The Scottish Government to go ahead with self-ID

If you're in Scotland, you can contact all of your MSPs via www.writetothem.com

Should add that obviously it is regressive, not progressive, to yet again have another example of women and girls being shoved under the bus for 'progressive' images.

It's because of the image Nicola Sturgeon wants to create. When I wrote to my MSP with concerns I was simply told that they wanted to introduce the most progressive legislation in the world. Which struck me as remarkable infantile, or Trump like - gotta be the most-est!

NS sees this as progressive and that is the image she wants to create.

I've always found NS quite machiavellian. She likes lauding her principles when it is easy for her but doesn't stand up for her principles when she thinks it might cost her. See her 'brave' stand against Clarks shoe shop when they had a shoe called Dolly bird yet her utter silence when Alex Salmond made crude sexual jokes about her, Ruth Davidson and Kesia Dugdale in his standup. SHe's quite happy to pretend she can't see the issue with women's safety and rights if she gets her 'most-est progressive' image.

I'm confused. Is there some legislation drawn up?

And another thought:

If this does happen next week, it gives us additional impetus to demand of UK government that all the Exceptions in the Equality Act 2010 be made Mandatory, so that organisations will have to legally justify why they wish to "opt-out" of any of those Exceptions.

Just a thought:

Wasn't it one of the Scottish Trans Lobby groups that aimed to focus on prisons initially so that if policy worked in prisons there was then no excuse not to roll it out to all other services / spaces etc?

Maybe that is what is being attempted here ... sneak it through in Scotland and then there is no excuse not to roll it out across the rest of UK later?

As well as contacting politicians, I think speaking to people about what's happening is the one of the most important ways to shine sunlight on what's happening. The general public need to know what's coming before we turn into Canada and have no way of rowing back.

Laws only work if the majority follow them, if the public say 'no' en masses the powerful are powerless.

Separatism (sorry, correcting an appalling typo)

As well as contacting politicians, I think speaking to people about what's happening is the one of the most important ways to shine sunlight on what's happening. The general public need to know what's coming before we turn into Canada and have no way of rowing back.

I meant good that we know about it now. Forewarned is forearmed and all that.

Also good that Wings of Scotland account is forthright about all the dangers of self-ID. He totally gets it.

And he's a bloke, so people listen to him.

Here are the demands and actions from Women and Girls in Scotland

Women and Girls in Scotland asks for your support in calling on the Scottish Government to commit to our following four demands regarding their proposals to reform the Gender Recognition Act 2004 (GRA):

1. The government must clarify how holding a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) can impact on how the single sex exceptions in the Equality Act 2010 can be applied, in order to understand how changing the basis of acquiring a GRC can potentially impact application of the single sex exceptions/protections for women and girls in Scotland.

2. The government must clarify the need for female-only provision in Scotland, which must include open consultation with women, in order to understand the impact on women and girls of any loss of female-only provision (particularly vulnerable, minority and working class women and girls).

3. Only once the government has clarified points 1 and 2 can the impact of its GRA proposals on women and girls be properly assessed, at which stage a full Equality Impact Assessment must be carried out, and this must be made available to the public to allow for adequate scrutiny.

4. If the government finds that its GRA proposals can in any way function to weaken human rights and equality protections for women and girls in relation to privacy, dignity, safety and trauma, the government should not move forward with these proposals.

Some groups of people need specific provisions in order to uphold their human rights, welfare and equality: For women and girls this means they need male-free provision in a number of ways, and for trans people this means they should not have to use provision specifically set aside for their natal sex. Upholding human rights and equality in respect to single sex provision is not dependent on groups being able to share with or be considered alongside particular other groups; as such, there is no need to erode the rights and equality of women and girls in order to uphold the rights and equality of any other group.

You can help women and girls now by writing to/meeting with your local MSPs to ask if they will support our demands (find your local MSPs by visiting: theyworkforyou.com/Scotland). You can also write to Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP, the Cabinet Secretary with responsibility for GRA reform, at [email protected], to ask if she will commit to our demands. And if you would like any further information, we have published comprehensive work in relation to the loss of female-only provision in Scotland under the ‘Resources’ section of our website: www.wgscotland.org.uk”.

I can't believe, no votes or debates in parliament?

Time to mobilise the Holyrood fence sitters.

I feel that the only fair approach any government can take on this issue is a referendum.

The will of the people, that's what democracy is supposed to be about, not redefining the legal language and definition of over half the population without a look see or say so. How dare they?

Scotland (under Sturgeon) is determined to be at the forefront "blazing a trail" and setting an example to the rest of the world. That is happening but not in the way that is stated to be intended.

We won't be known for the brave new independent country who led the way with equality and tolerance for all. We will be known as the shame faced failed gatekeepers of safeguarding and sex based rights who not only welcomed the sexualisation of children into our society and schools but crushed any dissenting women under the heavy heel of fascism. This is scandalous.

The SNP stand at a crossroads.

Nicola Sturgeon will be mainly remembered for giving away women’s rights. Slow handclap.

Terrible news.

wgscotland.org.uk/actions/

twitter.com/WG_Scotland/status/1139467808545366016?s=03
or wgscotland.org.uk . Look in actions tab. Hope this makes sense. Im bloody furious my hands are shaking

Can I ask all who are opposed to write to their msps with women and girls actions set out. See their twitter posts or their website. Will post links in a minute.

Really bad news. Hope it can be really restricted in practice

Good that this has been leaked though

Not really. I wonder if it was a civil servant or a party member. Whilst I'm delighted to see anything which diminishes support for the SNP and seperatism I'm not keen at all on government policy being leaked to an unaccountable lobbyist, particularly one who doesn't even live in Scotland.

It is still under the radar, nost people in scotland are unaware that this is happening. All they know is the little pieces in the media. As a lifelong SNP supporter I broke away over this. I am appalled, unfortunately not shocked, that they are more interested in pushing through this crap to allow people to lie about sex than they are about ensuring that the right to education for all is met. They have just made every child in my class, past, future and presents lives a bit more dangerous. It's time nicola went, she has now proved herself to be a power-hungry person whoose main interedt is in ensuring that she is seen by history tory as progressive and inclusive to marginal feelings groups which exclusing woman, children and those with needs. Well done Nicola 😡👏👏

Good that this has been leaked though. This will push the issue right into the sun.

No doubt the SNP senior members will be able to explain exactly how it is all going to work. Presumably by saying that they hope perverts don't take advantage of it.

Can't wait.

It’s awful

Terrible, but expected, news.

Doesn't make it easier to hear though. How do we defend women's legal protections if i5 isn't rooted in material reality?