On Mon, Mar 11, 2013 at 2:30 PM, Stewart Bryant <stbryant(_at_)cisco(_dot_)com>
wrote:
A person's sex is of course only one of the recognized "protected
characteristics".
http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/advice-and-guidance/new-equality-act-guidance/protected-characteristics-definitions/
The full set is:
Age
Disability
Gender ressignment
Marriage and civil partnetship
Pregnancy and maternity
Race
Religion and belief
Sex
Sexual orientation
If we formally recognize one of the "protected characteristics" we surely
have to formally recognize and make provision within our rules and operating
procedures for all of them.
Although I point to a UK site my understanding is that these protected
characteristics are enacted in European Union law and thus apply across the
whole of the EU.
[MB] I fully agree. My experiences certainly only reflect a subset of
the characteristics you identify and I fully agree they all should be
equally considered in terms of ensuring that bias is minimized.
However, I would never, ever advocate Affirmative Action programs or
any decision making process that does not appoint the most qualified
individual.
[/MB]
Stewart