The Conservatives have promised to change the Equality Act to ensure “biological sex” is a protected characteristic.
The party said reforming the law – which states that an individual must not be discriminated against on the basis of their sex – would clear up “confusion” among public bodies and institutions over access to female-only spaces.
The Conservatives said they would change the law to clarify that “sex” means “biological sex.”
He said the change would make it “simpler for service providers for women and girls, such as those who run sessions for victims of domestic violence, to prevent biological males from participating”.
The latest news from the party general elections The pledge came about by claiming that the current terms of the Equality Act, which came into force in 2010 after being passed by the Labor Party, were outdated and created uncertainty.
This could result in transgender women being barred from women-only spaces.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “The safety of women and girls is too important to allow the current confusion around the definitions of sex and gender to persist.
“Conservatives believe this change in the law will increase protections in a way that respects the privacy and dignity of everyone in society.
“We are taking an evidence-based approach to this issue so we can continue to build a safe future for everyone across the country.”
Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch suggested that the government was considering the change earlier this year.
At the time, LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall said the proposal risked “opening yet another chapter in a manufactured culture war that will bring little benefit to women, cis and trans”.
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Announcing the compromise on Sunday night, Badenoch said: “Whether it’s rapists housed in women’s prisons, or cases of men playing women’s sports where they have an unfair advantage, it’s clear that public authorities and regulatory bodies are confused about what the law means. says about sex and gender and when to act – often for fear of being accused of transphobia or not being inclusive.”
O Conservatives also said the proposed change would not eliminate existing and ongoing protections against discrimination based on gender reassignment under the Equality Act.
The sex of those with a Gender Recognition Certificate will continue to align with the gender acquired by law outside the Equality Act, for example marriage law, as is the status quo.
Under the new regime, the Conservatives will also establish in law that gender recognition is a reserved matter, as they say “this will mean that an individual can only have one sex in the eyes of the law in the UK”.
The pledge comes as the Labor Party prepares to put defense and national security at the center of its election pitch to voters on Monday.
Sir Keir Starmer will describe Labor as the “party of national security” when meeting veterans and candidates during a visit to the North West.
He is also expected to reaffirm the party’s commitment to the so-called “triple blockade of nuclear deterrence”, which includes a commitment to building the four new nuclear submarines at Barrow-in-Furness.
Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats are prepared to call for new protections for rivers and coasts to put an end to what they describe as “environmental vandalism”.
The party has announced an expansion of marine protected areas and a new Blue Flag status for rivers will be included in its manifesto.
This story originally appeared on News.sky.com read the full story
