lady Haldane
• the Scottish government’s judicial review of the s.35 order used to prevent the Gender Recognition... -
How the public-sector equality duty was turned against women
This is the fourth in a series of blog posts in the run up to the debate on 12th June about clarifying the Equality Act. One of the most important places where it matters that sex clearly means sex in the Equality Act is the public-sector equality duty. This...
2nd June 2023
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Sex in the Equality Act: the Westminster Hall debate – webinar
On 8th June 2023, Helen Joyce talked to academic Michael Foran and barrister Naomi Cunningham on about the upcoming Westminster Hall debate on clarifying the Equality Act. Among the questions discussed: Watch the recording For other Sex Matters webinars, see our YouTube channel. Background To learn more about the...
1st June 2023
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Why “sex” and “gender” mean the same thing in law
This is the second in a series of blog posts in the run up to the debate on 12th June about clarifying the Equality Act. The language of sex and gender is a confusing quagmire. The amendment we are proposing aims to clarify one particularly important thing: that the...
31st May 2023
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Why we don’t want “biological” added before “sex” in the law
This is the first of a series of blog posts in the run up to the debate on 12th June about clarifying the Equality Act. The word “sex” appears 268 times in the Equality Act 2010; “same sex” appears 48 times, “opposite sex” 28 times. Our petition says: Update...
30th May 2023
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Teacher who ‘misgendered’ pupil banned from profession
Louisa Clarence-Smith for The Telegraph
Joshua Sutcliffe, a Christian who also spoke out against gay marriage, says he is 'devastated' by ruling finding him guilty of misconduct. -
This is a despicable witch-hunt by the trans lobby against a fine and principled woman
Maya Forstater for the Daily Mail
Maya Forstater writes in defence of Baroness Falkner, chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. -
We call on GANHRI to protect civic space
On 3rd May 2023 Stonewall and a group of organisations wrote to the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) accusing Britain’s equalities watchdog, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, of being a “failed institution” which is “actively harming trans people”. This is the third time Stonewall has...
16th May 2023
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Letter to the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI)
Our 12th May 2023 letter, signed by 24 organisations, to Katharina Rose, Geneva Representative of GANHRI, asking it to support Great Britain and its national human-rights institution, the EHRC, in protecting everyone’s human rights and fostering dialogue between organisations that also respect rights.
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Letter to the College of Policing
Our detailed comments in response to to the consultation on the Authorised Professional Practice Recording and retention of non-crime hate incidents (APP) – the consultation draft is concerning.
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Sex in the Equality Act FAQs
Answers to frequently asked questions about sex in the Equality Act 2010 and Sex Matters’ proposed clarification.
10th April 2023
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Two weeks to go!
Last October, Sex Matters launched a petition asking the government to amend the Equality Act 2010 in order to make clear what the protected characteristic of sex actually means. We think it should mean biological sex – male or female; the personal characteristic that is recorded on newborns’ birth...
6th April 2023
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Webinar: Sex Matters in the Equality Act
Helen Joyce talked with our chair, Naomi Cunningham, and our executive director, Maya Forstater, about the Sex Matters proposal to amend the Equality Act to clarify that the protected characteristic of sex refers to biological sex, and not “sex as modified by a gender-recognition certificate”.
Thursday 30th March... -
Sex Matters in the Equality Act webinar
Helen Joyce talked with our chair, Naomi Cunningham, and our executive director, Maya Forstater, on Thursday 30th March 2023 about the Sex Matters proposal to amend the Equality Act to clarify that the protected characteristic of sex refers to biological sex, and not “sex as modified by a gender-recognition...
