UK culture sector leaders ‘unwilling' to police which toilets people use
Leaders from the UK culture sector have said they are 'unable and unwilling to police the gender of people using our toilets' in the wake of a recent Supreme Court ruling.
Over the Easter period, it was declared that the words 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act refer to a biological woman and biological sex.
The ruling has been interpreted to mean that transgender women, who are biologically male but identify as women, can be excluded from women-only spaces like toilets and changing rooms.
More than 1,000 people have signed an open letter to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) which claims its interim update on the practical implications of the judgment 'overlooks the need to protect trans, non-binary and intersex people from discrimination'.
Signatories include joint chief executives and general directors of the Welsh National Opera (WNO), Adele Thomas and Sarah Crabtree, the founder of the Vagina Museum, Florence Schechter, and the director of Queer Britain museum, Andrew Given.
The letter says: 'The majority of cultural venues – who are already facing significant financial challenges and are often based in listed and old buildings – are unable to magic up new toilet facilities. As well as being profoundly unfair, this kind of segregation will have significant social, cultural and economic impact.
'In addition, your interim update is not practical or possible to apply.'
It adds: 'We are unable and unwilling to police the gender of people using our toilets.
'Before any guidance or legislation is issued, we urge you to undertake full and appropriate consultation with the trans, intersex and non-binary communities about the potential impact of any legislation along similar lines to your update.
'We also urge you to undertake full and appropriate consultation with those running cultural venues and public buildings to understand the impact this would have on operations, our ability to keep people safe and our ability to ensure inclusive and welcoming spaces.'
It comes after actors including Oscar-winning star Eddie Redmayne, The Brutalist actor Joe Alwyn and Babygirl star Harris Dickinson signed an open letter addressed to film and TV industry bodies, encouraging them to support the trans community.
The letter said that the signatories wish to 'add our voices to the 2,000+ signatories of the Open Letter from UK Writers to the Trans Community', which was signed by Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies and Chewing Gum's Michaela Coel.
The EHRC has issued guidance aimed at clearing up questions about what the judgment will mean in practice.
Transgender women 'should not be permitted to use the women's facilities' in workplaces or public-facing services like shops and hospitals, the EHRC said.
The same applies to transgender men, who are biologically female, using men's toilets.
The watchdog also insisted that transgender people 'should not be put in a position where there are no facilities for them to use'.
The Supreme Court decision was hailed as a victory by some women's rights campaigners, but LGBT+ charity Stonewall described it as 'incredibly worrying for the trans community'.
EHRC chairwoman Baroness Kishwer Falkner told the political magazine The House: 'I can wholeheartedly reassure all who rely on us that every explanation of equality law from the EHRC will be accurate and authoritative. That is our job.'
'The unambiguous ruling of the Supreme Court has now clarified what the law is.
'Claims that trans people are not being listened to are simply incorrect.'
The EHRC is currently reviewing its statutory code of practice for services.
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Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
The two very different lives of Brangelina 20 years on and why marrying the world's sexiest man put Angelina off men
Find out why Angelina says she hasn't felt like herself for a decade OPPOSITE LIVES The two very different lives of Brangelina 20 years on and why marrying the world's sexiest man put Angelina off men Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SHE was the Hollywood hellraiser with a string of red-hot lovers – including Val Kilmer, Jonny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton. From wearing a vial of Billy's blood to tattooing Jonny's name on her left arm, Angelina Jolie was the type of wildchild that fell hard and fast regularly — and cared not what the world thought about her. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 6 Angelina got close to Brad on screen and off while filming 2005 movie Mr & Mrs Smith Credit: Alamy 6 Angelina at film festival in Santa Barbara, California earlier this year Credit: Getty 6 Brad's long-awaited Oscar came in 2020 for Once Upon A Time In Hollywood Credit: Getty But 20 years ago she met Brad Pitt as they co-starred in comedy-thriller movie Mr & Mrs Smith — and something changed. The couple instantly formed a relationship which looked from the outside like it was increasingly stable and full of love. Brad took on Angelina's adopted baby son from Cambodia, Maddox, now 23, and together they added to their 'rainbow family' by adopting Zahara, now 20, from Ethiopia in 2006, and Pax, now 21, from Vietnam in 2007. They later added biological kids Shiloh, now 19, and twins Knox and Vivienne, now 16, to their brood. And they spent 12 happy years together as the world swooned over two of the best-looking people in the world falling for each other like the love stories Hollywood is famous for. But as with so many blockbusters, young love turned to bitter hatred and Angelina filed for divorce in September 2016 — citing 'irreconcilable differences'. Now, all these years since the 2005 movie that birthed 'Brangelina', there is little sign of that attention-loving anarchy which defined Angelina's early showbiz life. And certainly no sign of the wild love life she once enjoyed — in fact, the beautiful A-Lister seems so resolutely single that pals are wondering, has marrying the sexiest man in showbiz ultimately turned her off men altogether? Priority is the kids While Brad has bounced back bigger than ever — living with girlfriend Inés de Ramón and garnering a slew of acting awards — Angelina seems to have become something of a recluse. Except from a few dinner dates with The Weeknd — where neither party confirmed a romance — she has remained resolutely single. Angelina Jolie is in 'goddess mode' with new beau – while Brad Pitt is 'putting on for the cameras' with his, says pro Even rumours she was dating Brit rapper Akala were quickly quashed. Despite allegations of abuse by Angelina, Brad has emerged relatively unscathed from the ugly eight-year divorce battle that ensued between them, before they finally finalised their divorce late last year. Meanwhile Angelina, who turned 50 last week, is still recovering from the turmoil, and the general consensus is that she would be hard-pressed to ever date again. Ange still has difficulty trusting, I don't know if she'll ever fully get over the trauma of her divorce. Source close to Angelina She may have been 'lucky' enough to marry the world's sexiest man but, in the wreckage of their acrimonious split and legal battles, she is now off men for good. Speaking exclusively to the Sun, sources tell us Angelina's scars still remain, and are unlikely to ever heal. 