Infertility and the DDA

The petition is entitled bring Infertility under the Disability Discrimination Act and the explanatory notes say

"Cover people with infertility under the DDA Disability Discriminiation Act Legislation to empower people affected to gain fair treatment and employment rights in line with Maternity/Paternity rights"

I don't understand ... The DDA makes it unlawful to discriminate in the arenas of employment, the provision of goods and services, education and transport. (See the 2005 legislation.)

The 1995 act defines a disability as "a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities" with elaborations in Schedule 1 which include specifying "An impairment is to be taken to affect the ability of the person concerned to carry out normal day-to-day activities only if it affects one of the following- (a) mobility; (b) manual dexterity; (c) physical co-ordination; (d) continence; (e) ability to lift, carry or otherwise move everyday objects; (f) speech, hearing or eyesight; (g) memory or ability to concentrate, learn or understand; or (h) perception of the risk of physical danger."

Broadly, therefore, it does indeed appear that the petitioner is correct, and infertility is not a disability according to the DDA. It would, indeed, seem therefore that an employer can, if they wish, discriminate against someone for being infertile. And, yes, I suppose I agree that it's wrong that they should do so.

However. There is no point in legislating about this discrimination unless it's actually happening - and if it is, only if there's no other catch-all clauses under which the discriminating person can be prevented from discriminating. And I find it really hard to believe that the discrimination's happening.

Maternity and paternity leave. For the infertile? Pardon? I suppose they might mean if they were adopting ... but then, surely, they'd say something about requesting maternity/paternity leave for adopters? (I have a feeling people who are adopting are entitled to maternity/paternity leave, actually. But I may be wrong.)

I just don't get it. I think the petitioner's nuts.