Prison officers are being asked to use ‘gender neutral language’ and consider the needs of ‘breast feeding people’ under new Ministry of Justice framework
- The guidelines set out ways to avoid discrimination for prison staff and inmates
Prison officers are being asked to use gender neutral language and take the needs of ‘breast feeding people’ into consideration under new guidelines.
The guidance was published in a Ministry of Justice (MoJ) document to ensure prison officers are working in line with equality laws.
It encourages the officers to use ‘gender neutral’ language and consider how ‘pregnant or breastfeeding people’ are being cared for in prison.
The MoJ document sets out ways to ensure staff, inmates and visitors to prisons aren’t discriminated against based on nine protected characteristics.
These include age, sex, race, sexual orientation, and pregnancy.
A group of mothers, midwives and campaigners at a Breastfeeding protest outside the Ministry of Justice in June last year
Breastfeeding mothers protested outside the Ministry of Justice to demand an end to prison for pregnant women and new mothers last year
Published on April 20 2023, the document asks officers if the language used is gender neutral, using ‘they’ instead of he/she.
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Under the ‘gender reassignment’ section, it then asks staff to consider: ‘If you are going to be based in a physical site: have you considered physical changes to the environment?
‘For example: gender neutral toilet facilities, showers, changing rooms, gender neutral uniforms.’
The Government announced plans in August to make single sex toilets the default for public buildings.
This is due to privacy concerns about mixed and gender neutral toilets.
Announcing the plans at the time, Kemi Badenoch, the minister for women and equalities, said: ‘It is important that everybody has privacy and dignity when using public facilities.
‘Yet the move towards ‘gender neutral’ toilets has removed this fundamental right for women and girls.
‘These proposals will ensure every new building in England is required to provide separate male and female or unisex facilities and publish guidance to explain the difference, protecting the dignity, privacy, and safety of all.’
Kemi Badenoch announced plans for a ban on gender neutral toilets in public buildings
The MoJ guidance also asks: ‘How are breastfeeding people catered for when working/visiting a prison? and tells officers to ‘consider that men in same-sex couples and single men may have a child.’
Under ‘sexual orientation’, the framework questions whether the ‘workplace culture’ at the prison supports staff and inmates to be open about their orientation.
It reads: ‘Does the workplace culture support and encourage individuals to be open and transparent about their sexual orientation?
‘That is: supportive of LGBT+ events, flying the flag, including reception of offenders/new starters/visitors into establishments/offices/aps.
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‘Are your job descriptions written in a way that doesn’t discourage members of the LGBT+ community from applying?
That is: inclusive terminology such as the LGBT+ community instead of ‘gay community’?’
Under the section on sex, it reads: ‘Sex is defined as male and female.
‘However, as an inclusive organisation, we would also consider the needs of people who identify as non-binary, gender fluid, and so on.
‘Consider this in relation to other protected characteristics, such as age [and] race.’
Maya Forstater, the executive director of Sex Matters, told The Telegraph: ‘This fanciful and alarming official policy is hardline trans activism and suggests that fellow employees and prisoners exist to validate the trans-identified person’s identity.
‘The guidance on sex says it is defined as male and female, but then it immediately undermines this by saying that some people are ‘non-binary, gender fluid, and so on’. It also refers to ‘pregnant people’ instead of women.
‘It is very concerning that blatantly politicised language made it past officials and ministers. The Ministry of Justice’s senior officials, including the permanent secretary Antonia Romeo, must act decisively to stop this happening again.
‘This guidance needs urgent revision if the Secretary of State plans to ensure that gender ideology is fully rooted out from prison operations.’
A spokesperson for the MoJ said: ‘No prisoners have access to gender neutral toilets.
‘This mandatory guidance ensures staff comply with the law – as every public body must,’ The Telegraph reported.
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