Latest news with #genderpolicy
BBC News
15-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
NHS Fife tribunal over nurse's changing room row with trans doctor to resume
An employment tribunal involving a female nurse and a transgender doctor, which has become the latest front in the battle over gender policy, is resuming in Peggie was suspended from her role as a nurse with NHS Fife last year after she objected to Dr Beth Upton, who is a transgender woman, using a female changing Peggie claims her treatment was unlawful under the 2010 Equality Act and has brought a case against the health board and Dr Fife and the doctor are defending their actions – at a cost to the public purse so far of at least £220,000 – arguing that they complied with NHS policy. Ms Peggie, who has worked at NHS Fife for more than 30 years, told the tribunal she had felt uncomfortable around Dr Upton in a changing room at Kirkcaldy's Victoria Hospital on three occasions between August and December said the issue came to a head on Christmas Eve when Dr Upton started to undress in front of Peggie told the tribunal she had felt "embarrassed and intimidated".The pair then exchanged words - although the details of their conversation are disputed. After the exchange, Dr Upton complained to NHS Fife about Ms Peggie's behaviour and the nurse was suspended on 3 January her evidence, Ms Peggie said she had "felt more shocked than anything" when she learned there was a complaint against board has described Ms Peggie's case as "unnecessary and vexatious" while Dr Upton has accused the nurse of bullying and harassment."I'm not interested in vengeance and I'm not interested in retribution – I'm interested in justice," the doctor told the tribunal."Trans people are not predators by nature of being themselves." The tribunal sat for 10 days in February and was then adjourned until now.A separate disciplinary hearing, which had also been scheduled for February, was postponed at the request of Ms Peggie's legal that case, the nurse is facing allegations – which she denies – of misconduct, failures of patient care and misgendering Dr is now reported to have taken place although the outcome has not been made public. Supreme court ruling The wider issue of gender has provoked years of debate in includes arguments about the case of a transgender rapist known as Isla Bryson and an attempt by politicians in Edinburgh – ultimately blocked by Westminster – to make it easier to legally change gender.A pivotal moment came in April when the UK Supreme Court clarified the law on gender, unanimously ruling that a woman is defined by biological sex under the Equality Act."The concept of sex is binary, a person is either a woman or a man," wrote the judges, adding that "the ordinary meaning of those plain and unambiguous words" was self-explanatory and required "no further explanation".The 88-page judgment was a repudiation of the SNP's interpretation of the Scottish government responded that it had acted in good faith by arguing in court that trans women were Peggie has since called on NHS Fife to respond to the Supreme Court by acting immediately to "stop permitting any man who identifies as a woman" access to female-only Fife says work is underway to "identify areas where any adaptations may be required and schedule any work that may be necessary," as a result of the added that it was waiting to review a new code of practice expected to be issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which advises public bodies on the a statement, the EHRC said it was "currently working at pace" on the new advice but it added that organisations should "comply with the law" now by "looking at what changes, if any, need to be made to their policies and practices".The Scottish government says it "accepts the Supreme Court ruling" adding that "detailed work that is necessary as a consequence" is ongoing.
