Gender and One Opinion by That's Life published on 2023-11-13T10:04:35Z We talk to Sandra Adams, who is the Schools’ and Safeguarding Lead in an organization in Ireland called ‘The Countess’. (https://thecountess.ie/) The Countess is a human-rights advocacy group whose single-issue is to draw attention to the impact of a piece of Irish Legislation called The Gender Recognition Act 2015. (https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2015/act/25/enacted/en/html). If you check our podcast site, you will see that Tony & Ger converse with a huge range of people – and this is one person among circa six million on the island of Ireland. This is our first ever piece on gender, hence we expect to follow up this piece with conversations that differ/might differ from what you are hearing today. If this programme spurs you on to contact us with a different point of view on gender, please contact us on the link on this Soundcloud podcast We are delighted to meet people. And listen. Back to this programme: Sandra explains The Gender Recognition Act 2015, which legally allows you to change gender/sex. (We are new to this, so bear with our confusing the two words). Language here is vital, Sandra insists; until recently, ‘sex’ meant ‘male’ and ‘female’. And in Ireland, until fairly recently, the word ‘sex’ sent shivers down the backs of many traditional people here – I can guarantee you that! So, in the recent past: What gender are you? This used to be answered by: ‘I am male or female’. (In Ireland anyway). Then, secondly, we have/had gender stereotypes, eg the ‘roles’ we play/played (traditionally). And nowadays, Sandra points out, there is a third definition of gender/sex, which is gender ‘identity’. Sandra terms this a ‘belief’, adding that personal feelings are entering the definition of ‘gender/sex’. It is bloody complicated! (Ger says). So, please listen to the conversation with Sandra and if you disagree/agree and want to add something to the conversation, please contact us – happy to talk and record. Thank you, Sandra. Thank you, listener. Tony & Ger. Please contact us if you wish to be interviewed re this programme. gerardcounihan@gmail.com Genre Learning
