JK Rowling congratulates tax expert who lost job over trans row tweet

JK Rowling congratulates trans row tax expert as she wins fresh employment tribunal after losing job over tweet saying ‘men cannot become women’

• Maya Forstater posted a series of tweets in 2018 criticising self-identification
• Her contract wasn’t renewed by her employer and her bio removed from the site
• Now a tribunal has ruled she faced ‘direct discrimination’ due to her beliefs
• JK Rowling has been a high-profile supporter of Ms Forstater’s campaign
• Remedies, including any compensation are to be decided at a later hearing

JK Rowling has congratulated a tax expert who lost out on a job after tweeting about her views on gender after she won on three claims in a fresh employment tribunal . 

Maya Forstater posted a series of tweets in 2018 opposing UK Government proposals to reform the Gender Recognition Act to allow people to identify as the opposite sex, saying ‘the truth’ is that ‘men cannot change into women’.

Ms Forstater’s visiting fellowship at the Centre for Global Development (CGD) was not renewed in March 2019 following the tweets, and she was not offered an employment contract due to them.

The company also later removed her bio from its website.

The tribunal heard she posted ‘inflammatory and objectionable’ tweets over transgender people and opposed Government proposals to reform the Gender Recognition Act to allow people to identify as the opposite sex. 

Ms Forstater said today that her case matters to everyone who ‘cares about free speech’.

Maya Forstater posted a series of tweets in 2018 opposing UK Government proposals to reform the Gender Recognition Act to allow people to identify as the opposite sex

The Harry Potter author tweeted her support for Ms Forstater after the ruling was published this morning

Harry Potter author JK Rowling tweeted in support of the ruling: ‘Every woman who’s been harassed, silenced, bullied or lost employment because of her gender critical beliefs is freer and safer today, thanks to the warrior that is @MForstater’

Since she began her tribunal fight she has become a famous figure advocating for sex-based, rather than gender-based, rights, and has been supported by Harry Potter author JK Rowling and many of her 61,000 Twitter followers.

But leading LGBT+ groups, including those who have previously criticised the Harry Potter author, have expressed disappointment about the fresh ruling.

In 2018, she wrote: ‘What I am so surprised at is that smart people who I admire … are tying themselves in knots to avoid saying the truth that men cannot change into women’.

Ms Forstater said that ‘when men wear make-up, heels, dresses they don’t become women’ and took swipes at the idea of allowing transgender people into single sex spaces such as changing rooms and prisons.

In a judgment handed down on Wednesday, employment judge Andrew Glennie said the ‘complaints of direct discrimination because of belief are well founded’ over the decision to not offer Ms Forstater a contract or renew a fellowship following her tweets. 

Judge Glennie added that her complaint that she was victimised after being removed from a company website was also ‘well founded’. 

After the ruling was handed down, the complainant tweeted her delight saying she had won on ‘all the important bits’.

Ms Forstater previously took her case to an employment tribunal on the grounds that this constituted discrimination against her beliefs. 

Employment judge James Tayler originally dismissed her claim, but High Court judge Mr Justice Choudhury later ruled that the judgment had ‘erred in law’ – but made clear the ruling did not mean ‘that those with gender-critical beliefs can ‘misgender’ trans persons with impunity.’

Finding in favour of Ms Forstater, Mr Justice Choudhury said her views ‘may well be profoundly offensive and even distressing’, but said they ‘must be tolerated in a pluralist society’. 

In his judgment, Judge Glennie said Ms Forstater’s complaints of direct discrimination of belief, victimisation over a withdrawal of an offer to engage her as a consultant and harassment and indirect discrimination over sex and belief were dismissed. 

Remedies and any issues will be determined at a future hearing. 

Harry Potter author JK Rowling, who previously voiced her support for Ms Forstater, tweeted in support of her following the ruling. 

She said: ‘Every woman who’s been harassed, silenced, bullied or lost employment because of her gender critical beliefs is freer and safer today, thanks to the warrior that is @MForstater. #SexMatters #IStandWithMaya.’ 

Ms Forstater responded to the author’s endorsement saying: ‘Now I’m crying…’ 

In a statement published following the judgment, Ms Forstater said her case ‘matters for everyone who believes in the importance of truth and free speech’. 

High Court judge Mr Justice Choudhury previously ruled that the original judgment had ‘erred in law’ – but made clear the ruling did not mean ‘that those with gender-critical beliefs can ‘misgender’ trans persons with impunity’

‘We are all free to believe whatever we wish,’ she said. ‘What we are not free to do is compel others to believe the same thing, to silence those who disagree with us or to force others to deny reality. 

‘Human beings cannot change sex. It is not hateful to say that; in fact it is important in order to treat everyone fairly and safely. 

‘It shouldn’t take courage to say this and no-one should lose their job for doing so. 

‘I am pleased that the tribunal has allowed me to put on record what happened to me at the Centre for Global Development. 

‘The tribunal has found that I was a victim of discrimination because I stated that biological sex is real and important, a view shared by the vast majority of people in this country. I hope employers will take note of the judgment.’ 

A statement from the Centre for Global Development (CGD) Europe said the think tank’s primary aim has ‘always been to uphold our values and maintain a workplace that is inclusive to all’. 

Amanda Glassman, chief executive of CGD Europe and executive vice president of the Centre for Global Development, said: ‘We are reviewing today’s judgment, which found in favour of Ms Forstater on some claims, and dismissed others. 

‘CGD’s primary aim has always been to uphold our values and maintain a workplace and an environment that is welcoming, safe, and inclusive to all, including trans people. 

‘As we consider our next steps in this case, CGD remains focused on our mission: reducing global poverty and inequality through economic research that drives better policy and practice by the world’s top decision makers.’ 

Source: Read Full Article