And the legal profession is, we learn, by no means immune to gender and DEI blandishments:
Female barristers are rebelling against what they believe is a crackdown on lawyers with “unfashionable views” amid growing tensions over transgender issues.
The Legal Feminist, a forum to discuss feminist issues in the legal system, is preparing to fight back against proposals from the industry regulator which could see barristers punished if they fail to act in a way which “advances equality, diversity, and inclusion”.
Barrister Naomi Cunningham, who specialises in discrimination, said she fears the vagueness of a new proposal from the Bar Standards Board (BSB) paves the way for “arbitrary enforcement” meaning barristers with “unpopular or unfashionable views” get excluded.
The BSB, which regulates the profession, is consulting on the plans which if enforced could leave barristers who breach the rules facing penalties such as fines, suspensions or a ban.
“The Legal Feminists are working on a consultation response. I think it’s fair to say we’re unimpressed. This looks like an extraordinary land-grab by our regulator, and an assault both on the rule of law and, ironically, on diversity,” Ms Cunningham said.
Ms Cunningham said there were concerns the proposal was so “woolly” that it could mean anyone who disagrees with the belief that people can have different genders to their biological sex will be accused of failing to create an inclusive environment and therefore breaking the code.
“Many people who subscribe to gender identity beliefs take the view that any dissent from that belief is inherently hateful and disrespectful to people with a trans identity,” she said.
“We don’t know what they mean by ‘act in a way that advances equality, diversity and inclusion’ but we are suspicious that ‘diversity’ won’t turn out to include diversity of thought.”
I think she could have a point there.
Samuel Townend, chair of the Bar Council, warned that radical change to BSB’s rules “may have unintended detrimental consequences” and could “affect the profession significantly”.
There have long been concerns about a lack of diversity at the Bar, with barrister chambers racing to eliminate bias when hiring by turning to methods such as “contextualised recruitment” so that the personal circumstances of applicants are taken into account.
There have also been rising incidents of bullying. A survey conducted by the Bar Council in 2023 found that 44pc of respondents had experienced or observed bullying, harassment and discrimination while working, up from 38pc in 2021 and 31pc in 2017.
Baroness Harman is currently leading a review into bullying and harassment in the sector.
Oh that'll be good. Baroness Harman, aka Harriet Harman, is a keen gender apologist, who "refuses to see a conflict between trans and women’s rights".
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