A Week in the War on Women: Monday 24th January - Sunday 30th January GOOD NEWS SUPPLEMENT

It is my pleasure to present, for your delectation and delight, just a handful of the good news stories from the gender beat this week. Enjoy!

EHRC’s Double Whammy

The big news this week has to be the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s announcements. This feels like a pivotal moment in the UK’s sex/gender debate.

Janice Turner @VictoriaPeckham

At last the EHRC is balancing all rights rather than selling out women. My ⁦@thetimes⁩ column.

thetimes.co.ukAt last, there’s a champion for women’s rightsThe Equality and Human Rights Commission is not fit for purpose, say Liberty and Stonewall; it is “extremely dangerous and damaging”, rails the LGBT Foundation.

First, the EHRC announced that it has written to the Scottish Government, expressing concern over its proposed reform of the gender recognition act.

EHRC @EHRC

We have written to the Scottish Government today about reform of the Gender Recognition Act. Download and read our full letter here ⬇️

“The potential consequences include those relating to the collection and use of data, participation and drug testing in competitive sport, measures to address barriers facing women, and practices within the criminal justice system, inter alia. As such, we consider that more detailed consideration is needed before any change is made to the provisions in the Act.”

Immediately after making this statement, the EHCR then published its response to the UK government’s conversion therapy consultation.

EHRC @EHRC

We have also published our response to the UK Government’s consultation on conversion therapy. Download and read our response here ⬇️

It calls for pre-legislative scrutiny and expresses concerns about definitions of key terms such as ‘conversion therapy’ and ‘transgender’.

Furthermore, just a few days later, we learned that the EHRC intervened in the row over the Scottish Census ‘sex question’.

FairPlayForWomen @fairplaywomen

BREAKING NEWS: Scottish Census officials have been told by the Equality and Human Rights Commission that requiring transgender people to accurately record their sex in the Census does not breach their right to privacy /1

fairplayforwomen.comUK Equality Watchdog says asking Sex in Census does not breach human rights. • Fair Play For WomenScottish Census officials have been told by the Equality and Human Rights Commission that requiring transgender people to accurately record their sex in the Census does not breach their right to privacy.

The EHRC wrote to Scottish Census officials to inform that requiring trans-identified people to accurately record their sex does not breach their legal right to privacy. "Where there is a requirement in statute, such as for the census, any potential interference with Article 8 [right to privacy] arising from collecting data on sex is likely to be justified”

Tavistock & Portman Found Wanting

Another important piece of news this week concerns a review of the governance of the Tavistock & Portman, the NHS trust responsible for the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS).

Hannah Barnes @hannahsbee

NEW: A review of the governance of the Tavistock and Portman Trust, which is responsible for the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS), has found 'multiple' issues and recommended leadership arrangements be strengthened. [1/10]🧵

The external report states that, “The scale of the corporate governance issues we have identified across the Trust are multiple”. These issues are detailed in Hannah Barnes’ excellent thread.

The trust’s board is being asked to accept the review’s various recommendations. Meanwhile, the current Chair, Paul Burstow, will be stepping down in April.

Lia Lia, Trunks On Fire

The Lia Thomas controversy just won’t go away with yet more sporting ‘names’ speaking out against his inclusion on the UPenn women’s swimming team.

This week a leading and award-winning coach added his voice to the dissenters.

Mel Stewart @goldmedalmel

Rice’s Seth Huston Becomes First Active D1 Coach To Speak On Transgender Issues swimswam.com/rices-seth-hus… via @swimswamnews

swimswam.comRice’s Seth Huston Becomes First Active D1 Coach To Speak On Transgender IssuesHuston believes the lack of change is accomodating Lia Thomas while failing to recognize the impact it’s having on “thousands” of others.

Seth Huston is the Rice University swim coach. In an interview with SwimSwam, he criticised the policy that allows Thomas to compete with females. “I just feel like we’re bowing to, in this particular instance, to one person. And really to the detriment of thousands of other athletes potentially. And I don’t think that’s right.”

Caitlin Jenner has also spoken out on this issue. (He’s probably not our favourite person on these pages but, credit where it’s due, he is right about this!)

GB News @GBNEWS

Speaking exclusively to GB News, Caitlyn Jenner told Dan Wootton 'We can't have biological boys competing against women in women's sports'

gbnews.ukCaitlyn Jenner: ‘We can’t have biological boys competing against women in women’s sports’She told GB News viewers she thought she was ‘a common sense person’ but criticised the case of swimmer Lia Thomas

"I am firmly behind protecting women's sports, we cannot have biological boys competing against women in women's sports... We need a fair playing field.”

The Toronto Star also published an article about the athletes speaking out against Thomas competing on the women’s team.

“What’s becoming increasingly obvious is that the entirely commendable objective of promoting gender inclusion in sports is destroying fair play and erasing females.”

Great News From Sex Matters

Sex Matters has announced its new advisory group.

Sex Matters @SexMattersOrg

Meet our new advisory group! These exceptional women & men believe that sex matters in law & in life and they will share their experience and expertise in fields ranging from sport, politics, academia, law, the arts to business, healthcare and campaigning.

sex-matters.orgIntroducing Sex Matters’ Advisory Group — Sex MattersWe’re excited to welcome a panel of exceptional women and men who will share their experience and expertise in fields ranging from sport, politics, academia, law and the creative arts to business, healthcare and campaigning.

“Sex matters in every walk of life, in very obvious ways and more subtle ones. Our advisory group members represent a wide range of personal and professional experiences and links to wider networks.”

Northern Women Won’t Wheesht

A splendid demonstration by the wonderful women of the Northern Rad Fem Network who protested against the housing of males in female prisons outside HMP Styal in Cheshire.

NorthernRadFemNetwork @FemNorthern

#KeepPrisonsSingleSex Thank you to ALL the women and feminist groups that joined NRFN for today’s protest about males in female jails at @HMPStyal. There are videos of the speeches and protest, which we will be releasing over the next few days. Watch this space! @NoXYinXXprisons

Helen Steel @helensteel12

Protest outside Styal Prison today against the sexist and inhumane decision of the Ministry of Justice to put males into women's prisons if they claim to ID as women. This is insane and abusive. #KeepPrisonsSingleSex #NoMalesInWomensJails #WomenAreNotHumanShields

Strength and solidarity to you, sisters. Keep up the brilliant work.

And Finally…

JollyPetsLife @JollyPetsLife

leadersheep 😀 #cats #CatsOfTwitter #Caturday