Latest news with #gendercritical
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
GRAHAM GRANT: Drained of credibility by a woke crusade, Police Scotland is now disconnected from the lives of those it serves
You might dimly remember that the police are supposed to be impartial, refusing to take sides in political debate. But that is a fast-receding memory in Scotland, where officers were told gender-critical campaigners are on a par with Nazis. As we revealed last week, a dangerously barmy message was circulated within the ranks making the obscene comparison. It came to light just as top brass were preparing to host a summit with diversity groups about the Supreme Court transgender ruling. In the best traditions of the single force, the media were kept out and we've no idea, officially, about what went on behind closed doors. The timing couldn't have been much worse – it's hard to build bridges with people you've just smeared as fascists. Police officers and staff were told that 'gender binary' - the belief there are only two genders - was a 'key feature' of Nazism. The identities of the person who sent the memo, or the officers who okayed it, haven't been disclosed - but it was removed from the force intranet and 'advice will be given around the use of language'. Police Scotland officers were told gender-critical campaigners are on a par with Nazis Well, that's all right then – but doesn't it seem a woefully inadequate response, given the seriousness of the charge the document contained? In any sane universe, whoever gave the green light for this inflammatory and grossly offensive document would be sacked, or at the very least severely disciplined, with questions asked about how they passed vetting procedures. Tory MSP Tess White is pressing the Chief Constable, Jo Farrell, for answers - but so far the force hasn't gone beyond the rather woolly statement about 'advice' on language. There's a deafening silence, as you would expect, from John Swinney and his colleagues - passionate advocates of the radical transgender policies recently found to have been without legal foundation by the highest court in the land. The Supreme Court ruling in April stipulated that 'sex' means biological sex under the Equality Act 2010 - which presents something of a challenge for the public sector, including Police Scotland. Trans ideology is baked into their protocols to comply with SNP government diktats - and now it will have to be rooted out. Much dragging of feet has ensued - though we're promised a new Police Scotland gender strategy soon, which will make everything crystal clear. Presumably, it won't repeat the Nazi slur - but who knows? The police position on these issues is hopelessly muddled. It had to write to the Equality and Human Rights Commission for guidance on whether rapists should be allowed to self-identify as women. And last month Ms Farrell said police wouldn't be rushed into change in the wake of the Supreme Court judgment, while her deputy Alan Speirs said it had had 'no bearing' on how the force does business. The Scottish Police Authority, which is supposed to hold the force to account, seemed largely content with this inertia, with some honourable exceptions on the board. The lack of urgency comes as the United Nations warns against letting criminals choose their own gender, after a new report found that 49 rapists were allowed to identify as female offenders in the UK. Reem Alsalem, the UN's special rapporteur for violence against women and girls, said at least a third of UK forces were still collecting data on criminals and victims' self-identified gender rather than their assigned sex at birth. Police Scotland has been accused of misleading parliament over its own policy on recording gender, after any number of apparent flip-flops. Ms Farrell said last year that a man who commits rape or serious sexual assault will always be recorded as male. But in March it emerged that this stance - which campaigners said was a major policy U-turn - was not communicated to officers. With the number of claims of rape and attempted rape soaring to a record level, it's hard to see how any of this will provide reassurance to victims who might be considering whether to report their ordeal to the police. A woke crusade has drained credibility from a force which seems to be disconnected from the reality of life for those it is supposed to serve. Outside the sanctuary of police bosses' Zoom chats, gangland and youth violence are spiralling out of control. A diminished front line is battling this rising tide while police chiefs, who once kowtowed to a legally baseless equalities agenda, are busy trying to reverse out of the cul-de-sac they built for themselves. On streets where the reek of cannabis fumes is ever-present, young people are being stabbed and addicts are openly injecting drugs, sometimes only yards away from the SNP-backed heroin 'shooting gallery' - which costs us more than £2million a year. Beat bobbies are rarely seen on patrol and police stations are being sold off, reinforcing the impression that the force is in headlong retreat. More than 12,000 supposedly 'minor' crimes have been effectively written off under the 'proportionate response' approach, which is good news for criminals - but just another slap in the face for long-suffering victims. Yet the many