UK lawmakers strike down anti-trans bill by... talking about ferrets?

[Jessica_Rose]

UK lawmakers strike down anti-trans bill by... talking about ferrets?

https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/ferret-filibuster-uk-parliament-anti-trans-bill

BY KAMRIN BAKER (18 March 2024)

...former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss introduced the Health and Equality Acts (Amendment) Bill.

If passed, this would define sex in law as biological, outlaw gender-affirming care for trans youth in private clinics, and impact all manner of social justice issues, like trans participation in sports, access to gender-affirming restrooms, and more.

Truss's bill would make obtaining private gender-affirming care for minors illegal.

Fortunately, members of the country's Labour Party kept Truss's bill from advancing last week by using what is now being called the "Ferret Filibuster."

Members of Parliament, instead of debating the bill, spent nearly five hours discussing another matter: What to name a pet ferret.

"I'd like to put on record that my brother had a ferret called Oscar," MP Sarah Champion said.

Other MPs — even those of Conservative backgrounds — joined in to discuss other pets.

While Truss's bill was not formally defeated by this entertaining filibuster, it has been moved to a debate on March 22 — at the bottom of the priority pile.

According to reporter Erin Reed, this means it is not likely to be heard.

[LoriDee]

 

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