20th March 2023
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I don’t think Sex Equality was meant to allow men to shower with girls
Maya Forstater for the Express
Maya Forstater starts petition which calls on the Government to clarify the Equality Act to make clear that "sex" means biological sex. -
MPs to consider gender petition backed by JK Rowling
Richard Wheeler for The Times
A petition backed by JK Rowling calling for the Westminster government to clarify equality legislation will be considered in parliament after it received more than 100,000 signatures. -
JK Rowling-backed petition for Government to make clear that ‘sex means biological sex, not sex as modified by gender recognition certificate’ in Equality Act will be considered for debate in Parliament
Madeleine Ross for Mail Online
A petition backed by JK Rowling calling for changes to be made to the Equality Act will be considered for debate in Parliament. The Harry Potter author was among those to support the proposal which seeks to 'make it clear' that 'sex' and 'gender reassignment'... -
A petition to sign on International Women’s Day: stop trans rights activists taking advantage of ambiguous wording in the Equality Act
Maya Forstater for The Daily Sceptic
The Equality Act is important because it sets the rules which allow single-sex services (including both specialist and everyday services), schools, associations, charities and sports. -
New MoJ transgender prisoner policy: Sex Matters’ response
Sex Matters welcomes the Ministry of Justice’s announcement that men who identify as women will no longer be housed in women’s prisons if they have male genitalia or have committed sexual or violent crimes, with exceptions only to be made with ministerial authority. We join Woman’s Place UK and...
6th March 2023
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Why are lawyers giving faulty advice about women-only sports?
The governing body for the sport of athletics in the United Kingdom, UK Athletics, has called for the government to amend the Equality Act in order to guarantee the legality of female-only sports. While Sex Matters agrees with UKA that female-only sports are essential to provide safe and fair...
3rd February 2023
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Charlie Falconer’s testimony
The Women and Equalities Committee held an evidence session on 31st January on the Gender Recognition Reform Bill and the Equality Act. It featured Robin White, Barrister at Old Square Chambers; Naomi Cunningham, Barrister at Outer Temple Chambers (and Sex Matters’ Chair); Dr Michael Foran Senior Fellow, Policy Exchange...
2nd February 2023
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Minister defiant over trans rapist Isla Bryson
Mark McLaughlin for The Times
Maya Forstater is extensively quoted. The article was later revised.
The Scottish justice secretary has refused to stop the imprisonment of rapists in women’s prisons after a party colleague accused a double sex offender of “gaming the system”. -
The UK government is right to challenge the GRR Bill
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack has made an order under Section 35 of the Scotland Act 1998 to prevent the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill from receiving Royal Assent, and Sex Matters welcomes this. We are particularly pleased that the government has recognised that changing both the size and...
17th January 2023
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Statement on the UK government’s decision to block the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill
We are very pleased that the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Scotland have decided to use their constitutional powers to stop the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill from going to royal assent. As we wrote in our briefing on the Bill and its implications for the...
16th January 2023
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Freedom of belief matters
Sex Matters’ response to a call for input by the United Nations’ Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
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Petition at 70,000. We write to the Minister again.
Our petition now has over 70,000 signatures, and those who have signed it will know that the Chair of the Petitions Committee has written to the Government calling for an initial response by Wednesday 18th January. We have also written to the Minister, Kemi Badenoch, asking for a response....
16th January 2023
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Stonewall is scaremongering: write to your MP
Stonewall has been sending out alarmist emails to MPs which misrepresent the law. On 9th January Kemi Badenoch, the Minister for Women and Equalities, announced that the government would be updating its list of approved overseas countries and territories for gender-recognition certificates. She explained: “There are now some countries and territories...
13th January 2023
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Why Scotland’s self-ID bill should be referred to the Supreme Court
The UK Government has to decide what to do about Scotland’s Gender Recognition Bill by 19th January. There has been quite a bit of legal commentary about using the power of Section 35 of the Scotland Act (read Michael Foran’s and Joshua Rozenberg’s pieces). Scottish Secretary Alister Jack has...
6th January 2023
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Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill and the UK
This paper, prepared by Sex Matters, considers whether the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill (GRR Bill) is within the competence of the Scottish Parliament, examines the bill’s potential adverse effects and sets out considerations for a challenge under Section 33 or Section 35 of the Scotland Act.
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The question for the next four weeks
The Gender Recognition Reform Bill looks set to be voted through by the Scottish Parliament. But before it becomes law it has to be given royal assent.
22nd December 2022
