Maya Forstater, who lost out on a job for saying people cannot change their biological sex, has been awarded £100,000 ($127,000) compensation by an employment tribunal.
She was awarded the payout after it was found she experienced discrimination and victimization at work.
Forstater, who worked as a tax expert at the Centre for Global Development (CGD), didn’t get a renewal of her contract in March 2019 after she posted tweets opposing government proposals to reform the Gender Recognition Act to allow people to identify as the opposite sex without a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria.
In a judgment handed down on Friday, three judges at a London tribunal awarded Forstater compensation of £91,500 ($116,000) and interest of £14,904.31 (almost $19,000).
‘Significant Compensation’
Forstater, who co-founded the Sex Matters campaign group two years ago, told The Times of London on Friday: “I’m happy it’s over and happy I got significant compensation.“I think it sends a message to employers that this is discrimination like any other discrimination and that the compensation can be significant.
“Organisations are going to have to rethink all of their approach to equality and diversity to make sure they really are following the law and not just what activists tell them.”
Harry Potter author JK Rowling, who has voiced her support for Forstater before, took to Twitter to congratulate her on her payout.
Protected Belief
Forstater’s victory against the CGD came after a ruling at an employment tribunal in June 2021 when she successfully established a binding legal precedent that “gender-critical beliefs were in principle protected by the Equality Act.”Commenting on the verdict at the time, Forstater said that her case “matters for everyone who believes in the importance of truth and free speech.”
“We are all free to believe whatever we wish,” she said. “What we are not free to do is compel others to believe the same thing, to silence those who disagree with us, or to force others to deny reality.”
“Human beings cannot change sex. It is not hateful to say that; in fact it is important in order to treat everyone fairly and safely. It shouldn’t take courage to say this and no-one should lose their job for doing so,” she added.
Commenting on Friday’s ruling on compensation, a CGD spokesperson said: “Following the employment tribunal’s remedy judgment, the case brought against CGD, its president, Masood Ahmed, and CGD Europe by Maya Forstater will come to a close.”
Legal Cases
In addition to Forstater’s case, there have been several legal cases involving “gender-critical” beliefs.In a unanimous judgment, the tribunal ruled that Fahmy was subjected to harassment at her workplace for expressing her belief that people cannot change sex.
Some cases remain ongoing.
In October 2022, a judge ruled that his claim can be heard in court.