The Independent
04-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Gender critical campaigners demand action from government on toilet access
Gender critical campaigners have sent a further 'letter before action' to the Scottish Government, calling on ministers to make a statement on its policy around access to toilets in government properties. Sex Matters, which intervened in the For Women Scotland case against which went to the Supreme Court, are threatening a lawsuit against Scottish ministers – with the latest letter demanding action by a deadline of next Wednesday. The Supreme Court's ruling in April said the words 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex. Sex Matters say the government must make a statement that all single-sex facilities on its estate must be interpreted as meaning biological sex. Ministers, including John Swinney, say they accept the judgment and have convened a working group to review their policies, as well as having discussions with the Equalities and Human Rights Commission. The campaign group, led by Maya Forstater, sent its first letter before action in June and another was sent to Scottish Government officials on Wednesday. The latest letter gives the government seven days to respond and says: 'To the extent that the Scottish Government does not immediately stop the unlawful practices set out in this letter we may decide to commence proceedings without further warning.' It notes there are 1,016 toilets across the government's core estate, in a mixture of unisex and separate-sex facilities. The letter calls on the government to make a statement that 'all facilities designated as male or female within the Scottish Government estate are to be interpreted as meaning biological sex, and that gender-neutral options are widely available'. A Scottish Government's official responded to Sex Matters' previous letter, saying they accept the Supreme Court ruling. The letter, dated June 27, said: 'We are now taking action to implement the ruling. 'This includes the establishment of a short life working group to review existing policies, guidance and legislation which may be impacted by the judgment. 'The work of this group is under way and covers all relevant portfolios across government. 'This work is enabling us towards a state of readiness to take all necessary steps to implement the ruling.' Commenting on the campaigners' letter, Scottish Conservative MSP Tess White said: 'The SNP Government must stop dragging its heels. 'The Supreme Court ruling was crystal clear, and so was the Equalities and Human Rights Commission's guidance in the wake of it, so there is no excuse for the SNP failing to comply fully with the law now. 'Indeed, their failure to do so is leaving the Scottish Government and its public bodies open to the legal challenge Sex Matters are threatening.' The government has been approached for further comment.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gender critical campaigners demand action from government on toilet access
Gender critical campaigners have sent a further 'letter before action' to the Scottish Government, calling on ministers to make a statement on its policy around access to toilets in government properties. Sex Matters, which intervened in the For Women Scotland case against which went to the Supreme Court, are threatening a lawsuit against Scottish ministers – with the latest letter demanding action by a deadline of next Wednesday. The Supreme Court's ruling in April said the words 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex. Sex Matters say the government must make a statement that all single-sex facilities on its estate must be interpreted as meaning biological sex. Ministers, including John Swinney, say they accept the judgment and have convened a working group to review their policies, as well as having discussions with the Equalities and Human Rights Commission. The campaign group, led by Maya Forstater, sent its first letter before action in June and another was sent to Scottish Government officials on Wednesday. The latest letter gives the government seven days to respond and says: 'To the extent that the Scottish Government does not immediately stop the unlawful practices set out in this letter we may decide to commence proceedings without further warning.' It notes there are 1,016 toilets across the government's core estate, in a mixture of unisex and separate-sex facilities. The letter calls on the government to make a statement that 'all facilities designated as male or female within the Scottish Government estate are to be interpreted as meaning biological sex, and that gender-neutral options are widely available'. A Scottish Government's official responded to Sex Matters' previous letter, saying they accept the Supreme Court ruling. The letter, dated June 27, said: 'We are now taking action to implement the ruling. 'This includes the establishment of a short life working group to review existing policies, guidance and legislation which may be impacted by the judgment. 'The work of this group is under way and covers all relevant portfolios across government. 'This work is enabling us towards a state of readiness to take all necessary steps to implement the ruling.' The government has been approached for further comment.
Telegraph
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Church admits it was wrong to let biological men use girls' lavatories
The Church of Scotland has admitted it was wrong to allow a biological male to use female facilities. A mother said she 'froze' when she picked up her 11-year-old daughter from a drama class at a church-run community centre in Cupar, Fife and encountered a man from an LGBT club in the female lavatories. The mother was initially told by the church that it was 'lawful and often appropriate' for 'women-only spaces to include trans women'. However, Kirk leaders later admitted that their advice contravened the Supreme Court's gender ruling in April that a woman was defined by biological sex under equality law. The disclosure prompted a backlash from opposition politicians who accused the church of putting the young girl in an 'appalling' situation. It comes as the SNP government was criticised by the equalities watchdog for failing to issue updated trans guidelines in the wake of the Supreme Court decision. Tess White, the Scottish Conservative shadow equalities minister, told The Times: 'It's appalling that a young girl was put in this intimidating situation – and it should never have happened. 