A domestic abuse charity in Scotland has come under fire for allowing men who “identify as women” to apply for a female-only role.
In a job advert for a Women’s Support Domestic Abuse Practitioner, Dundee Women’s Aid explained that it “positively welcomes applications from all applicants who identify as women within all sections of the community particularly those from the LGBT community”.
The advert also stated that the organisation “aims to be recognised as an equal opportunities organisation, which sets exemplary standards in recruitment and selection”.
‘No men’
The news was met with incredulity, with Helen Joyce, Director of Advocacy for women’s group Sex Matters, branding it “yet another example of the lunacy of self-ID overwriting real, sex-based considerations – especially those related to women’s needs and vulnerabilities”.
And Dr Nicola Williams, Director of Fair Play For Women, said: “The Equality Act 2010 is very clear and allows employers to restrict certain jobs to one sex only using the Schedule 9 Occupational requirements exception.
“In this case, the law allows this vacancy to be filled only by a female worker. This means no men, including men who may identify as women or non-binary.”
Rape
Last month, a survey revealed that the British public believes female victims of violence should have access to services that exclude biological men.
In a poll for Sex Matters, 84 per cent of adults surveyed said victims of rape, sexual assault or domestic violence should be able to receive support in a female-only environment.
Pollsters also found “strong support” for such services “to be clear that they exclude all males – including males who identify as women”.
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