Latest news with #EqualityAct2010
Metro
42 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Drag Race star reveals how Supreme Court trans ruling affects drag queens now
RuPaul's Drag Race star Kitty Scott-Claus has revealed how the Supreme Court ruling on transgender people has affected drag queens. The series three finalist spoke about how her fellow drag queens and other members of the LGBTQ+ community have felt 'dehumanised' by what the ruling means for toilet access. In April the Supreme Court ruled that the definitions of 'sex' and 'woman' in Equality Act 2010 refer to 'biological sex'. The Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) then recommended in a interim guidance that 'trans women (biological men) should not be permitted to use the women's facilities' in public spaces. Speaking at festival Mighty Hoopla yesterday, Kitty Scott-Claus told Metro how the ruling has changed how she feels when working in drag. 'If I'm in drag going to the toilet now I'm like, 'Well, what do I do?' 'Because normally I would just go to the ladies toilets if I'm presenting as a woman. 'If this is happening to me in drag, for our trans and non-binary siblings it so how invasive and dehumanising.' Kitty said many of her fellow drag artists feel the exact same way, but are aware that other members of the LGBTQ+ community are also struggling. She added: 'Everyone just thinks it's the biggest joke. 'It feels like a joke that we're gonna wake up from and be like, 'Oh, well. That was a disaster.' 'Stuff like this makes me so proud to stand with charities like Not A Phase and to stand with our trans siblings. 'We need to show our support for them now more than ever.' Reflecting on pride marches set to hit the UK during Pride Month, Kitty said they should return to their roots of being 'protest' events. 'We need to remember, like, Pride started as a protest,' she said. 'It is a protest. It is to show we're here, we're proud, we're queer.' The drag star was speaking during Mighty Hoopla, where she interacted with fans in 'Grindr's Gaybourhood' area of the festival. She spent most of the afternoon standing on a large Grindr bus, which will travel around Europe to promote inclusivity. The dating app's head of marketing and communications, Tristan Pineiro, told Metro: 'Festivals like Mighty Hoopla bring everyone together. 'We are continuing to show up and be proud and unapologetic. 'That is our way of furthering the cause. We're not going anywhere.' Mighty Hoopla is a two day pop festival, popular with the LGBTQ+ community, running over the weekend May 31 and June 1. The festival went ahead after fears it would be cancelled after the High Court backed a campaign by some residents claiming that the application for permission to hold the events had failed to meet all requirements. Speaking about the decision, Kitty said she was relieved that festival goers were still able to gather. More Trending She added: 'They want me to go home and sit in a quiet, dark room and read a book. Sorry, life is for living. 'Queer inclusive spaces shutting down all over the place and I think it's a sign of the times. 'We need these spaces. They're so important now more than ever.' Other acts performing at Mighty Hoopla this year have included Ciara, Kesha, Jade, Lulu, and dozens of other acts. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Bimini: Trans people in public toilets aren't your enemies – they're victims
North Wales Chronicle
2 days ago
- Politics
- North Wales Chronicle
Liberty in legal action against equalities watchdog over gender consultation
The campaign group said it has submitted legal papers to the High Court alleging the Equality and Human Rights Commission's (EHRC) six-week consultation period on the new guidance is 'unlawful', with anything less than 12 weeks 'wholly insufficient'. The Supreme Court ruled in April that said the words 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex, after a challenge against the Scottish Government by campaign group For Women Scotland. The equalities regulator published lengthy draft guidance earlier this month related to trans people's use of certain spaces including toilets and participation in sports. The commission at that stage said it had tripled the length of time for feedback from an original proposal of two weeks, 'in light of the level of public interest, as well as representations from stakeholders in Parliament and civil society'. But Liberty is arguing this is not long enough and 'there is no good reason why it should not be' at least 12 weeks. The human rights organisation said it sent a pre-action letter to the EHRC earlier this week and has now submitted legal papers to the High Court and is waiting to see if a judge decides whether to proceed to a hearing based on its arguments. The group said it is also arguing that by having a consultation period shorter than 12 weeks, the commission is 'in breach of the public sector equality duty (PSED)' to 'eliminate unlawful discrimination'. The latest attempted legal challenge comes two weeks after campaign group the Good Law Project (GLP) said it had taken the first step of a legal challenge against the commission over the aspect of the guidance related to trans people's use of toilets, which it is arguing is 'wrong in law'. The interim guidance said trans women 'should not be permitted to use the women's facilities' in workplaces or public-facing services like shops and hospitals, with the same applying for trans men using men's toilets, although it added that trans people 'should not be put in a position where there are no facilities for them to use'. More detailed draft guidance earlier this month