Carl Clapham
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carlclapham.bsky.social
Carl Clapham
@carlclapham.bsky.social
49 followers 68 following 160 posts
Here to listen not contribute (well perhaps occasionally).

he/him
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carlclapham.bsky.social
I would add, if there is one thing missing from this excellent article is that the government know 100% that the SC decision is not true. These are the words from the current Deputy Prime Minister representing the then govt. from Hansard at the committee stage of the Gender Recognition Bill.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs (Mr. David Lammy): Once a person has recognition of their acquired gender, he or she will be protected against discrimination on the basis of that acquired gender, in the same way as any other person of that gender is protected. The entirety of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, as it applies to men and women, will apply. That protection on the basis of gender or sex extends to the provision of goods, facilities and services as well as employment. There is the separate issue of protection from discrimination on the basis of gender reassignment. Discrimination against a male-to-female transsexual person may occur either on the basis of being a woman, or on the basis of being a transsexual person.
October 25, 2025 at 11:28 PM
carlclapham.bsky.social
Front page of tomorrow's Daily Mail just dropped.
Shrinking herds and rising costs: The beef market is in turmoil - and inflation is spiralling.
October 22, 2025 at 12:45 PM
carlclapham.bsky.social
So should the 5.5m service providers shut down their business while they wait in line to "take their own advice" or should they keep on trading?
“I think it’s going to be difficult for duty bearers, service providers, to adapt a ruling which is quite black and white into practical steps according to their own circumstances and their own organisation, which is why we’ve always emphasised they should take their own advice as well as adhering to our code,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
September 6, 2025 at 10:43 PM
carlclapham.bsky.social
For someone who founded "Polari Prize: The UK's LGBTQ+ book awards" his views are very strange. Perhaps he assumed the Q was for queen or something. I don't know.

