The UK’s equality watchdog has backed the government’s proposal to amend the Equality Act 2010 (EqA) to clarify what “sex” means.
In a letter published on Tuesday, Baroness Kishwer Falkner, chairwoman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), said the commission believes defining “sex” as biological sex would provide clarification and reduce risks for employers, sports organisers, and other service users and providers.
There are nine “protected characteristics” under the EqA, including age, disability, race, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, and pregnancy and maternity.
But under the The Gender Recognition Act 2004, those who obtain a GRC would have their acquired gender recognised as their legal sex, raising problems in many areas….