Philippa East (Author)
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philippaeast.bsky.social
Philippa East (Author)
@philippaeast.bsky.social
10K followers 6.5K following 7.3K posts
Novelist, rep’d by @vickyweberbooks.bsky.social. Thrillers: #LittleWhiteLies💛 #SafeAndSound❤️ #IllNeverTell💗 #AGuiltySecret🧡 Lives in Lincolnshire, has a cat. Clinical Psychologist by day.
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philippaeast.bsky.social
Just wrote this to our GANHRI working group 😆
I’ve just been reading through the SCA reports from the last few years for NHRIs that ended up being downgraded to “B”. Two main things which strike me: 1. The bar for actually being downgraded is very high, but that doesn’t mean that the bar for the SCA initiating a special review is necessarily quite so high (and we know that the UK has had this before!) 2. In all the reports I’ve read, the UK is the only country where the concern raised was a failure to “take positions in line with international human rights standards”. Usually the issue is that the NHRI hasn’t been making enough effort to protect human rights. I think maybe this is a point that we want to hammer home more clearly.
November 13, 2025 at 3:56 PM
philippaeast.bsky.social
They did the same thing regarding their interim update, as admitted in their written submission to the judicial review.

drive.google.com/file/d/1l-fW...
100. Thirdly, the Claimants allege that the Commission acted in breach of its duty under section 9(4) of the EqA 2006, by failing to take into account the human rights of trans people in the drafting of the Interim Update. The obligation in section 9(4) applies when fulfilling a duty under section 8. It did not require the Commission expressly to refer to Convention rights in the Interim Update. Further as made clear in Mr Kirkpatrick's statement, when deciding to promulgate the advice and preparing the draft he was mindful that competing Convention rights were at play, and believed that the Update being contemplated would promote understanding of those rights, but considered that it was unnecessary to refer to them explicitly in a high-level and deliberately simple explanation of the practical consequences of a judgment about the EqA.
November 13, 2025 at 10:51 AM
philippaeast.bsky.social
Probably worth noting here that in the Supreme Court submission, the EHRC decided not to bother taking the Human Rights Act into account 🤯

www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/defaul...
(4) The Human Rights Act 1998 47. The Commission’s proposed interpretation of the various relevant provisions of the EqA is advanced without reference to the Human Rights Act 1998 (“HRA”). That is for three reasons. First, even assuming that it were applicable, it is not necessary to resort to the principle of interpretation in s. 3 HRA, in order to justify the conclusion that the second definition is the one adopted in the EqA. Second, in areas of difficulty of interpretation, notably ss. 17 and 18 EqA, even assuming that it were applicable, s. 3 HRA would not compel the unsatisfactory conclusion that “woman” should have different meanings across the EqA. Third, and in any event, the Commission is sceptical that Convention rights provide a useful framework, or tool, by which the Court may resolve the contentious issues in this case. There are, after all, two competing strands of rights at issue: the rights of trans people, as recognised, for example, in Goodwin; and the rights of women to be protected from violence by men (eg Luca v Moldova (2024) 79 EHRR 2, §50) and from having to share certain spaces with trans women and men, thereby creating embarrassment, shame and potentially an increased risk of violence (see FDJ v Secretary of State for Justice [2021] EWHC 1746 (Admin), [2021] 1 WLR 5265, §§76-78, 98 and 100 [EF.1196]). It is for Parliament to decide, against the background of the HRA, how these competing strands of rights should be reconciled.
November 12, 2025 at 11:17 PM
philippaeast.bsky.social
Oops, sorry it’s here that Phillipson makes it clear that the outcome of this judicial review is relevant to her responsibilities in approving or rejecting the code of practice

goodlawproject.org/wp-content/u...
By Ground 1, the Claimant seeks permission to argue that the Interim Update is unlawful because it misstates the law (or gives a misleading impression of the law); by Ground 3, the Claimant seeks permission to argue that, if the Interim Update accurately states the law, then it is incompatible with a relevant right under the ECHR. 8. The Minister did not receive advance sight or notice of the Interim Update. Nonetheless, the Minister has an interest in Ground 1 if it proceeds given her overall responsibilities, and statutory functions in relation to the Defendant, including in relation to the Defendant's proposed revisions to the code of practice. The Minister also has a clear interest in Ground 3, should it be given permission to proceed, because of the declaration of incompatibility sought under s.4 Human Rights Act 1998. Accordingly, should permission be granted, the Minister would intend to participate in proceedings and seek to assist the Court. 9. The Minister makes no application for the costs of this Acknowledgement of Service. She reserves her position on costs if the claim proceeds. 11 July 2025
November 12, 2025 at 9:06 PM
philippaeast.bsky.social
The entire aim of getting “sex“ defined as “bio sex” was so the EHRC could ban trans people from gender-aligned services.
So within days of the ruling they bashed out this:

