Meeting of the Parliament 12 March 2025
Thank you, Presiding Officer.
Scottish Trans explains:
“it is not a new idea to insist that trans people should be treated in line with our biological sex at birth by services, public bodies, and when we participate in public life. Historically, this is exactly how trans people were treated, and it meant that we could not go to work safely, use services that met our needs, or use public spaces freely. It meant that we experienced even higher levels of discrimination, harassment and abuse. Our lives were worse, and smaller, and we were hidden away from wider society.
It didn’t work. Trans people knew it didn’t work. Our families and friends knew it didn’t work. Service providers knew it didn’t work—ultimately lots of them did and do want to know how they can help and support us. And courts knew it didn’t work—not only that it didn’t work, but that it breached our human rights or meant that we faced discrimination. So many of the legal rights we have today come directly from court judgements—that say we have a right to live our lives and be recognised in line with our gender identity. That it is not ok to treat us as our biological sex at birth all the time, as to do so greatly reduces our quality of life, our right to privacy, and our right to simply be recognised for who we are.”
This motion, disguised as policy, represents collective punishment of trans women, of trans men, of non-binary people, of intersex people and of women who are too tall or too broad, who have the wrong voices or the wrong clothes, or who have hair in the wrong places or not enough of it—in short, anyone who does not slot into neat little boxes. It is, of course, aimed at trans and non-binary people—and it is as an utterly unapologetic trans ally that I speak this afternoon—but the collateral damage goes much further.
We, in the Scottish Greens, have not changed, and there are others here this afternoon who have not changed either. I know that there are members across the chamber who will stand, as I do, in solidarity with care, love and respect for our trans and non-binary siblings, our hearts aching at the pain that, once again and with such injustice, they are called upon to bear. So far as we can, we share that pain. Everyone deserves safety. Everyone deserves respect. Everyone deserves protection of their human rights—that is what universal means.
I will close with the words of a cis woman who wrote in advance of today’s debate:
“women’s rights are endangered far more by following the US into an anti-trans crusade led by the evangelical right than they ever could be by a trans woman using the bathroom cubicle beside mine.”
I am proud to stand here this afternoon in solidarity with our trans and non-binary siblings.
I move amendment S6M-16755.2, to leave out from first “the Scottish Government” to end and insert:
“all women deserve protection from misogyny, including transmisogyny; condemns the rise in transphobic rhetoric and policy; believes that transgender and nonbinary people contribute immensely to the wellbeing of Scotland’s communities; reiterates its commitment to human rights for all, including freedom from discrimination and upholding the Equality Act 2010; requires all public bodies to comply with the law, and welcomes the role of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission in providing codes of practice and guidance.”
15:24Motions, questions or amendments mentioned by their reference code.