x.com/ALLIANCELGB/...
LGB Alliance @AllianceLGB We are LGB: lesbians, gay men and bisexuals. Please don’t call us queer. Thanks. #GayNotQueer Quote Paul Burston @PaulBurston · Jun 6, 2021 If you’re heterosexual, or someone who has never been queer-bashed or called “queer” as an insult, please don’t assume that people like me are fine with it. Many aren’t. People can self define however they wish, but a lot of gay men find it offensive and triggering. 1:50 PM · Jun 7, 2021
August 19, 2025 at 1:51 PM
carlclapham.bsky.social
99.9% of society pushes children in the direction of being straight and cisgender even when they're not. But oh my gosh, a sticker can turn you trans and/or gay. These people are clowns.
“Children should be supported to grow and develop without being pushed towards particular identities at a young age by gender activists.
August 7, 2025 at 2:28 PM
carlclapham.bsky.social
I think based on this statement, Peter Martin may be wanking a bit too much.
August 5, 2025 at 10:09 PM
carlclapham.bsky.social
The timing of this post is great. Here's what the new school guidance says under the LGBT section.
We should be teaching LGBT kids that they don't have to put up with other people's shit. Some people's opinions are not worthy of respect even when expressed politely.
71. Schools should encourage young people to consider how to express their views while remaining respectful of the opinions of others. Schools should be clear that bullying or disrespectful language or behaviour is never appropriate.
July 17, 2025 at 2:18 PM
carlclapham.bsky.social
Moreover
bsky.app/profile/did:...
69. Pupils should also be taught the facts and the law about biological sex and gender reassignment. This should recognise that people have legal rights by virtue of their biological sex which are different from the rights of those of the opposite sex with the protected characteristic of gender reassignment. Pupils should also be taught to recognise that people with the protected characteristic of gender reassignment, as with the other protected characteristics, have protection from discrimination and should be treated with respect and dignity.
July 16, 2025 at 12:01 PM
carlclapham.bsky.social
I would have more faith in the impartiality of this process had the phrase "biological women" not been used.
She added: “By adopting this approach, we hope to avoid the toxicity which has sometimes characterised the debate around how to balance the rights of biological women and transgender women by creating a space for debate and adjudication by the courts.
June 27, 2025 at 11:13 PM
carlclapham.bsky.social
Great work. 👍
In the many things you've FOId, did you ever ask to see the communications between the Joint Committee on Human Rights and the Department for Constitutional Affairs regarding the GRA? The report discussed the SDA75 a lot.
From the report
publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt200203/...
3. After our initial examination of the Draft Bill in the light of that evidence, we put a number of questions to the Department for Constitutional Affairs. The Department’s responses were prompt and informative, and began an exchange of correspondence which continued for some time. We appreciate the efforts made by the Department, working under considerable pressure, to explain the Government’s thinking on each issue which we raised, and to do it speedily and thoroughly. 4. Having considered all the evidence, we now report our views on the Draft Gender Recognition Bill.
May 27, 2025 at 2:08 PM
carlclapham.bsky.social
The split can't just be left v right of the LP, it's also has to be about what is true. Some people in the current cabinet cannot erase their words from Hansard. The Labour party did intend that s9(1) of the GRA applied to the Sex Discrimination Act.
publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/...
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs (Mr. David Lammy): Once a person has recognition of their acquired gender, he or she will be protected against discrimination on the basis of that acquired gender, in the same way as any other person of that gender is protected. The entirety of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, as it applies to men and women, will apply. That protection on the basis of gender or sex extends to the provision of goods, facilities and services as well as employment. There is the separate issue of protection from discrimination on the basis of gender reassignment. Discrimination against a male-to-female transsexual person may occur either on the basis of being a woman, or on the basis of being a transsexual person.
May 27, 2025 at 12:14 AM
carlclapham.bsky.social
The JCHR response to the response
publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt200304/...
The extent to which concerns about the draft Bill are alleviated RECOGNITION OF ACQUIRED GENDER 4.19 We recommended that the legislation should make it clear that a person with a full gender recognition certificate would be treated as being of the acquired sex (for example, for the purposes of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975) as well as being of the acquired gender (a social and psychological rather than physical characteristic).[61] We welcome the formulation of clause 9(1) of the Bill, which achieves this, although (for reasons which we explain below) we are concerned about the impact of clause 9(3) on the generally beneficial effect of clause 9(1). New concerns relating to human rights in the Bill 4.41 When we first examined the Bill as introduced, it seemed to us to give rise to an additional threat to human rights. Clause 9 of the Bill deals with the effect of a full gender recognition certificate. As noted above, clause 9(1) provides that the person's gender becomes for all purposes the acquired gender. Clause 9(3), however, provides: "Subsection (1) is subject to provision made by this Act or any other enactment or any subordinate legislation". We thought that a provision making the beneficial provisions of the Bill subject to "any other enactment" might give priority to prior, as well as subsequent, enactments. This, we thought, could significantly weaken the Bill, as it achieves its objectives partly, at least, by requiring earlier legislation to be read in accordance with the Bill's provisions on recognition of acquired gender: see clause 9(1). 4.42 We were even more concerned that clause 9(3) might make the fundamentally important human rights protection in clause 9(1) subject to all subordinate legislation, whether made before or after the passing of the Bill. We feared that subjecting the recognition of a change of gender to subordinate legislation could have strange effects: for example, it might allow a local authority to make byelaws limiting the extent to which a transsexual person would be entitled to be treated as being of the acquired gender for the purpose of enjoying facilities or benefits offered by the local authority, and leave the rights of transsexual people being respected less in some localities or fields of activity than in others. 4.43 We raised these issues with the Government.[74] In its reply,[75] the Government explained that clause 9(1) cannot be subject to the provisions of earlier legislation (primary or subordinate), because clause 9(1) relates to a person with a full gender recognition certificate, and earlier legislation could not possibly relate to such a certificate a…
