In 2004 the law said a Gender Recognition Certificate made a man into a woman. 20 years later - where are we now? Why does a piece of paper give a man a right to strip search a woman?
Agree, agree, agree. I never thought 'The law is an ass' was actually as true as it seems to be presently. But I'm sure even an ass can change its ways with enough... persuasion!
There is only one acceptable answer to the “hot mess” which you reach in your point 9. I would go further and say that regardless of whether the preceding possibilities you mention are “too difficult”, the GRA and its adjunct PC must be repealed. The law should deal only in matters of objective reality; the concept of gender has no place in law and needs to be expunged wherever it arises and replaced with sex in those places where relevant. All GRCs issued prior to the date of repeal would be rendered void. The idea of State issued papers declaring that X is Y is an abomination.
I understood that men are those that produce large gametes (sperm in the case of human beings) and women produce large gametes (eggs in our case). This then covers at DSDs including those very rare ones that make men look like women, like athlete Caster Semenya, but have gained enough post puberty male advantage to win world athletes titles from women.
Our problem is that hurting men's feelings is a dangerous business and it hurts the feelings of men who want to pretend they are women to tell them that they "don't pass". Some judges, and many others of both sexes, just can't bear the cruelty of that and believe that women must just suck it up, presumably because we are less important and that is what we have always done. The sacrifice of a few women on the edges of society is a small price to pay, as the these judges will not be paying it.
By the way Sarah, brilliant post (but check your last sentence).
Absolutely agree. When are politicians and the justice system going to waken up to the real life harm these Laws are doing to REAL women ??
Agree, agree, agree. I never thought 'The law is an ass' was actually as true as it seems to be presently. But I'm sure even an ass can change its ways with enough... persuasion!
There is only one acceptable answer to the “hot mess” which you reach in your point 9. I would go further and say that regardless of whether the preceding possibilities you mention are “too difficult”, the GRA and its adjunct PC must be repealed. The law should deal only in matters of objective reality; the concept of gender has no place in law and needs to be expunged wherever it arises and replaced with sex in those places where relevant. All GRCs issued prior to the date of repeal would be rendered void. The idea of State issued papers declaring that X is Y is an abomination.
I understood that men are those that produce large gametes (sperm in the case of human beings) and women produce large gametes (eggs in our case). This then covers at DSDs including those very rare ones that make men look like women, like athlete Caster Semenya, but have gained enough post puberty male advantage to win world athletes titles from women.
Our problem is that hurting men's feelings is a dangerous business and it hurts the feelings of men who want to pretend they are women to tell them that they "don't pass". Some judges, and many others of both sexes, just can't bear the cruelty of that and believe that women must just suck it up, presumably because we are less important and that is what we have always done. The sacrifice of a few women on the edges of society is a small price to pay, as the these judges will not be paying it.
By the way Sarah, brilliant post (but check your last sentence).