mistakes of the SNP as it inflicted swingeing cutbacks on policing have been compounded by the misjudgments of police chiefs who approved this disgraceful abdication of responsibility. Last month a senior officer broke ranks to suggest that police need to stop 'wasting their time' probing social media posts and get back on the streets to deter crime. Rob Hay, president of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents, deserves praise for pointing out that it is not the job of police to intervene when people were offended by posts. He said unless a crime was suspected, officers should be 'nowhere near' social media and must get back into the community to prevent and fight crime. Mr Hay has previously warned police must be 'pacifists in the culture war' and stay away from the 'divisive, political and toxic nature of some of the debate raging in wider society'. It's the kind of common sense which Police Scotland badly needs - but it shows no sign of heeding Mr Hay's wise counsel. For proof, consider the case of Tory MSP Murdo Fraser, whose mocking tweet about the SNP government's transgender policy was logged as a 'hate incident'. He shared a column which claimed the government's non-binary equality action plan would lead to children being 'damaged by this cult'. The row over Police Scotland's Nazi claim gives us an insight into the mindset of police chiefs - and makes it easier to see why police would regard an MSP's honestly held view as something akin to a thought crime. Once again, the only beneficiaries of this absurd shambles are the real criminals who are running riot - while policing is reduced to a laughing stock.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
‘I was hounded out of my publishing job over gender-critical beliefs'
A publisher has claimed she was hounded out of her job because of her gender-critical beliefs. Ursula Doyle sued Hachette, a large publishing house, where she worked until coming under fire from pro-transgender activists for publishing the 2021 book Material Girls. The work by Kathleen Stock is critical of gender ideology, the belief that people can self-identify as men or women. Ms Doyle claimed she was 'effectively punished' by Hachette for publishing the book and for her own gender-critical beliefs. She resigned last year after being 'hounded out' of the company, which had 'created a hostile working environment for me and anyone else who shares my views'. 'Battle for sex realism' She claimed this included Hachette rolling out a transgender inclusion policy that allowed biological men to use women's bathrooms in the office. Following a legal battle funded by £63,000 in donations, Ms Doyle has now reached an undisclosed settlement with Hachette, according to her legal team. She said in a statement: 'In bringing this case, I hoped to demonstrate conclusively that employers cannot allow staff to be subjected to abuse because of their lawful views, nor ignore women's rights to single-sex spaces. 'The battle for sex realism continues,' she added. When launching her crowd-funded legal battle last year, Ms Doyle raised concerns that activists deliberately targeted the publishing industry to suppress free speech and stifle criticism of gender ideology. She wrote: 'When you consider the impact these books have had on the conversations around sex and gender, it is easy to understand why publishing has been a key strategic target for gender identity activists. 'Their attempts to suppress all dissent at source have made the sector a hostile environment for anyone who dares to stand up for reality and freedom of expression. 'These tactics mean it is difficult for gender-critical books to find a publisher, and almost impossible for any authors who want to sell books on other topics to speak up on this subject.' Online abuse Ms Doyle claimed Hachette did nothing to protect her from online abuse directed at her for publishing Material Girls. She said the policy allowed 'men who say they are women to use women's toilets and shower facilities', adding that it discriminated against women who worked for Hachette. She also claimed Hachette undermined her by shifting responsibility for the paperback editions of Material Girls to another part of the company, which damaged her reputation as a publisher. 'Heavy five o'clock shadow' Ms Doyle's legal battle came following a string of other rows over the influence of gender ideology in publishing. In 2023, Gillian Philip, the children's author, claimed she was dropped by her employer after publicly supporting JK Rowling's critical views on transgender issues. She ultimately lost her legal battle. That same year, Sibyl Ruth, the gender-critical editor, said she was dropped by a literary consultancy after stating that the idea of someone with a 'heavy five o'clock shadow' being a woman 'blows my mind'. Works by authors sceptical of transgender activism became the subject of an internal 'grievance' within the library service of Calderdale council, a local authority affiliated with the controversial LGBT charity Stonewall. The Telegraph revealed in 2023 that books critical of gender ideology were removed from public view by staff working for the council libraries service, and stashed out of sight in an off-limits storage space. Hachette has not admitted any liability, Ms Doyle said despite the settlement.