'Ange still has difficulty trusting,' says an insider close to the mum of six. 'I don't know if she'll ever fully get over the trauma of her divorce.' Despite being together for years, it was not until 2014 that Brangelina married, at their French vineyard-estate Château Miraval. She wore a veil emblazoned with doodles by their six children. 'It does feel different,' she told Vanity Fair shortly after. 'It feels nice to be husband and wife.' Yet two years later, the dream was over — its collapse sparked by a now-infamous bust-up on a private jet. Within a week of that, Angelina had filed for divorce, alleging in court papers that Brad, in a series of drunken rages, had attacked her and 'choked one of the children and struck another in the face'. Her lawyers later doubled down on the allegations, stating: 'While Pitt's history of abuse of Jolie started well before the family's 2016 plane trip from France to LA, this marked the first time he turned his physical abuse on the children as well.' Brad's actions on the jet were later investigated but he was not charged. Nevertheless, he has since said that his heavy use of booze — which he later gave up — had a negative effect on his family life. As for the years that followed, it was, until recently, just never-ending mud-slinging and legal attacks. The former couple were locked in a bitter dispute for years surrounding the sale of their Miraval estate, as well as the matter of custody. Even today, despite signing off their divorce, details over Miraval are still murky, though it is believed Brad still owns half of it, while Angelina sold her share. As for the kids, four of the six are now legally adults so no longer qualify for custody — but have evidently distanced themselves from Brad entirely. It is believed Maddox has not spoken to him for years — while last year an old Instagram post by Pax resurfaced, in which he called his dad a 'world-class asshole'. Zahara and Shiloh are also said to have ceased contact with Brad, as they both now go by the surname Jolie — Shiloh even filed legal documents to make it official. At this point, only Vivienne and Knox are believed to have any contact with their father. But while Brad has seemingly lost the most from the Brangelina divorce, he looks to have had the biggest bounce-back. Just look at where he stands today — at the age of 61, with the world still at his feet. Despite all the drama and acrimony around his collapsed marriage, his reputation seems untarnished. I guess I'm in transition as a person. I feel a bit down these days. I don't feel like I've been myself for a decade, in a way. Angelina in 2023 Undoubtedly, there must be pain behind the scenes when it comes to his estrangement from the children, but he has played down any notion of enduring trauma. Brad said as much in his recent interview with GQ magazine, claiming the divorce, after all the drawn-out wrangling, was not 'that major of a thing'. He added it was 'just something coming to fruition, legally'. Angelina has remained silent since signing on the dotted line, but she has previously hinted at the chokehold that their fractured relationship has continued to have on her. In 2023, she told Vogue magazine: 'I guess I'm in transition as a person. I feel a bit down these days. I don't feel like I've been myself for a decade, in a way.' Her life has been solely focused around her kids, and they are — by all accounts — her greatest joy. That has been clear enough whenever she has walked the red carpet in recent years, always flanked by at least one of her children. Still, it's her priority as a mother that has also kept her undercover - and stuck in a city she hates. Last year, she complained that she was forced to stay in LA, where Brad is based, while her twins were still underage. 6 Brad with girlfriend Inés de Ramón Credit: Rex 6 Angelina was snubbed by the Oscars for her role in Maria, as opera singer Maria Callas 'I am here because I have to be here from a divorce,' she told The Hollywood Reporter. 'But as soon as they're 18, I'll be able to leave. When you have a big family, you want them to have privacy, peace, safety.' Snubbed by Oscars The subtext is that she neither feels privacy, nor peace, nor safety in her current surroundings. As for her acting career, she's tentatively dipped her toes back in - but the actress has failed to match the blockbuster success she had in the nineties and noughties. There's a reason Angelina is still single, and it's not for a lack of men lining up to date her A source We're told her performance as opera singer Maria Callas in last year's Maria was supposed to be her big comeback, but while she earned a Golden Globe nomination, she was snubbed by the Oscars. And rubbing salt into wounds, Brad's career continues to go from strength to strength. In 2020, he won his long-awaited Oscar for his role in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood - proving that Hollywood held no grudges towards him amid his and Angelina's war of words. He's since seen box office success with Bullet Train, while early critics who have seen his new movie F1 say it's the 'perfect summer blockbuster' - adding that Brad is back on top. The optics are that - while Angelina is stuck, Brad is soaring. And the same rules apply when it comes to romance. 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"Fact is, she keeps them all at a distance because she's so terrified of getting hurt again the way she did with Brad.' Needless to say, this year is a pivotal one for Brangelina. It's now been 20 years since they went head to head as lovers-slash-enemies in Mr & Mrs Smith - before reality dramatically imitated art. Now, the divorce is final, the Brangelina era is over, and it's time for both to move on. Brad may be several steps ahead of his ex, but - with another movie, Couture, in the pipeline, as well as a successful clothing brand, Atelier Jolie - there's every hope that Angelina will reclaim her place in the limelight. For the moment, it seems she's biding her time and counting down the days until her twins turn 18, and she can make some big changes in life - including leaving LA. In the meantime, we're told she's happy surrounding herself with a 'very small circle of trusted friends' and keeping any dating options on the back burner. 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Scottish Sun
6 hours ago
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The 1% Club knocks out whopping 30 people with tricky smiley face question – could you work out the answer?
