To celebrate the imminent publication of my next book Sex, Gender Identity and the Law, I have the pleasure of sitting down with Akua Reindorf KC, specialist in equality and human rights law and former commissioner of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Looking forward to this! My question would be what do you both think of the corporation of London's report recommending no single sex facilities at Hampstead heath ponds and the legal rationale they give for it?
My question is: Given the latest judgment from Mrs Justice Lieven and the City of London's announcement over the ponds, do you think that gender critical views and the SC ruling will *ever* be recognised, protected and upheld? Are we going to have to keep going to court for years??
Michael has been clear he doesnt think TRA argument 4ws is wrong under “human rights law” is valid but do you think there is a divergence between ECHR and CJEU on this? I feel cjeu would indeed be a threat if we were still in the EU
"Given that so many individuals and so many organisations seem determined to defy the For Women Scotland judgment, do you think it should be made an offence for someone to deliberately enter the toilet or changing room of the opposite sex as has happened recently in Idaho."
I've been told by someone in the civil service that an EHRC code for employers will be published after the one for service providers eventually sees the light of day.
I hadn't heard of this employers' code before and don't believe it is in the pipeline at all. Why would it need to be?
Anyway, my question to Akua is 'is there an employers' code in the pipeline?
Really interested to hear this episode. After the Sandie Peggie case it seems like the NHS is mostly still operating ward admissions on a Gender Self ID basis one year after the Supreme Court judgment of April 2025. Initial indications are (as of April 2026) that Trusts might be starting to update policy to be on the basis of GRC….so still unlawful!? How can people challenge these new/incorrect GRC policies for their local NHS Trust? And is there anything to be done if there is wholesale copying/adoption of these unlawful policies across the country? With sex discrimination at “NHS scale”surely people don’t have to keep fighting Trust by Trust?!
Have you any suggestions for a (narrow enough) focus for a question to pose for a final year law student in Ireland in her dissertation capstone project? In the area of sex, gender, and women’s sex-based rights? Perhaps some sort of analysis of UK and Irish law? It’s only 8000 words so I have to be quite restrictive in the framing of my focus. Any avenues of thought you’d suggest I pursue? Finding it difficult to narrow down… Thank you!
Jumping in here, in Ireland the Gender Recognition Act 2015 (which was kind of brought in under the radar) has had a very deleterious effect. Since, obviously, the Republic is not subect to the FWS judgment, what effect has that had on sex discrimination law ( and thus single sex spaces and sports) in the Republic.
Congratulations on the book launch Michael! Looking forward to this Q&A with Akua Reindorf KC. Here’s my question… I’ve always thought of gender critical belief as equating to a belief in sex equality itself, as it entails the necessary component parts: that sex is defined as a biological sex binary and that it’s that sex that is relevant across society, and when people have had to legally claim gender critical belief it’s usually when the definition or practices of sex equality law (that which establishes sex equality in society) have been incorrectly applied. In your latest video you pointed out that not holding gender critical views is also protected, so not believing that sex is defined as a biological sex binary and believing that that sex is not relevant across society is potentially protected - a belief that essentially pulls apart the principle of sex equality and sex equality law. Employers and service providers are obviously stumbling to refrain from treating one set of views less favourably than the other, but they’re applying this to the practices of sex equality law which then impairs those practices in society. I guess my question is, what are your thoughts on this? Generally speaking, are there limits in society for a belief (or manifestation of a belief) if that belief is in direct opposition to the definition of a law and its practices? Thank you.
Looking forward to this! My question would be what do you both think of the corporation of London's report recommending no single sex facilities at Hampstead heath ponds and the legal rationale they give for it?
My question is: Given the latest judgment from Mrs Justice Lieven and the City of London's announcement over the ponds, do you think that gender critical views and the SC ruling will *ever* be recognised, protected and upheld? Are we going to have to keep going to court for years??
Michael has been clear he doesnt think TRA argument 4ws is wrong under “human rights law” is valid but do you think there is a divergence between ECHR and CJEU on this? I feel cjeu would indeed be a threat if we were still in the EU
Hi Michael
Looking forward to this.
My question is:
"Given that so many individuals and so many organisations seem determined to defy the For Women Scotland judgment, do you think it should be made an offence for someone to deliberately enter the toilet or changing room of the opposite sex as has happened recently in Idaho."
Dusty
I've been told by someone in the civil service that an EHRC code for employers will be published after the one for service providers eventually sees the light of day.
I hadn't heard of this employers' code before and don't believe it is in the pipeline at all. Why would it need to be?
Anyway, my question to Akua is 'is there an employers' code in the pipeline?
Great news! My question is how can we help schools to understand that cubicles are not rooms?
Really interested to hear this episode. After the Sandie Peggie case it seems like the NHS is mostly still operating ward admissions on a Gender Self ID basis one year after the Supreme Court judgment of April 2025. Initial indications are (as of April 2026) that Trusts might be starting to update policy to be on the basis of GRC….so still unlawful!? How can people challenge these new/incorrect GRC policies for their local NHS Trust? And is there anything to be done if there is wholesale copying/adoption of these unlawful policies across the country? With sex discrimination at “NHS scale”surely people don’t have to keep fighting Trust by Trust?!
Have you any suggestions for a (narrow enough) focus for a question to pose for a final year law student in Ireland in her dissertation capstone project? In the area of sex, gender, and women’s sex-based rights? Perhaps some sort of analysis of UK and Irish law? It’s only 8000 words so I have to be quite restrictive in the framing of my focus. Any avenues of thought you’d suggest I pursue? Finding it difficult to narrow down… Thank you!
Jumping in here, in Ireland the Gender Recognition Act 2015 (which was kind of brought in under the radar) has had a very deleterious effect. Since, obviously, the Republic is not subect to the FWS judgment, what effect has that had on sex discrimination law ( and thus single sex spaces and sports) in the Republic.
Dusty
Congratulations on the book launch Michael! Looking forward to this Q&A with Akua Reindorf KC. Here’s my question… I’ve always thought of gender critical belief as equating to a belief in sex equality itself, as it entails the necessary component parts: that sex is defined as a biological sex binary and that it’s that sex that is relevant across society, and when people have had to legally claim gender critical belief it’s usually when the definition or practices of sex equality law (that which establishes sex equality in society) have been incorrectly applied. In your latest video you pointed out that not holding gender critical views is also protected, so not believing that sex is defined as a biological sex binary and believing that that sex is not relevant across society is potentially protected - a belief that essentially pulls apart the principle of sex equality and sex equality law. Employers and service providers are obviously stumbling to refrain from treating one set of views less favourably than the other, but they’re applying this to the practices of sex equality law which then impairs those practices in society. I guess my question is, what are your thoughts on this? Generally speaking, are there limits in society for a belief (or manifestation of a belief) if that belief is in direct opposition to the definition of a law and its practices? Thank you.