Multiple Scots LGBTQ+ organisations have published a joint statement about responding to the EHRC consultation regarding its Equality Act guidance, and having read the consultation documents in detail I think they’re right: the proposed guidance is focused exclusively on segregating trans people, makes no attempt to protect their human rights or dignity, provides no useful information to service providers who wish to remain inclusive, and runs counter to the spirit of the law, to other related legislation and to the EHRC’s public sector equality duties. That means engaging with it, while necessary, is not the be-all and end-all.
The draft Code focuses entirely on how to exclude and segregate trans people from single-sex services and spaces. It provides no useful information for the many services who are currently running successful trans-inclusive services and who want to continue to welcome and include trans people… the content of the draft Code is so harmful to trans people in its current form that it’s hard to imagine the EHRC making the kinds of radical changes needed to make it work for our community.
…The EHRC cannot fix the law, only the UK Government can. That’s why we are asking our community to join us in writing directly to the Minister for Women and Equalities and your MP.