Govt ignores call for legal definition of woman to be restricted to females

Campaigners have expressed disappointment at the Government’s unwillingness to specify that references to ‘woman’ in the Equality Act are restricted to biological sex.

Maya Forstater, Executive Director of Sex Matters, said that Westminster’s initial response to the group’s petition on the meaning of ‘sex’ in the Equality Act 2010 had fallen short of providing an answer.

The group is asking the Government to rule out the possibility of a gender recognition certificate ‘changing’ a person’s sex for the purposes of the Act.

Common sense

Forstater told The Christian Institute: “We think that the only reading of the Equality Act that is consistent with the European Convention on Human Rights is one which maintains biological sex as a clear protected characteristic.”

there is a difference between men who identify as women, and women, and that a Gender Recognition Certificate does not change this reality

She explained: “Politicians responding to the case of Isla Bryson/Adam Graham, the rapist placed into a female prison in Scotland admit that it is ‘common sense’ that women in prisons should not have to share accommodation with males.

“But this common sense relies on the law recognising that there is a difference between men who identify as women, and women, and that a Gender Recognition Certificate does not change this reality.”

Freedom

Referring to the petition, which has received over 77,000 signatures so far, Forstater said: “If we can get to 100,000 signatures this will prompt a debate in Parliament. This is the right place to have these debates. It should not be left to individual judges.

“Politicians should make sure that the way the Equality Act treats men and women, and transgender people, is consistent with everyone’s freedom of belief, freedom of speech and freedom of association”.

The Government responded to Sex Matters, saying: “Under the Equality Act 2010, providers are already able to restrict the use of spaces/services on the basis of sex and/or gender reassignment where justified. Further clarification is not necessary.”