archive.ph/7lPLw
It was a no brainer for them. They didn’t even stop to think. Hence why they are now in court.
In workplaces and services that are open to the public where separate single-sex facilities are lawfully provided: trans women (biological men) should not be permitted to use the women’s facilities and trans men (biological women) should not be permitted to use the men’s facilities, as this will mean that they are no longer single-sex facilities and must be open to all users of the opposite sex in some circumstances the law also allows trans women (biological men) not to be permitted to use the men’s facilities, and trans men (biological woman) not to be permitted to use the women’s facilities
November 12, 2025 at 8:31 PM
philippaeast.bsky.social
Can I just point out that I’ve been making this exact argument for ages!🤣
@jessothomson.co.uk ❤️
Copy of a DM message that reads Trans people have never used single sex services according to their legal sex, certified or otherwise. Trans people have always used single sex services according to the gender role in which they present, in virtue of their protected characteristic of gender reassignment. This was written into the original code, and upheld in AEA v EHRC. In other words it doesn’t matter what the definition of sex in the equal actors. This has never defined trans people access to single sex services because to do so would be indirect discrimination.
November 12, 2025 at 6:19 PM
philippaeast.bsky.social
My #RecentRead*
#Katabasis by @rfkuang.bsky.social

*books I’ve really liked/loved
Picture of the book, with a front cover showing an Escher-like staircase with a figure of a cat, a human, mountains and a church
November 12, 2025 at 1:50 PM
philippaeast.bsky.social
Quick question: does anybody have video footage from any of the events below? Or do you know anyone who does?
Please do get in touch if so, and I will explain full details of why I am hunting for this 🤗 (it’s for a very cool thing!)
Please share! 🙏
Trans + Pride events 2020 – 2025 in London and Leeds including speeches 2021-2023 Protests over NHS waiting lists for trans people 2021 -Any trans presence after the Court of Appeal overturned the Keira Bell ruling? 2022 – 2024 Protests /Rallies over the Cass Report Any specific activity protesting against JK Rowling’s tweets? 2022 and 2023 trans protests outside the Scottish Parliament in favour of Gender Recognition reform?
November 11, 2025 at 3:37 PM
philippaeast.bsky.social
Alt text continued.
We are disappointed that, rather than taking seriously the concerns raised by LGBTQI+ organisations through appropriate channels, Chair Baroness Falkner has continued to make public statements that call into question the EHRC’s willingness to protect the rights of trans people or engage in good faith with our communities. We hope the appointment from next month of Dr Stephenson will be an opportunity to reset this relationship and rebuild trust. In the meantime, we have sent copies of our submissions to the UN's Office for the High Commissioner of Human Rights, as well as to the UN Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, both of whom have separately and independently expressed very similar concerns to those we have laid out. We hope the above information provides some helpful clarification regarding the likely status of these submissions with GANHRI.
November 11, 2025 at 2:21 PM
philippaeast.bsky.social
FYI
Link to the statement here: transactual.org.uk/wp-content/u...