indicated a birth certificate could be requested by a sports club or hospital if there is 'genuine concern' about what biological sex a person is. It said people can be asked to confirm their birth sex if it is 'necessary and proportionate for a service provider, those exercising public functions or an association to know an individual's birth sex to be able to discharge their legal obligations'. It cautioned that any such question 'should be done in a sensitive way which does not cause discrimination or harassment'. The commission added that if there is 'genuine concern about the accuracy of the response to a question about birth sex, then a birth certificate could be requested'. The consultation on the draft guidance runs until June 30, with women and equalities minister Bridget Phillipson likely to be presented with the finished guidance for approval in July. Akiko Hart, Liberty's director, said: 'We have taken legal action today because the consultation period set out by the EHRC is unlawful. 'As a public body, the EHRC has a legal duty to conduct a fair and lawful consultation process that allows everyone affected by a decision enough time to respond to it. 'Instead, they have tried to speed through sweeping changes to their guidance, initially giving just two weeks to people to respond to nearly 60 pages of amendments when printed out. Anything less than a minimum of 12 weeks on this issue is wholly insufficient and simply does not comply with the law. 'The EHRC's guidance will have life-changing implications for how all of us access vital services, from jobs, schooling, social clubs we might join, all the way up to how the armed forces operate. In particular, it will fundamentally change the ways in which trans people are able to safely participate in society, as well as how businesses and service providers operate. 'It is a fundamental part of our democracy that we are all given a fair opportunity to make our voices heard about any decision that impacts us. We urge the EHRC to extend the consultation period to at least 12 weeks, just as its previous consultation on this code of practice was. There is no good reason why it should not be.' An EHRC spokesperson said: 'We are unable to comment on any legal action at this stage.'
Leader Live
2 days ago
- Politics
- Leader Live
Liberty in legal action against equalities watchdog over gender consultation
The campaign group said it has submitted legal papers to the High Court alleging the Equality and Human Rights Commission's (EHRC) six-week consultation period on the new guidance is 'unlawful', with anything less than 12 weeks 'wholly insufficient'. The Supreme Court ruled in April that said the words 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex, after a challenge against the Scottish Government by campaign group For Women Scotland. The equalities regulator published lengthy draft guidance earlier this month related to trans people's use of certain spaces including toilets and participation in sports. The commission at that stage said it had tripled the length of time for feedback from an original proposal of two weeks, 'in light of the level of public interest, as well as representations from stakeholders in Parliament and civil society'. But Liberty is arguing this is not long enough and 'there is no good reason why it should not be' at least 12 weeks. The human rights organisation said it sent a pre-action letter to the EHRC earlier this week and has now submitted legal papers to the High Court and is waiting to see if a judge decides whether to proceed to a hearing based on its arguments. The group said it is also arguing that by having a consultation period shorter than 12 weeks, the commission is 'in breach of the public sector equality duty (PSED)' to 'eliminate unlawful discrimination'. The latest attempted legal challenge comes two weeks after campaign group the Good Law Project (GLP) said it had taken the first step of a legal challenge against the commission over the aspect of the guidance related to trans people's use of toilets, which it is arguing is 'wrong in law'. The interim guidance said trans women 'should not be permitted to use the women's facilities' in workplaces or public-facing services like shops and hospitals, with the same applying for trans men using men's toilets, although it added that trans people 'should not be put in a position where there are no facilities for them to use'. More detailed draft guidance earlier this month indicated a birth certificate could be requested by a sports club or hospital if there is 'genuine concern' about what biological sex a person is. It said people can be asked to confirm their birth sex if it is 'necessary and proportionate for a service provider, those exercising public functions or an association to know an individual's birth sex to be able to discharge their legal obligations'. It cautioned that any such question 'should be done in a sensitive way which does not cause discrimination or harassment'. The commission added that if there is 'genuine concern about the accuracy of the response to a question about birth sex, then a birth certificate could be requested'. The consultation on the draft guidance runs until June 30, with women and equalities minister Bridget Phillipson likely to be presented with the finished guidance for approval in July. Akiko Hart, Liberty's director, said: 'We have taken legal action today because the consultation period set out by the EHRC is unlawful. 'As a public body, the EHRC has a legal duty to conduct a fair and lawful consultation process that allows everyone affected by a decision enough time to respond to it. 