'The law is clear and there's no excuse for the Church of Scotland or any other organisation not to be following it. 'But SNP ministers are largely to blame for this mess – first by allowing lobby groups to dictate gender policy across the whole of Scottish public life and then by refusing to produce clear, updated guidelines following the Supreme Court ruling.' The church had claimed that its trans-inclusive stance was based on the advice of 'legal experts' such as Stonewall, the activist group, and the Good Law Project, run by the barrister Jolyon Maugham, which is seeking to overturn the Supreme Court ruling. It admitted that its advice to the parent was incorrect and it should not have relied on positions taken by partisan groups. It said it now 'supported the right' of women and girls to access single-sex spaces and suggested that trans people should be provided with gender-neutral facilities. The incident coincides with a warning by the UK's equalities watchdog for Scottish government ministers to update policies to reflect the Supreme Court's landmark ruling on the definition of women without delay. The EHRC issued interim guidance in May related to trans people's use of single-sex facilities and launched a consultation on changes to parts of its code of practice for services, public functions and associations, which closed in 30th June. The updated code is due to be published later this year. Dr Lesley Sawers, the Deputy Chair and Scotland Commissioner for the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said ministers had 'a responsibility to ensure their adherence to the Public Sector Equality Duty' - the legal requirement for public authorities in Scotland to consider protected characteristics, including biological sex, when carrying out their functions. She warned that the current 'climate of uncertainty and widespread misinformation serves nobody'. 'An urgent need for clarity' John Swinney, Scotland's First Minister, initially welcomed the 'clarity' provided by the ruling but the Scottish Government has repeatedly said it is waiting for further guidance before issuing new advice of its own to Scotland's public sector - including prisons, schools and the NHS. Dr Sawers said the government should already be following the law: 'We appreciate there is an urgent need for clarity, as a climate of uncertainty and widespread misinformation serves nobody, particularly those with protected characteristics. Ms White added: 'The EHRC is effectively telling SNP ministers: no more excuses. 'The Supreme Court's verdict was delivered over two months ago, yet John Swinney and his colleagues are still dragging their heels on telling public bodies in Scotland to comply with the law.' Kelly, the mother of the 11-year-old, who did not want her surname published, said the incident happened at the Old Parish Centre in May. She later spoke to the church minister, who was initially supportive, but in a second email last week, he said advice from the church's central office meant he had to 'rescind' his first email. It had been made clear to him that 'a trans woman's use of the women's toilet aligns with her gender identity, and this is lawful and consistent with best practice'. The Church of Scotland expressed 'regret' that its initial advice was 'not correct' or aligned with EHRC advice. It said: 'We support the right of women and girls to access single-sex spaces and the right of trans women and trans men to access gender-neutral spaces, so that trans people are not put in a position where there are no facilities for them to use.'
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New chief Coventry says IOC will launch gender working group
Kirsty Coventry said on Thursday that the first meeting of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) executive board under her presidency supported her belief that "we should protect the female category". Coventry, who on Monday became the first woman to lead the Olympic movement, had already signalled a change of direction on the politically inflammatory and scientifically complex issue of gender. Advertisement On Thursday, after an executive board meeting and also after getting together with "just over 70" members, she said the IOC, which had previously left gender rules and testing to the governing bodies of individual sports, would go ahead with developing a policy. "We are going to set up a working group," she told a press conference. "It was agreed by members that the IOC should take a leading role in this and we should be the ones to bring together the experts, bring together the international federations." "We understand that there will be differences depending on the sport," she said Advertisement She said she hoped to start the working group "within weeks" with the aim of finding "consensus" on a policy. "It was very clear we need to protect the female category but we need to ensure fairness but we need to do so with a scientific approach," she said. Coventry said when she was elected that even with Games coming up in Los Angeles and Salt Lake City-Utah she had no worries about dealing with United States President Donald Trump. "I have been dealing with, let's say, difficult men in high positions since I was 20 years old," Coventry said in March. Advertisement Since then relationships between Trump and Los Angeles have become frayed over Trump's anti-immigration policies. There have also been concerns after Cuban and Senegalese athletes were denied US visas. Coventry said she was confident that there would be no impact on the LA Games in 2028 "When it comes to LA there is so much goodwill at all levels of government to see that the Olympic Games are a huge success," she said, adding that the IOC would not yield to political pressure. "The platform will be there to ensure that our values are stuck to," she said. "Our values will be heard and we will be able to ensure successful games for our athletes from around the world." Advertisement Coventry said the IOC planned to set up a second working group looking at how long beforehand Olympic hosts should be named. Both LA and Brisbane in 2032, had, she pointed out, 11 years of lead time, while the French Alps were only picked as hosts of the 2030 Winter Games in 2024. "When is the best time to award?" she asked. Coventry also said she wanted to increase IOC revenue, reduce costs, make members feel more involved in decision making and use Artificial Intelligence. cfe-pb/nr
