Equality Standard for Sport update

Following a comprehensive review, the Equality Standard for Sport has now been withdrawn. A new Moving to Inclusion Framework has been created to help sport and physical activity and movement organisations work towards embedding inclusivity in every part of their business and ways of working. View the Moving to inclusion website.

Sex

Definition

Sex refers to either a man or a woman.

Legislation

Great Britain

Under the Equality Act 2010, it is unlawful to directly or indirectly discriminate against or harass someone because of their sex. This includes less favorable treatment of a woman because she is breastfeeding, except in relation to work. A man cannot claim direct discrimination by taking account of the special treatment afforded to women in connection with pregnancy and childbirth though because pregnancy and childbirth is specifically related to being a woman

Northern Ireland

The Equality Commission advises “The Sex Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 (the SDO), as amended by the Sex Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 1988, the Sex discrimination (Indirect Discrimination & Burden of Proof) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 and the Employment Equality (Sex Discrimination) Regulations (Northern Ireland ) 2005, makes it unlawful to discriminate against an individual on the grounds of his or her sex in the fields of employment; training and related matters; education; the disposal and management of premises; and the provision of goods, facilities and services.  The SDO also makes it unlawful to discriminate against married persons in employment”.