'Instead, they have tried to speed through sweeping changes to their guidance, initially giving just two weeks to people to respond to nearly 60 pages of amendments when printed out. Anything less than a minimum of 12 weeks on this issue is wholly insufficient and simply does not comply with the law. 'The EHRC's guidance will have life-changing implications for how all of us access vital services, from jobs, schooling, social clubs we might join, all the way up to how the armed forces operate. In particular, it will fundamentally change the ways in which trans people are able to safely participate in society, as well as how businesses and service providers operate. 'It is a fundamental part of our democracy that we are all given a fair opportunity to make our voices heard about any decision that impacts us. We urge the EHRC to extend the consultation period to at least 12 weeks, just as its previous consultation on this code of practice was. There is no good reason why it should not be.' An EHRC spokesperson said: 'We are unable to comment on any legal action at this stage.'
Glasgow Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Liberty in legal action against equalities watchdog over gender consultation
The campaign group said it has submitted legal papers to the High Court alleging the Equality and Human Rights Commission's (EHRC) six-week consultation period on the new guidance is 'unlawful', with anything less than 12 weeks 'wholly insufficient'. The Supreme Court ruled in April that said the words 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex, after a challenge against the Scottish Government by campaign group For Women Scotland. The equalities regulator published lengthy draft guidance earlier this month related to trans people's use of certain spaces including toilets and participation in sports. The commission at that stage said it had tripled the length of time for feedback from an original proposal of two weeks, 'in light of the level of public interest, as well as representations from stakeholders in Parliament and civil society'. But Liberty is arguing this is not long enough and 'there is no good reason why it should not be' at least 12 weeks. The human rights organisation said it sent a pre-action letter to the EHRC earlier this week and has now submitted legal papers to the High Court and is waiting to see if a judge decides whether to proceed to a hearing based on its arguments. The group said it is also arguing that by having a consultation period shorter than 12 weeks, the commission is 'in breach of the public sector equality duty (PSED)' to 'eliminate unlawful discrimination'. Women and equalities minister Bridget Phillipson will be presented with the guidance for approval (Ben Whitley/PA) The latest attempted legal challenge comes two weeks after campaign group the Good Law Project (GLP) said it had taken the first step of a legal challenge against the commission over the aspect of the guidance related to trans people's use of toilets, which it is arguing is 'wrong in law'. The interim guidance said trans women 'should not be permitted to use the women's facilities' in workplaces or public-facing services like shops and hospitals, with the same applying for trans men using men's toilets, although it added that trans people 'should not be put in a position where there are no facilities for them to use'. More detailed draft guidance earlier this month indicated a birth certificate could be requested by a sports club or hospital if there is 'genuine concern' about what biological sex a person is. It said people can be asked to confirm their birth sex if it is 'necessary and proportionate for a service provider, those exercising public functions or an association to know an individual's birth sex to be able to discharge their legal obligations'. It cautioned that any such question 'should be done in a sensitive way which does not cause discrimination or harassment'. The commission added that if there is 'genuine concern about the accuracy of the response to a question about birth sex, then a birth certificate could be requested'. The consultation on the draft guidance runs until June 30, with women and equalities minister Bridget Phillipson likely to be presented with the finished guidance for approval in July. Akiko Hart, Liberty's director, said: 'We have taken legal action today because the consultation period set out by the EHRC is unlawful. 'As a public body, the EHRC has a legal duty to conduct a fair and lawful consultation process that allows everyone affected by a decision enough time to respond to it. 'Instead, they have tried to speed through sweeping changes to their guidance, initially giving just two weeks to people to respond to nearly 60 pages of amendments when printed out. Anything less than a minimum of 12 weeks on this issue is wholly insufficient and simply does not comply with the law. 'The EHRC's guidance will have life-changing implications for how all of us access vital services, from jobs, schooling, social clubs we might join, all the way up to how the armed forces operate. In particular, it will fundamentally change the ways in which trans people are able to safely participate in society, as well as how businesses and service providers operate. 'It is a fundamental part of our democracy that we are all given a fair opportunity to make our voices heard about any decision that impacts us. We urge the EHRC to extend the consultation period to at least 12 weeks, just as its previous consultation on this code of practice was. There is no good reason why it should not be.' An EHRC spokesperson said: 'We are unable to comment on any legal action at this stage.'
