"Sex matters in law and life and it shouldn't take courage to say so", Helen Joyce, Sex Matters UK
The Women’s Rights Party, working with other organisations defending women’s and girls’ sex-based rights, is bringing Helen Joyce to New Zealand on 24th October through to 1st November when she will be connecting with the Free Speech Union.
While Helen is on tour with the Women’s Rights Party, she will be talking about “Gender Identity: The new battle for women’s rights”, the sub-title of the second edition of her book “Trans: Where Ideology Meets Reality”.
Helen is a director of Sex Matters, a UK based women’s rights organisation. She will be talking about how the UK Supreme Court decision clarifying that “sex” in the UK Equality Act (the equivalent of our Human Rights Act) means biological sex, male or female, not sex self-ID or paperwork. This ruling is being rolled into policies in governmental, NGOs, and the private sector that should now be using this definition in relation to the Equality Act.
Helen’s arrival in New Zealand follows the release last month of the New Zealand Law Commission Report ‘Ia Tangata’ recommending to the Government that “gender identity or its equivalents in the cultures of the person”; and “having an innate variation of sex characteristics” be included as prohibited grounds against discrimination in the Human Rights Act 1993. https://www.lawcom.govt.nz/our-work/ia-tangata/tab/report
The report doesn’t stop there. The Law Commission is recommending changes to the 19 existing exceptions in the Human Rights Act that allow people to be treated differently based on their sex, such as when accessing single-sex schools, sports, bathrooms or shared accommodation.
As Fern Hickson (of Resist Gender Education) says: “It is the worst-case scenario - sexed language in the HRA is to be replaced, including language referring to pregnant women, because ‘most people giving birth are women, but not all’.
“Schools cannot be single sex, nor can public facilities, nor can places like rest homes. Lack of evidence of harm from free access to men is cited as a reason for allowing free access.
“Sports must include players according to their gender identity, unless it can be proven detrimental on a case-by-case basis.
“We have a monumental fight in our hands!”
Helen will be speaking at meetings in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin and Wellington, as well as running media workshops in Auckland and Wellington.
Below are the links to secure a place at the events hosted by the Women’s Rights Party. Ticket holders will be sent an email with the venue details shortly before the events.
AUCKLAND seminar, 9am to 4pm, Saturday, 25 October
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/womensrightsparty/1824523
Helen Joyce, keynote speaker, “Gender Identity and the New Battle for Women’s Rights”
Panel discussion featuring women’s health advocates Phillida Bunkle, Karen Guilliland, Carol Bartle, Alison Barrett, and Kerry Neilsen
Media workshop run by Helen Joyce in the afternoon with Yvonne van Dongen and Maree Buscke
CHRISTCHURCH meeting, 5-9pm, Monday, 27 October
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/womensrightsparty/1824581
Helen Joyce, keynote speaker, “Gender Identity and the New Battle for Women’s Rights”
Panel discussion featuring women’s health advocate Karen Guilliland, substacker Katrina Biggs, and Conservatives leader Helen Houghton
5pm dinner own cost at the venue (optional) before 6.30pm start
DUNEDIN meeting, 6-9pm, Wednesday, 29 October
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/womensrightsparty/1824601
Helen Joyce, “Gender Identity and the New Battle for Women’s Rights”
Keynote speaker Helen Joyce, with local panel and women’s rights advocate Jill Ovens
6pm tea/coffee before 6.30pm start of formal presentations
WELLINGTON meeting, 5.30-8.30pm, Thursday, 30 October
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/womensrightsparty/1824605
Helen Joyce, keynote speaker, “Gender Identity and the New Battle for Women’s Rights”
Featuring Helen Joyce, with Genspect spokeswoman Jan Rivers, SUFW spokesperson Suzanne Levy, and LAVA litigants Hilary Oxley and Margaret Curnow
5.30pm tea/coffee before 6pm formal presentations
Wellington media workshop run by Helen Joyce, 1-4pm, Friday, 31 October
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/womensrightsparty/1824609
Resisting Law Commission’s recommended changes to the Human Rights Act – lobbying, messaging, dealing with the media