Quaker response to draft guidance around definition of sex
Quakers in Britain statement on the Equality and Human Rights Commission's draft code of practice around the UK Supreme Court's ruling on the meaning of sex in the Equality Act, which is currently before Parliament.
Quakers recognise that our human differences are a blessing, that we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made" in the image of God, Psalm 139:14. We rejoice in recognising God's creation in one another, whatever our gender expression. We want to build communities where any Friend, whether cis, trans, intersex or non-binary, is welcomed and affirmed.
The EHRC's draft code of practice makes this harder. Although non-statutory, it guides organisations towards exclusion in their service provision. An inclusive approach has been the norm in the UK for many years and remains so in other countries. Yet this guidance doesn't consider how an inclusive approach could be made to work here. It will cause great harm to trans people. A world in which gender-policing becomes the norm will harm others too.
We say:
- Forcing trans people to make a choice between honesty, personal safety and legal compliance is harmful.
- Forcing trans people to out themselves by using services for their sex at birth is an affront to their dignity. This approach puts trans women at heightened risk, by forcing them to use male-focused services, and means that cis women will be confronted by the presence of trans men in their spaces.
- Everyone deserves dignity and privacy in their day-to-day lives. From many years of inclusive provision on our sites, we know that concerns about inclusive toilet provision are overwhelmingly overstated.
Our community will continue to stand firm in its commitment to respect the truth of each person's identity, whether cis, trans, intersex or non-binary, and join the many individuals and organisations who speak with deep expertise on the harms that this non-statutory guidance will cause.
Respect the wide diversity among us in our lives and relationships. Refrain from making prejudiced judgments about the life journeys of others. Do you foster the spirit of mutual understanding and forgiveness which our discipleship asks of us? Remember that each one of us is unique, precious, a child of God.
Britain Yearly Meeting, Advices & Queries 22.