Make the Equality Act clear
by Shonagh Dillon, Artillery Row:
Dissenting politicians have embarrassed themselves.
On 12 June 2023, MPs gathered in Westminster Hall to debate two parliamentary petitions relating to the Equality Act 2010 and the definition of sex within it. On the one side we had feminists and women’s rights campaigners supporting the first petition, organised by Sex Matters, which asks for clarity in the law and to define “sex” to mean biological sex. On the other side we have Trans Rights Activists (TRAs) who submitted the second petition; they argue the opposite and ask for the government to “commit to not amending” the Equality Act 2010. Fun fact — the TRAs haven’t always been so keen to keep the Equality Act in its current state. Not long ago they were lobbying hard to remove the rights of women to single sex spaces. Let’s not allow facts to get in the way of a good debate, shall we.
Clarity in the operation of the laws and policies that govern the country are essential. The debate would not be happening if it weren’t for the fact that the application of two pieces of legislation, namely the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and the Equality Act 2010, have clashed in recent years. See two opposing results in the judicial review cases brought by campaign group, For Women Scotland.
Debates in parliament on this topic are always a joy to watch, not least for the fact that prior to circa 2018 most politicians (save a brave few) would avoid this topic like the plague. I watched the whole thing with interest, but I had no idea how entertaining it was going to be.
The debate kicked off with the indomitable MP Tonia Antoniazzi. Only a few minutes into her speech we had our first taste of what was to come from MPs supporting the TRAs position — enter stage left, Layla “I can see someone in their soul” Moran, who contested the debate happening at all because people are scared that this should be talked about. Moran seemed to have no concern that many women are scared that this hasn’t been talked about enough. Because of the lack of clarity they can’t know for sure which services and spaces are female and which include males who say they are female.
Maybe Moran can teach us to see into someone’s soul — then we would all be safe …
What transpired from there was a delightful display of TRA bingo, with MPs on their side doing their utmost to keep confusion rather than clarity at the core of legislation. I have to say they did an absolutely wonderful job of it, too; they present as rather a befuddled bunch.
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