Criteria

Listen, if you don’t believe that people can change sex, you can’t work for the police. It’s just that simple.

In emails seen by this newspaper, Norfolk ­Constabulary told a woman inquiring about a role in the force that the job “would not be ­suitable” for her ­because of her “gender critical” views.

After the candidate made clear that she did not think a person could ­physically transition to the opposite sex, another force in the South East said her views did not constitute “the behaviours expected” and an application “would be not successful”.

Belief that gender is as changeable as nationality or political party is mandatory now. You might be able to get a job cleaning toilets, but don’t bank on it.

The revelation came after a serving police officer of 16 years anonymously emailed internal recruitment teams at 26 forces that were advertising for ­future constables.

The female officer asked if her “gender critical” views would be “a barrier to my application?”

“I must point out that I am gender critical, which means that whilst I am firmly against abuse and discrimination to trans people, I do not believe you can change your biological sex,” she wrote.

She heard back from 14 forces, two of which told her the “Nope not you” thing.

After Norfolk Police advised that her views would “not be something we could ­uphold within the constabulary”, the woman challenged the response.

“My views on this topic do not mean I would act with intolerance or abuse, just as an atheist would be no less likely to be able to be respectful towards a person of religion,” she wrote. “If there were serving officers with these views (as I know that there are), would their ­employment be under threat?

A recruitment adviser invited her to hand over “details and any evidence” of officers who may share her views so they could be “investigated”.

And punished and fired and sent into exile.

Chief Constable Ian Hopkins, the ­National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for diversity and equality said: “The entire police service is bound by and must ­adhere to the Equality Act and the ­police Code of Ethics.”

The Equality Act says people are not allowed to believe that sex can’t be changed?

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