May 10, 2025 at 2:25 PM
carlclapham.bsky.social
The Government response
publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt200304/...
RESPONSE TO RECOMMENDATIONS Recognition of 'acquired gender' We recommend that a further paragraph should be added to clause 5 of the Draft Bill, making it clear that where under any legislation it is necessary to decide the sex of a person who has an acquired gender, or to say whether that person is a man or a woman or male or female, the question must be answered in accordance with the person 's acquired gender, except to the extent that the Draft Bill or the legislation in question provides otherwise expressly or by necessary implication. Without such a provision, we fear that there is a significant risk of the Draft Bill failing to achieve some of its purposes. (Paragraph 34) To make absolutely sure that the legislation would achieve its intended effect, we recommend that it should expressly state that 'sex' in the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 is interpreted as including the acquired gender of a person who has obtained a full gender recognition certificate. (Paragraph 94) 7. The Government has always intended that, once a full gender recognition certificate is issued to an applicant, the person's gender becomes for all purposes the acquired gender, so that an applicant who was born male would, in law, become a woman for all purposes. The Government has taken into consideration the Joint Committee's recommendation and has amended the Bill accordingly. In order to ensure the full legal effect of recognition in the acquired gender, the relevant clause now reads: 9(1) Where a full gender recognition certificate is issued to a person, the person's gender becomes for all purposes the acquired gender (so that, if the acquired gender is the male gender, the person's sex becomes that of a man and, if it is the female gender, the person's sex becomes that of a woman).
May 10, 2025 at 2:20 PM
carlclapham.bsky.social
The Joint Committee on Human Rights report
publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt200203/...
Anti-discrimination law 92. Two issues call for consideration in relation to the effect of the Draft Bill on a transsexual person’s rights under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and related legislation. First, would a male-to-female transsexual person be protected against discrimination on the ground that she is a woman (and vice versa)? Secondly, would a transsexual person be protected against discrimination on the ground that he or she has acquired a new gender? Sex discrimination on the ground of the person’s acquired gender 93. Because a person whose acquired gender is recognized under the Draft Bill would be regarded for all purposes as being of that gender, the Government considers that he or she would be treated as a victim of unlawful sex discrimination for all the purposes of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 if he or she suffers discrimination on the ground that he or she is a person of his or her acquired gender. 94. We hope that the Government is correct, but we are not completely confident. As we pointed out above, in paragraphs 31 to 34, the Draft Bill uses the language of gender rather than sex, while the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 generally makes it unlawful to discriminate on the ground of sex, not gender. To make absolutely sure that the legislation would achieve its intended effect, we recommend that it should expressly state that ‘sex’ in the 1975 Act is to be interpreted as including the acquired gender of a person who has obtained a full gender recognition certificate. 95. We welcome clause 9 of the Draft Bill, which would amend the 1975 Act so that it would no longer be possible to justify discriminating against a person in employment, vocation or partnership appointments by reason of his or her acquired gender on the ground that being of one sex rather than the other is a ‘genuine occupational qualification’ once his or her acquired gender has been recognised.
May 10, 2025 at 2:17 PM
carlclapham.bsky.social
I wouldn't want to stand behind a Labour Part stall at a Pride event right now.
I'm sure there's going to be lots of freedom of expression and dialogue with plenty of opportunities to challenge, educate and persuade.
Freedom of Expression and Dialogue: Pride isn't just a festival; it's a platform for sometimes difficult conversations. Banning voices shuts down opportunities to challenge, educate and persuade.
May 2, 2025 at 9:32 AM
carlclapham.bsky.social
I don't know but I honestly believe they thought they'd covered it. Section 9(1) is pretty emphatic. Also it was mentioned at the introduction of the bill in HoL. And see this quote from the government's representative at the committee meetings.
I suspect they just didn't expect this backlash.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs (Mr. David Lammy): Once a person has recognition of their acquired gender, he or she will be protected against discrimination on the basis of that acquired gender, in the same way as any other person of that gender is protected. The entirety of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, as it applies to men and women, will apply. That protection on the basis of gender or sex extends to the provision of goods, facilities and services as well as employment. There is the separate issue of protection from discrimination on the basis of gender reassignment. Discrimination against a male-to-female transsexual person may occur either on the basis of being a woman, or on the basis of being a transsexual person.
April 30, 2025 at 10:09 PM
carlclapham.bsky.social
Have you read the gov's response to the report of the Joint Committee on Human Rights' pre-legislative scrutiny of the Draft Gender Recognition Bill (11/12/03)?

