Gender critical belief

Former civil servant Eleanor Frances has secured a £116,749 settlement in a landmark employment tribunal case following allegations against her of transphobia for expressing gender critical beliefs.

Frances, a civil servant at the DCMS culture, media and sport department and the DSIT science and technology department, said she was forced to resign after she raised concerns about the influence of LGBTQ+ campaign, Stonewall, in the drafting of an internal departmental Gender Identity and Intersex policy.

Frances said this was adopted without proper consultation.

She said she became increasingly concerned about significant breaches of impartiality, and sex and belief discrimination.

The permanent secretaries of DCMS and DSIT have publicly committed to revising both departments’ gender reassignment policies.