Parkrun and nine sports bodies have been threatened with legal action by Sharron Davies over their refusal to ban men from their female categories under transgender policies that fail to comply with the Equality Act. The Telegraph has more.
The Football Association of Wales, Irish Football Association, Swim England, British Gymnastics and Royal Yachting Association (RYA) have also been targeted a year after the Supreme Court ruling that only those born female should be considered women under the Equality Act 2010.
Baroness Davies and Tracy Edwards MBE have co-signed letters from the Women’s Sport Union and legal advocacy organisation ADF International to each of the sports bodies.
Seen by Telegraph Sport, the letters warn legal action will follow if the bodies continue to refuse to join the likes of the Football Association, Scottish FA, Rugby Football Union and England and Wales Cricket Board in protecting their female categories.
“Any governing body that continues to permit biological males to compete in the female category contravenes the Equality Act 2010 as interpreted by the Supreme Court. This exposes the organisation to immediate and substantial legal liability,” the letters state.
They also lay out that Section 195 of the Equality Act and draft guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) require sports bodies to prevent males from participating in women’s and girls’ sport to ensure safe and fair competition.
They also highlight the safeguarding risks of allowing males to use female changing rooms – along with the physical advantages of biological males – and warn about the risk of discrimination claims by female athletes “whose opportunities and achievements are displaced or diminished” and of “increased insurance and tort liability from elevated injury risk”.
The letters conclude: “If active steps are not taken to ensure that the issues raised are satisfactorily resolved, and women and girls engaging with your organisation remain exposed to these risks even in light of the clarified legal position, we reserve the right to take further steps, including litigation, to protect their interests.
“Biological sex is not a negotiable category; it is the essential foundation for safeguarding women and girls and preserving fair competition.”
Last week, Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, said EHRC guidance on protecting women’s spaces would not be published until after Scottish and Welsh elections on May 7th, despite the fact that the draft guidance was submitted for review last September.
The delay was criticised by Baroness Falkner, former head of the EHRC, and Reem Alsalem, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls, who said the guidance should be published “without further delay”.
Worth reading in full.
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It seems like only yesterday that “men and women were equal” – and a woman could do whatever a man could do, shark wrestling, tossing adult African elephants 100yds, front line soldiers, RAF pilots, front-line policing, front-line Firemen, men’s sports National Wimmins Football team… anything men can do, women can do it better.
What did I miss? What changed?
Why do you think males and females have always been separated into their respective sex categories when it comes to sport? It could hardly be described as ‘equal opportunities’ or a level playing field if men were historically allowed to compete in the women’s category, could it?
I don’t know a single woman who thinks she’s as strong or fast as her male counterpart. Seems your “men and women are equal” is doing a fair amount of heavy lifting there.
“I don’t know a single woman who thinks she’s as strong or fast as her male counterpart.”
You haven’t been paying attention then.
So why have women been put in front line military, policing, etc – areas requiring physical strength – because supposedly they are just as strong as men?
Why are you transplanting the issue of DEI in the workplace onto the issue of men participating in women’s sports? That’s a totally different kettle of fish. Women have never claimed to be as strong or fast as men and female athletes weren’t the ones making these rules. This was imposed on them. For professional athletes that’s obviously career suicide.
I don’t think anyone in their right mind would be in favour of anybody, whatever their ‘protected characteristics’, getting special treatment and an easier ride during a selection process for any job. The bar should be exactly the same for all. That’s the definition of ‘equal opportunities’ because everyone can have a bash and if you don’t pass muster it’s because you weren’t good enough and you have no right to cry “discrimination”.
Even if DEI were abolished tomorrow males shouldn’t be allowed in female sports.
I’d like to know how many FtM people who identify as ‘trans’ are invading the men’s category and beating them hands down because they’re deluded, dishonest cosplaying little biatches, please and thank you. This nonsense is only ever coming from one side and one side only, and shame on any deranged, woke, progressive cows for enabling and cheerleading it in the first place. We know you exist and you are plentiful.
To do a Captain Obvious: a MtF person will always have a physical advantage over women in sports but a FtM person will never be a threat in men’s sports, so their opportunities remain safe as houses. In fact, by rights, a FtM person should only be competing against their own kind because they’d never be able to compete against women again due to the testosterone supplementation. But I get the distinct impression there’s not so many of these peeps participating in sports at all levels compared to the MtF athletes, so it’s probably a non-issue anyway.
Here’s a very interesting video with Dr Dani Sulikowski giving here views on Feminism, female tactics and the links to the transgender movement. It almost 1 hour 40mins long but is well worth watching. Be prepared to be shocked by her findings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX_iMpNyzIo
This seems like a continuation of the social attitudes about the results of the BREXIT Referendum. Those in power who don’t like the result feel free to ignore it. Similarly those committed to enabling males to compete against females (for whatever reason) are trying to ignore the clarification.
What with Starmer trying to cosy up to the EU by stealth and various activists trying to ignore the law when it suits them you have to wonder if ‘lawfare from the other side’ might not bring home the consequences of intransigent attitudes.
Aside from why men were ever allowed to compete in women’s sports, now that the bloody supreme court has said “men are not women”, why on earth are there sporting governing bodies STILL allowing it?
As for politicians “waiting for legal advice”, what F-ing advice do you need?! Men are NOT women! Men shouldn’t be in women’s sports nor lavvies FFS!
Thing is, the people involved with making these decisions are thick and are unable to take action without being told what to do by an appropriate adult.
I think the real thing is, most of the people involved have previously told us that women can have dicks, and to admit otherwise would prove what we already know. They’re as thick as the proverbial 2 short ones (putting it politely).
Totally. Only misogynists ( and their flying monkeys ) would disagree that females should be entitled to fair sporting opportunities and their sex-specific category of sport should remain exactly that, otherwise it just becomes ‘mixed’, which also raises safety concerns as a result. And exactly the same applies to the men’s category, obviously, it’s just that men’s sport has never been, nor ever will be, under threat from opposite sex imposters.
Sharron just posted this;
”Some info for those defending @parkrunUK‘s sex discrimination policy.
Remember this doesn’t affect males. Top male runners will remain male. More than 20 female records held by males. Most are age category records but one is the outright female course record (Lauren Jeska, Aberystwyth). This is in the UK. Who went on to commit attempted murder & is doing time in prison when a volunteer reminded him he was still male!
More than 280 times, 1st finisher in Female category has been male (in UK). Males in Female category get huge boost to their age grade % score (varies by age category but roughly 10-18%). Therefore they shoot up age grade rankings, pushing others (males & females) down. Bearing in mind there are 4 categories:… Read more »