Telegraph
6 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Police Scotland accused of comparing gender-critical feminists to Nazis
Police Scotland has been accused of comparing gender-critical feminists to Nazis after an internal document drew parallels between the two. The document said that 'gender binary' – the belief that there are only two genders – was a 'key feature of the Nazi racial policies'. It said that 'right now, some 88 years later the gender-critical movement has a strong voice and presence' and questioned whether this was 'an echo of how past hostilities arose'. The document also asked whether the strength of gender critics, who argue there are only two genders, meant 'we have failed to understand the lessons we should have collectively learned from our shared history.' It was posted on a divisional noticeboard to mark 'Trans+ History Week' in May, which aims to celebrate the history of 'gender diverse people', including 'trans, non-binary and intersex people.' Police Scotland said the document had been removed but critics said it should be a 'wake-up call' about how the force deals with gender and sex. Last September, the force reversed a policy that allowed rapists to self-identify as female as it fostered 'a strong sense of belonging'. The furore over the document erupted after the Supreme Court ruled in April that trans women are not women. Police Scotland announced that it would review its policies on trans issues and a meeting was held behind closed doors at its Tulliallan headquarters on Thursday to discuss the implications of the ruling. Responding to the document, which was disclosed by the Scottish Daily Mail, a force spokesman said: 'The content does not reflect the views of Police Scotland and has been removed. Advice will be given around the use of language.' Dr Lucy Hunter Blackburn, of policy analysts Murray Blackburn Mackenzie, said: 'It is welcome Police Scotland recognise this is unacceptable language. 'But this should be a wake-up call about the culture around sex and gender in the force. The Supreme Court's clarification of the law offers an opportunity for the leadership to break with the past. They urgently need to take it.' 'Deeply offensive' Murdo Fraser, a Scottish Tory MSP, said: 'It's unbelievable that such outrageous language made it into an official Police Scotland document. 'This is a deeply offensive comparison. People with concerns about the SNP's flawed gender self-ID plans shouldn't be vilified for standing up for common sense.' The document said Trans+ History Week was a chance to 'learn and celebrate the rich and long history of trans, non-binary, gender-diverse and intersex people. 'At a time when anti-trans rhetoric is on the rise, this can be a week where we can uplift the trans community and send a clear message – 'trans people have always been here.'' It said the event was timed to coincide with the anniversary of a 'Nazi raid on the world's first ever trans clinic in 1933', adding that: 'Gender binary was a key feature of the Nazi racial policies.'
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
JK Rowling pledges to pay legal costs of ALL women discriminated against over views on gender
Multi-Millionaire JK Rowling has pledged to bankroll legal cases for women who feel they have been discriminated against for their gender critical views. Harry Potter author and prominent feminist Ms Rowling has set up a 'vital' 'fighting fund' to help women pursue action against employers and public services. The private war chest - called the JK Rowling Women's Fund (JKRWF) - is entirely financed by the outspoken author, who has a net worth of around £945m and was earlier this month ranked the 168th richest person in the UK and the 8th wealthiest in Scotland. News of the fund, which has been operating under the radar since the end of 2024, will likely open the door to hundreds of applications from women who have lost their livelihoods or are facing employment tribunals because of their views on sex-based rights. It comes after Ms Rowling has previously pledged to fund the legal campaigns of female prisoners who have been forced to share jails with biological men and women who have been strip-searched by transgender police officers. It also follows The Mail's revelations that nurse Sandie Peggie is suing her union, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), for failing to support her in her battle with NHS Fife and trans medic Dr Beth Upton. Ms Rowling's supporters became aware of the JKRWF on Friday evening and rushed to social media to hail the initiative. In response to one X user writing: 'Is this real?', Ms Rowling responded: 'It's real, and has been for a while.' Another fan simply wrote: 'I could not love her more.' For Women Scotland, the campaign group behind the Supreme Court clarification on sex in the Equality Act on April 17 said: 'Thank you JK Rowling for this vital lifeline. 'Too many bodies, organisations, and companies - including the Scottish Government - are dragging their heels over implementing the law. When we said court cases were coming, it wasn't an idle threat!' The author told followers she would not be accepting public donations as a 'private fund is the most efficient, streamlined way for me to do this'. She added: 'Lots of people are offering to contribute, which I truly appreciate, but there are many other women's rights organisations that could do with the money, so donate away, just not to me!' A website for the war chest pledges it will be a 'legal fighting fund for women protecting their sex-based rights'. It stipulates it will not be providing legal services such as lawyers, rather it will give out money to help individuals and organisations to protect women-only spaces and views. Those eligible to apply for a cash boost include those who have lost their livelihoods or face tribunals, are being 'forced to comply with unreasonable inclusion policies regarding single-sex spaces and services' and are 'challenging legislation which takes away the freedoms or protections women are entitled to'. The criteria covers those who 'don't have adequate means to bring actions to court or to defend themselves' and all applications will go through a 'rigorous assessment'. The move comes after Scottish prisoner Jane Sutherley said she was considering suing the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) after she was forced to share facilities with transgender women. The Harry Potter author responded to suggestions she might fund the fight saying: 'Of course I'd give financial backing to any woman who wanted to sue because she suffered detriments through being incarcerated with a man. 