Jay looked around, eyes moving from side to side, taking in the opposition group.
Those who had already spoken didn't bother to glance at him, while the ones yet to go were busy jotting notes from previous speakers. He, by contrast, sat quietly, observing.
Ms. Grace Piao's sharp gaze fell on him.
"Excuse me, sir," she said, measured, "are you planning to speak, or is this the end of the presentation?"
Jay snapped out of his daze.
"No, no, no," he said quickly. "I'm going to speak."
He pressed the bell.
The chair detached smoothly, rising and gliding directly to the central platform.
He stepped off with precise, even movements, posture straight but relaxed. His eyes scanned the room briefly before settling on the Piao representatives.
"Hello," he said, voice firm and clear.
"My name is Jay Everwell. I am a Senior Legal Analyst specializing in civil equality and governmental oversight, with over fifteen years examining the application of emergency legislation in post-crisis societies. My work has contributed to multiple policy reforms and legal frameworks designed to ensure fairness and prevent systemic inequities. I am here to assess the Male Protection Act through the lens of law and equality."
"We claim the Male Protection Act creates legal inequality," Jay said immediately.
"Different rules apply based on biology—different punishments, medical priorities, and work restrictions. Mandatory donations between ages nineteen and thirty. Special monitoring. These are not protections. They are classifications."
He shifted slightly, hands resting lightly on the edge of the platform.
"A law that treats citizens differently depending on their biology undermines fairness. Equality before the law is a basic principle of governance. This system does not meet that standard."
Jay's gaze swept the council before returning to the Piao side.
"Even if these differences were intended to protect, the legal consequences are real and measurable. Some individuals have privileges others do not. Some face obligations others avoid. That is not protection. That is separation. That is inequality."
"If the Act's purpose is to safeguard society, it must do so without creating separate legal classes. Temporary distinctions may be justified during an emergency. But long-term legal differences based on biology are not protection—they are systemic disparity."
Without another word, Jay stepped back onto his hover chair.
It lifted smoothly and carried him back to his seat, the low hum fading as he settled.