The National
2 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Second legal action launched against EHRC over trans guidance
Campaign group Liberty said it has submitted legal papers to the High Court alleging the Equality and Human Rights Commission's (EHRC) six-week consultation period on the new guidance is 'unlawful', with anything less than 12 weeks 'wholly insufficient'. The Supreme Court ruled in April that said the words 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex, and a trans person acquiring a gender recognition certificate (GRC) did not allow them to access single-sex spaces. READ MORE: Comedian faces private prosecution over social media posts The equalities regulator published draft guidance earlier this month which said that trans people could be excluded from single-sex spaces which align with their acquired gender, but also that they could also be legally excluded from spaces which align with their birth gender. However, it also said trans people "should not be put in a position where there are no facilities for them to use". The EHRC at that stage said it had tripled the length of time for feedback from an original proposal of two weeks, 'in light of the level of public interest, as well as representations from stakeholders in Parliament and civil society'. But Liberty is arguing this is not long enough and 'there is no good reason why it should not be' at least 12 weeks. The human rights organisation said it sent a pre-action letter to the EHRC earlier this week and has now submitted legal papers to the High Court and is waiting to see if a judge decides whether to proceed to a hearing based on its arguments. The group said it is also arguing that by having a consultation period shorter than 12 weeks, the commission is 'in breach of the public sector equality duty (PSED)' to 'eliminate unlawful discrimination'. Jolyon Maugham is the director of Good Law ProjectThe latest attempted legal challenge comes two weeks after campaign group the Good Law Project (GLP) said it had taken the first step of a legal challenge against the commission over the aspect of the guidance related to trans people's use of toilets, which it is arguing is 'wrong in law'. Further EHRC draft guidance earlier this month indicated a birth certificate could be requested by a sports club or hospital if there is 'genuine concern' about what biological sex a person is. It said people can be asked to confirm their birth sex if it is 'necessary and proportionate for a service provider, those exercising public functions or an association to know an individual's birth sex to be able to discharge their legal obligations'. It cautioned that any such question 'should be done in a sensitive way which does not cause discrimination or harassment'. The commission added that if there is 'genuine concern about the accuracy of the response to a question about birth sex, then a birth certificate could be requested'. READ MORE: 'Do something!': Question Time audience member in fiery row with Labour MP on Israel The consultation on the draft guidance runs until June 30, with women and equalities minister Bridget Phillipson likely to be presented with the finished guidance for approval in July. Akiko Hart, Liberty's director, said: 'We have taken legal action today because the consultation period set out by the EHRC is unlawful. 'As a public body, the EHRC has a legal duty to conduct a fair and lawful consultation process that allows everyone affected by a decision enough time to respond to it. 'Instead, they have tried to speed through sweeping changes to their guidance, initially giving just two weeks to people to respond to nearly 60 pages of amendments when printed out. Anything less than a minimum of 12 weeks on this issue is wholly insufficient and simply does not comply with the law. 'The EHRC's guidance will have life-changing implications for how all of us access vital services, from jobs, schooling, social clubs we might join, all the way up to how the armed forces operate. In particular, it will fundamentally change the ways in which trans people are able to safely participate in society, as well as how businesses and service providers operate. 'It is a fundamental part of our democracy that we are all given a fair opportunity to make our voices heard about any decision that impacts us. We urge the EHRC to extend the consultation period to at least 12 weeks, just as its previous consultation on this code of practice was. There is no good reason why it should not be.' The EHRC has been contacted for comment. Previously, responding to Good Law Project's legal action, it said: 'We are unable to comment on any threat of legal action at this stage.'
