Resources

Resources about how the single and separate sex service exceptions in the Equality Act work, and why they are important.

HOW LEGISLATION PROTECTS
WOMEN-ONLY SPACES AND SERVICES
Louise Whitfield, Deighton Pierce Glynn (2016)

Legal briefing to highlight legal protections for women-only activities, spaces and services. Includes:

  • Summary of what is and isn’t covered by the Equality Act 2010
  • When discrimination is lawful
  • Women-only associations
  • When discrimination against women-only events is unlawful
  • The legal responsibilities of public bodies

SEX AND THE EQUALITY ACT, Julius Komorowski (2020)

Scottish Law Society Journal article: “Sex” is a protected characteristic – but what does “sex” mean? The author explains the likely options as a matter of law, and the implications for provision of services, particularly to transsexuals.

LOSING SIGHT OF WOMEN’S RIGHTS, Kath Murray and Lucy Hunter Blackburn (2019)

Scottish Affairs Vol. 28 (3). August 2019 This paper presents two detailed cases studies where unregulated gender self-identification principles have gained traction: the census and Scottish Prison Service. While badged as inclusive, in both cases the analysis shows how decision-making has been directed towards the interests of one specific interest group, to the detriment of another, women and girls. 

ARE THE EQUALITY ACT 2010 AND CEDAW WORKING FOR THE WOMEN’s VOLUNTARY AND COMMUNITY SECTOR IN ENGLAND?, Dr Louise Harvey-Golding and Dr Sue Robson (2019)

Women’s Resource Centre Report which sets out why single sex provisions are important, in particular specialist single-sex services. Based on a survey, highlights lack of awareness of Equality Act 2010 amongst women’s organisations and Local Authorities and lack of confidence for women’s organisations in using the single sex exceptions.

SINGLE SEX SERVICES & THE EQUALITY ACT Maya Forstater (2019)

Fairplay for Women article arguing for a new statutory code of conduct on single sex services to clarify what “single sex” means

FEMALE ONLY VIOLENCE AND ABUSE SURVIVORS LETTERS (2017)

Female survivors of male violence open letter to women’s organisations about their stories and why they don’t want males in women-only spaces. This was followed by an open letter to Stonewall.

POPULUS SURVEY(2018)

Representative survey in the UK which found that less than 1/6 of UK respondents thought that a male-born person with a penis who self-identifies as a woman should be allowed to use female-only changing rooms.

Let me know of any other resources to include here