It directly addresses the SDA.

1st clip a rec. from the report. 2nd clip the gov's response.

publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt200304/...
Recognition of 'acquired gender' We recommend that a further paragraph should be added to clause 5 of the Draft Bill, making it clear that where under any legislation it is necessary to decide the sex of a person who has an acquired gender, or to say whether that person is a man or a woman or male or female, the question must be answered in accordance with the person 's acquired gender, except to the extent that the Draft Bill or the legislation in question provides otherwise expressly or by necessary implication. Without such a provision, we fear that there is a significant risk of the Draft Bill failing to achieve some of its purposes. (Paragraph 34) To make absolutely sure that the legislation would achieve its intended effect, we recommend that it should expressly state that 'sex' in the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 is interpreted as including the acquired gender of a person who has obtained a full gender recognition certificate. (Paragraph 94) 7. The Government has always intended that, once a full gender recognition certificate is issued to an applicant, the person's gender becomes for all purposes the acquired gender, so that an applicant who was born male would, in law, become a woman for all purposes. The Government has taken into consideration the Joint Committee's recommendation and has amended the Bill accordingly. In order to ensure the full legal effect of recognition in the acquired gender, the relevant clause now reads: 9(1) Where a full gender recognition certificate is issued to a person, the person's gender becomes for all purposes the acquired gender (so that, if the acquired gender is the male gender, the person's sex becomes that of a man and, if it is the female gender, the person's sex becomes that of a woman).
April 30, 2025 at 10:10 AM
carlclapham.bsky.social
I'm waiting for David Lammy to respond. As the representative of the government steering the GRA through Parliament this is what he had to say in 2004. From Hansard.
publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/...
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs (Mr. David Lammy): Once a person has recognition of their acquired gender, he or she will be protected against discrimination on the basis of that acquired gender, in the same way as any other person of that gender is protected. The entirety of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, as it applies to men and women, will apply. That protection on the basis of gender or sex extends to the provision of goods, facilities and services as well as employment. There is the separate issue of protection from discrimination on the basis of gender reassignment. Discrimination against a male-to-female transsexual person may occur either on the basis of being a woman, or on the basis of being a transsexual person.
April 26, 2025 at 1:41 PM
carlclapham.bsky.social
I don't think this quote from David Lammy is getting enough airing. From Hansard.
Gender Recognition Bill [Lords] Deb, 16 March 2004, c185
publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/...
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs (Mr. David Lammy): Once a person has recognition of their acquired gender, he or she will be protected against discrimination on the basis of that acquired gender, in the same way as any other person of that gender is protected. The entirety of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, as it applies to men and women, will apply. That protection on the basis of gender or sex extends to the provision of goods, facilities and services as well as employment. There is the separate issue of protection from discrimination on the basis of gender reassignment. Discrimination against a male-to-female transsexual person may occur either on the basis of being a woman, or on the basis of being a transsexual person.
April 26, 2025 at 12:27 PM
carlclapham.bsky.social
David Lammy also confirmed on 16/4/2004 that when a person has a GRC the acquired gender will apply to the Sex Discrimination Act.
publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/...
April 23, 2025 at 7:01 PM
carlclapham.bsky.social
It's all going down at Parkrun.
April 21, 2025 at 2:18 PM
carlclapham.bsky.social
Have you seen this?
Committee meeting of Eq Bill 23/6/09.
Shadow Min for Sci expresses worry that there will be no specific protection for people with a GRC. Solicitor General responds that the GRA applies.
Link to Hansard.
publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/...
April 19, 2025 at 10:50 AM
carlclapham.bsky.social
Done.

It was said in response to this.
April 19, 2025 at 8:43 AM
carlclapham.bsky.social
Great article as usual. Thank you.

I've no legal qual and perhaps I'm just a bear with a little brain but I can't get my head around the SC ruling and the Solicitor General's response on 23/6/09 to the Shd Sci Minister's dismay that there was to be no specific protection for people with a GRC.
April 18, 2025 at 10:26 PM
carlclapham.bsky.social
Compare and contrast:

The Supreme Court ruling
versus
The Solicitor General (who represents the Parliamentary legal team that drafted EqA) when asked why there was no specific protection for people with a GRC. From Hansard 23/6/2009.
April 17, 2025 at 11:52 AM