Author: Debbie Hayton

Physics teacher and trade unionist.

Legal

The moment that showed the madness of gender ideology

Post author By Debbie Hayton
Post date September 28, 2022
3 Comments on The moment that showed the madness of gender ideology

Homosexuality was legalised in England and Wales 55 years ago. The Sexual Offences Act 1967 permitted homosexual acts between two consenting adults over the age of 21. Arguably that – and subsequent liberalisations – really only benefited men; sex acts between women were never criminalised.

But what does it mean to be a lesbian in 2022? This week* Kate Harris – a lesbian and co-founder of the charity LGB Alliance – broke down in court under cross-examination from a male barrister. Michael Gibbon KC, counsel for the charity Mermaids, put it to her that ‘lesbians can include someone who is a woman as a result of gender reassignment.’

Tags Kate Harris, LGB Alliance, Mermaids

Trans Health

The surgeons exploiting trans misery

Post author By Debbie Hayton
Post date September 21, 2022
No Comments on The surgeons exploiting trans misery

Desperate patients are turning to the private sector

It’s never been easy to get gender reassignment surgery on the NHS. More than a decade ago, when I was living in Birmingham, I was referred by a psychiatrist to a Gender Identity Clinic in London. NHS England funded seven adult clinics: none of which were anywhere near me. I had to take six days off work just to attend a series of brief appointments at the Charing Cross GIC in Hammersmith. My first assessment came in May 2012, six months after that referral. Four years later, I was eventually discharged after my surgery.

Tags Charing Cross, Christopher Inglefield, GIC, GIDS, London Transgender Clinic, NHS, Parkside Hospital, Stuart Lorimer

Workers' Rights

Liz Truss will come to regret her ‘bonfire’ of workers’ rights

Post author By Debbie Hayton
Post date September 14, 2022
No Comments on Liz Truss will come to regret her ‘bonfire’ of workers’ rights

Liz Truss is right about sex and gender. But if she is to get the country through the next winter she needs to think again about her ‘bonfire’ of workers’ rights.

Tags Frances O'Grady, Liz Truss, TUC

Sport

Trans player wins women’s billiards championship

Post author By Debbie Hayton
Post date September 10, 2022
2 Comments on Trans player wins women’s billiards championship

Why was Jamie Hunter allowed to compete against biological women?

Tags Billiards, Jamie Hunter, Snooker, WPBSA

Sex and Gender

M&S’s ‘gender inclusive’ changing room policy is a mess

Post author By Debbie Hayton
Post date September 7, 2022
2 Comments on M&S’s ‘gender inclusive’ changing room policy is a mess

It could put women at risk

Tags Baroness Nicholson, M&S, Marks and Spencer, Michelle Shipworth

Italiano

Quello che JK Rowling può insegnare a Nicola Sturgeon sul genere

Post author By Debbie Hayton
Post date September 3, 2022
1 Comment on Quello che JK Rowling può insegnare a Nicola Sturgeon sul genere

Per le persone transessuali come me, il progetto di legge del governo scozzese per riformare il Gender Recognition Act è un disastro. Se venisse approvato senza alcuna modifica, il progetto di legge introdurrebbe il “self-id” (auto-identificazione), spazzando via i controlli e gli accertamenti che rendono il processo di modifica del proprio sesso attendibile agli occhi dell’opinione pubblica.

Tags JK Rowling, Nicola Sturgeon, Shona Robison

Sex and Gender

The gender debate is getting nastier

Post author By Debbie Hayton
Post date August 31, 2022
3 Comments on The gender debate is getting nastier

Elaine Miller is one of the grown-ups. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, with a specialism in pelvic health. She also jokes about it. Her comedy show, Viva Your Vulva: The Hole Story is currently playing at the Edinburgh Fringe. It’s a good one: the production has won awards and a five-star review. Miller is forthright – her audiences are warned about ‘strong language and swearing’ – but her performance is more than mere entertainment. In Miller’s words,

“The aim of the show is that the audience leave knowing what a pelvic floor is, what it does and where to take theirs if they think it is a bit broken. It is evidence based, and so counts as CPD – possibly the funniest thing about it.”
Elaine Miller

Tags Elaine Miller, Gusset Grippers

Transgender

The BTP should stick to policing not trans rights

Post author By Debbie Hayton
Post date August 27, 2022
2 Comments on The BTP should stick to policing not trans rights

The policing bible could not be clearer: ‘Police officers must not take any active part in politics. This is intended to prevent you from placing yourself in a position where your impartiality may be questioned.’ But has anyone told the British Transport Police?