'Women being locked up with men is a human rights violation. Vulnerable women being forced to agree that a man is a woman is a human rights violation. A surgically altered man is not a 'fully anatomical woman'. Saying these things is not hate, but truth.' Earlier this month, Ms Rowling said she would also help those who want to take the police to court amid concerns the authorities were acting too slowly in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling. Forces across the country have said they 'will not rush' to change their policies despite the bombshell judgment clarified that legal sex is based on biology, not gender identity. In response the author, 59, told her 14million followers on X: 'So the police are dragging their heels on stopping males strip-searching females, which, as the Supreme Court ruling confirmed, was illegal all along. I'm sure they hope no woman decides to sue. 'Of course, I'll fund her if she does.' The Mail yesterday revealed Scots nurse Mrs Peggie had launched legal action against the Scottish arm of the RCN. Last night a spokeswoman for Ms Rowling said the fund had been in operation for around six months. She said: 'We can confirm that a private fund set up by J.K. Rowling in order to manage her ongoing financial support for legal cases involving women's and girls' sex-based rights, has been in operation since late 2024. 'The J.K. Rowling Women's Fund is a privately run restricted fund, not a charity. The Fund cannot accept donations and has clearly defined criteria which can be found at 'Funding is at the discretion of J.K. Rowling, who is supported in this by an advisory board, and funding details are confidential between the fund and applicants.'
The Guardian
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Labour to cancel its women's conference after supreme court gender ruling
Labour is to cancel its national women's conference and restrict all-women shortlists as it awaits full guidance from the equalities watchdog, sparking criticism from trans rights and gender critical campaigners. The party's governing body, the national executive committee (NEC) will meet on Tuesday to sign off plans to cancel the women's conference, which was due to take place before the party's annual conference in Liverpool in September. The Equality and Human Rights Commission's interim advice, published after the supreme court decision that the term 'woman' in the Equality Act refers only to a biological woman, has suggested that voluntary organisations should apply that rule. The NEC has been told the party is at risk of a legal challenge by going ahead with the conference, according to LabourList, and could face protests and direct action if the conference goes ahead as usual on the basis of self-identification. Guidance to the NEC also advises that 'all positive action measures relating to women in the party's rules and procedures shall be interpreted on the basis of biological sex at birth. Guidance shall be issued to all party units and relevant stakeholders to this effect. 'The party will work with individuals and local parties affected by the judgment to resolve specific cases with sensitivity and compassion, acknowledging the significant effect the judgment will have had on many people.' The gender critical group, Labour Women's Declaration, said it was wrong to cancel the conference, calling it a 'knee jerk reaction' and 'incendiary action.' The conference acts as a policy-making body on particular issues affecting women. 'It would be exceptionally disappointing if our party, which strives to be a grown-up and serious political force, and a strong government, could not find the courage to run this conference as planned and run it in accordance with law which was introduced under a Labour government,' the group said. 'Women deserve better.' Cancellation of the conference is likely to be costly and the NEC document notes there are 'impending contractual commitments for services in connection with the event that involve significant expenditure'. LGBT+ Labour, Labour for Trans Rights and Pride in Labour issued a joint statement condemning the changes and urging NEC members to vote against them. 'The Labour party must set an example and stand on the right side of history,' the statement said. It added that the proposals were 'not effective ways to 'clarify' anything'. 'We would also question whether the exclusion of trans women from Women's Conference is a proportionate means to achieve a legitimate aim, as trans issues have come up time and time again during the conference, this seems to completely remove trans people from that debate. It is a blatant attack on trans rights and is seemingly an attempt to isolate trans people even further within the Labour Party and the labour movement more widely.' LGBT Labour's trans officer, Georgia Meadows, said: 'Trans people are already greatly underrepresented in British politics, and if passed, this decision by the NEC will further harm trans people's ability to engage with the democratic process and make them feel unwelcome at a time when the trans community is increasingly under attack.' A Labour party source said the party would respect the supreme court judgment and would comply with statutory guidance once published. Ministers will consider the EHRC code of practice when a draft is submitted.