And here: transactual.org.uk/blog/2025/10...
GANHRI to Monitor the EHRC 11th November 2025 On 7th November, the Equality & Human Rights Commission (EHRC) released the following statement: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/media-centre/news/special-review-ehrcs-accreditation-not-warrante d In this statement, they referred to submissions made on 23rd October by TransActual, Amnesty International UK and Trans+ Solidarity Alliance; by the Trans Advocacy and Complaints Collective (TACC); and by Scottish Trans, calling on the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) to review the EHRC’s accreditation status. The EHRC claimed that, following their October session, GANHRI had decided that a special review of its accreditation status was not warranted. We believe this statement is misleading. As the EHRC also acknowledged, submissions were made earlier in the year by one advocacy group and six individuals. We understand that GANHRI wrote to each of these last week to advise them of the outcome of the October session. TransActual, TACC and Scottish Trans made our own further submissions in late October, due to ongoing actions by the EHRC that we believe continue to breach the Paris Principles. However, these submissions would only have been received by GANHRI once the October meeting was already in progress, and to date we are still awaiting initial acknowledgement of these appeals. We therefore believe it is highly unlikely that our recent submissions fell into the October review. Rather, we understand that our submissions will be considered for the next accreditation session in April, and we continue to eagerly await GANHRI’s response to the concerns we have raised. Furthermore, we are pleased that verified correspondence from GANHRI confirms that, while they did not initiate a special review of the EHRC at this time, they have “decided to continue monitoring the situation.” Alt text continues in the next post
November 11, 2025 at 2:21 PM
philippaeast.bsky.social
Yay! I’ve got my copy of @amdassu.bsky.social gorgeous new book #WildJourney. Isn’t it beautiful??
(Mimi inspired too!)
Grab one for the curious child (or cat) in your life. 🤗
uk.bookshop.org/p/books/wild...
November 11, 2025 at 12:10 PM
philippaeast.bsky.social
My #RecentRead*
#Flesh by #DavidSzalay

*books I’ve really liked/loved
Picture of the book cover in which the block letters of the title form windows through which you can see a landscape of houses and water from high above.
November 11, 2025 at 10:07 AM
philippaeast.bsky.social
It’s his signature on the 2011 Code of Practice, would you believe. What happened to him?

www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/defaul...
This document is a Statutory Code of Practice. This is the authoritative, comprehensive and technical guide to the detail of law. It will be invaluable to lawyers, advocates, human resources personnel, courts and tribunals, everyone who needs to understand the law in depth, or to apply it in practice. Reflecting the content of the Act itself, this code replaces several existing codes, reuniting and, where necessary, harmonising their contents. The code draws on case law and precedent to illustrate where and how different provisions can be brought to bear in real-life situations. Foreword Foreword 16 Foreword The initial texts that we drafted have been through a rigorous process of consultation. Colleagues in businesses, trade unions, charities, voluntary groups, government departments and other public bodies have all commented. Their contributions have enriched and improved the text immeasurably, and we are grateful for their help. Clear and authoritative codes are vital to enable any law to fulfil its promise. We hope that this Code will help you use the Equality Act 2010 to the fullest extent possible.
November 9, 2025 at 1:56 PM
philippaeast.bsky.social
#Caturday!
A close up of Mimi’s face as she lies on a pillow
November 8, 2025 at 10:30 AM
philippaeast.bsky.social
Thank you @feministgreens.bsky.social for supporting @nionwomen.bsky.social!

Women — if you haven’t yet signed our NION open letter, go here: notinourname.org.uk

Everyone — if you haven’t yet joined the Green Party, go here 😆 join.greenparty.org.uk
Sign the Not In Our Name petition We’re calling on Feminist Greens to add your name to the tens of thousands of cis women saying Not In Our Name - rejecting the discrimination and exclusion of Trans+ people. Join us, as we say loud and clear: those who target our Trans+ loved ones, friends, and colleagues, do not speak for us. They never have. They never will. Join the call for equality and solidarity today. https://notinourname.org.uk/petition/not-in-our-name-women-in-support-of-the-trans-community/
November 7, 2025 at 7:44 PM
philippaeast.bsky.social
“Mimi. I love you.”
A photo of me with my cat, Mimi, in black-and-white
November 6, 2025 at 11:09 PM
philippaeast.bsky.social
So delighted to attend the online launch of @amdassu.bsky.social's beautiful new children's book #WildJourney.
Az wrote this illustrated story especially for young readers, to make reading a real treat. Grab your copy now for the curious child in your life 🤗
uk.bookshop.org/p/books/wild...
Link to the Bookshop book description: Description 'A joy to read!' Sophie Anderson 'The perfect gift for a curious child' Louie Stowell 'Beautiful, breathtaking' Hannah Gold A linked collection of contemporary adventure stories for 7+ readers - inspired by the starling’s migratory journey - infused with courage, resilience, empathy and hope. A story collection reflecting an important part of every child's life. Five children in different parts of the world are connected by the captivating flight of starling murmurations. A runaway, a rescue, a desert drama, from Egypt to Morocco, across Spain and France, the starlings swoop and dive, glide and soar - as the children watching them begin their own journeys. Illustrated in striking black and orange with illustrations on every page. Screen shot from the zoom call, showing one of the book's illustrations of a murmuration of starlings. Screenshot from the Zoom launch, showing an illustration from the book, of children rising camels.
November 6, 2025 at 6:47 PM
philippaeast.bsky.social
I was just listening to this podcast about that! I think the take-home message was that we all try to find the pattern to make sense of the publishing industry, when the reality is, it’s basically unpredictable chaos, and we have almost no control over anything!🤣