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE 1% Club knocked out a whopping 30 players with a smiley face question - but could you work out the answer? Lee Mack hosts the ITV game show testing logic and common sense. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 Can you work out this tricky question from The 1% Club? Credit: ITV 4 A whopping 30 people were knocked out Credit: ITV 4 Lee Mack hosts the popular ITV quiz Credit: ITV Contestants hope to reach the end and win up to £100,000 prize money. However, one question saw an incredible 30 people eliminated in one fell swoop. Presenter Lee asked: "Have a look at this picture. Are there more happy faces or sad faces?" The players were then shown 18 emoji faces arranged in three rows of six. Once the time limit was up, Lee revealed 30 people had answered incorrectly and were therefore out. 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The episode also saw an 'easy' common sense riddle knock out 23 people earlier on in the show. Hardest Quiz Show Questions Would you know the answers to some of quizzing TV's hardest questions Who Wants To Be A Millionaire - Earlier this year, fans were left outraged after what they described as the "worst" question in the show's history. Host Jeremy Clarkson asked: 'From the 2000 awards ceremony onwards, the Best Actress Oscar has never been won by a woman whose surname begins with which one of these letters?' The multiple choice answers were between G, K, M and W. In the end, and with the £32,000 safe, player Glen had to make a guess and went for G. It turned out to be correct as Nicole Kidman, Frances McDormand and Kate Winslet are among the stars who have won the Best Actress gong since 2000. - Earlier this year, fans were left outraged after what they described as the "worst" question in the show's history. Host Jeremy Clarkson asked: 'From the 2000 awards ceremony onwards, the Best Actress Oscar has never been won by a woman whose surname begins with which one of these letters?' The multiple choice answers were between G, K, M and W. In the end, and with the £32,000 safe, player Glen had to make a guess and went for G. It turned out to be correct as Nicole Kidman, Frances McDormand and Kate Winslet are among the stars who have won the Best Actress gong since 2000. The 1% Club - Viewers of Lee Mack's popular ITV show were left dumbfounded by a question that also left the players perplexed. The query went as follows: "Edna's birthday is on the 6th of April and Jen's birthday falls on the 15th of October, therefore Amir's birthday must be the 'X' of January." It turns out the conundrum links the numbers with its position in the sentence, so 6th is the sixth word and 15th is the fifteenth word. Therefore, Amir's birthday is January 24th, corresponding to the 24th word in the sentence. - Viewers of Lee Mack's popular ITV show were left dumbfounded by a question that also left the players perplexed. The query went as follows: "Edna's birthday is on the 6th of April and Jen's birthday falls on the 15th of October, therefore Amir's birthday must be the 'X' of January." It turns out the conundrum links the numbers with its position in the sentence, so 6th is the sixth word and 15th is the fifteenth word. Therefore, Amir's birthday is January 24th, corresponding to the 24th word in the sentence. The Chase - The ITV daytime favourite left fans scratching their heads when it threw up one of the most bizarre questions to ever grace the programme. One of the questions asked the player: "Someone with a nightshade intolerance should avoid eating what?" The options were - sweetcorn, potatoes, carrots - with Steve selecting sweetcorn but the correct answer was potatoes. Lee said: "John writes with his right hand and the last word he'd right if he was writing this sentence would be be. "If Keith writes with his left hand, what would be the last word he would write in the sentence above?" The answer was the word 'be', as a different writing hand would not change the last word, something which many viewers playing along got correct. The 1% Club airs on ITV1 and ITVX.
Metro
8 hours ago
- Metro
British TV legend ditches showbiz after starring in iconic 90s BBC show
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