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
Screenshot of the landing page for the above podcast episode of “the shit, no one tells you about writing”. The episode description reads: They are back! CeCe’s in Ottawa, Carly’s in LA — but the tea is still hot! They break down Q3 book sales (romance + thrillers took a hit), talk timing for submissions, decode what agent feedback really means, and dive into the “good news comes fast” myth. Plus: AI scam alerts and why rejection is just part of the game. Note: CeCe Lyra is a literary agent at Wendy Sherman Associates. If you’d like to query CeCe, please refer to the submission guidelines at www.wsherman.com. Carly Watters is a literary agent at P.S. Literary Agency, but her work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly on this podcast are solely that of her as a podcast co-host and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.
November 6, 2025 at 2:59 PM
philippaeast.bsky.social
They will need to fill her post.
Even with these four new commissioners, that will only bring the EHRC up to the bare minimum number of staffing required
the EHRC is required by the Equality Act 2006 to have between 10 and 15 commissioners. The EHRC currently has 8 and has done for many months, in breach of this staffing requirement. They have been in breach of the requirement to have a Wales Commissioner for over two years. https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/48732/documents/255401/default/ - Three Commissioners (including the Chair) will be stepping down on 30th November. The new Chair will take up her post on 1st December (leaving 6 Commissioners). - Posts for four additional Commissioners have recently been advertised, with an application deadline of 1st December 2025. If the Minister for Equalities fails to appoint to any of these four posts, the EHRC will again be below minimum staffing requirements. - Additionally, until the four new Commissioners are appointed (which may be a number of months), the EHRC will remain below minimum staffing levels, at barely half the minimum number required (6/10).
November 6, 2025 at 10:14 AM
philippaeast.bsky.social
The judges effectively argue that you *can* change your (attributes of) sex in colloquial terms under the gender reassignment protection, but that this doesn’t change your legal sex under the protected characteristic of sex in the equality act
200. The definition does not depend on having a GRC. There is no reference (as there could have been to the GRA 2004 or to a GRC. Instead, it is dependent on a process for the "purpose of reassigning the person's sex by changing physiological or other attributes of sex". But the fact that section 7 refers to a process for reassigning sex does not lead to the conclusion that such a process results in a change in the protected characteristic of sex under the EA 2010. Section 7 does not say this; nor is it said elsewhere in the EA 2010. The Scottish Ministers contend that it is inherent in this provision because it contemplates the possibility of a change in the protected characteristic of sex from "man" to "woman" and vice versa for persons who have obtained a full GRC. Again, section 7 does not say so. There is nothing in its wording to suggest that the change referred to is based on obtaining a paper certificate. The critical process on which the section 7 characteristic depends involves a change in physiological or other attributes of what must necessarily be biological sex; but there is nothing to suggest that undergoing such a process changes a person's sex as a matter of law. It does not. Indeed, a full process of medical transition to the opposite gender without obtaining a GRC has no effect on the person's sex as a matter of law.
November 6, 2025 at 9:56 AM
philippaeast.bsky.social
A mixture.
Weirdly I just wrote about this here (for a separate thing)
Those stepping down are Falkner, Lesley Sawers and Joanne Cash
the EHRC is required by the Equality Act 2006 to have between 10 and 15 commissioners. The EHRC currently has 8 and has done for many months, in breach of this staffing requirement. They have been in breach of the requirement to have a Wales Commissioner for over two years. https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/48732/documents/255401/default/ - Three Commissioners (including the Chair) will be stepping down on 30th November. The new Chair will take up her post on 1st December (leaving 6 Commissioners). - Posts for four additional Commissioners have recently been advertised, with an application deadline of 1st December 2025. If the Minister for Equalities fails to appoint to any of these four posts, the EHRC will again be below minimum staffing requirements. - Additionally, until the four new Commissioners are appointed (which may be a number of months), the EHRC will remain below minimum staffing levels, at barely half the minimum number required (6/10).
November 6, 2025 at 9:55 AM
philippaeast.bsky.social
The job adverts for EHRC Commissioners (4 posts) are finally out.
Deadline: 1st December.
If you, or anyone you know, feels brave enough to apply, please do consider putting in an application!

apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/roles/9026?b...
Commissioners (Up to 4), Equality and Human Rights Commission Contents Summary About the appointment Person specification Application and selection process Additional information for candidates Attachments Summary Organisation Equality and Human Rights Commission Sponsor department Cabinet Office Location Various Sectors Public Administration Skills Audit and Risk, Communication, Legal, Regulation Number of vacancies 4 Time commitment 25 day(s) per annum Remuneration £400 per day Length of term 4 Years Application deadline Midday on 1 December 2025
November 5, 2025 at 7:05 PM
philippaeast.bsky.social
That is in direct breach of the Equality Act.
Trans people are protected from discrimination under the gender reassignment characteristic
*regardless of whether they have a GRC.*
This is completely unchanged by the Supreme Court ruling or any interim update from the EHRC.
What the Equality Act says about gender reassignment discrimination The Equality Act 2010 says that you must not be discriminated against because of gender reassignment. In the Equality Act, gender reassignment means proposing to undergo, undergoing or having undergone a process to reassign your sex. To be protected from gender reassignment discrimination, you do not need to have undergone any medical treatment or surgery to change from your birth sex to your preferred gender. You can be at any stage in the transition process, from proposing to reassign your sex, undergoing a process of reassignment, or having completed it. It does not matter whether or not you have applied for or obtained a Gender Recognition Certificate, which is the document that confirms the change of a person's legal sex. For example, a person who was born female and decides to spend the rest of their life as a man, and a person who was born male and has been living as a woman for some time and obtained a Gender Recognition Certificate, both have the protected characteristic of gender reassignment.
November 5, 2025 at 3:32 PM
philippaeast.bsky.social
I’ve had four novels successfully published.
I’ve also written four full novels that (in all likelihood) will never be published. Three of those were written since my debut.
It’s not so unusual.
Some books work, some don’t.
Some sell, some don’t.
#KeepWriting.
Picture of my debut novel Little White Lies staged with white and yellow daffodils Picture of my second novel Safe And Sound staged with red ribbon and a set of house keys Picture of my third novel I’ll Never Tell staged with my violin in its case, and my face in the frame as well, smiling Picture of my fourth book, A Guilty Secret stage with flowers, fir cones and a skull charm
November 4, 2025 at 3:45 PM
philippaeast.bsky.social
Loving this latest episode of #FictionWritingMadeEasy, all about how Save The Cat Writes Horror.
Brilliant genre tips in here: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/f...
Ever wonder why some horror stories linger in your mind long after the lights go out? Jamie Nash reveals how structure (not jump scares or gore) creates true terror. In this episode, I’m joined by Jamie Nash, screenwriter and author of Save the Cat! Writes Horror, the ultimate guide to creating “Monster in the House” stories that keep readers up at night. With over 25 years of experience writing and teaching horror (including films like V/H/S/2 and Lovely Molly), Jamie shares how to craft terrifying tales using Blake Snyder’s iconic Save the Cat! framework. We talk about how structure, theme, and moral depth make stories truly scary and how to balance dread, scares, and gross-outs for maximum impact. Whether you’re writing a slow-burn psychological thriller or a relentless survival horror, this episode will show you how to use the Save the Cat! framework to make every scream count. [00:00] What makes a novel truly horror and how to tell if your story actually fits this genre (before you waste time writing the wrong one). [00:00] The three ingredients every unforgettable horror story needs and why missing even one can ruin your scare factor. [00:00] How to use Save the Cat! beats to build tension and fear so your story feels cohesive and terrifying, not random and rushed. [00:00] The two main types of horror pacing, and which one to choose to keep your readers gripped.  [00:00] Why passive heroes kill good horror and how to turn your protagonist into the story’s fiercest weapon. [00:00] The difference between dread, scares, and gross outs, and why dread flags (red flags that signal unease) are the true engine of horror. If you’ve ever wondered how to write horror that lingers long after the last page, this conversation with Jamie Nash is your masterclass in scarecraft.
November 3, 2025 at 3:24 AM