Grassroots backlash forces SNP to rethink trans policies

[OnTheDarkSideOfTheSpoon]

An encouraging piece from the Sunday Times

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/grassroots-backlash-forces-snp-to-rethink-trans-policies-n0pvh25qx?shareToken=b9e2bf98f2c8b46f4903f80fdb7a9419

I've just been reading that, it's a good sign!

Fingers crossed - there is so much really good stuff in the consultation responses that I really dont think (I hope!) that they can ignore all of it.

Finally the words 'risk assessment' are published in line with the taking up of these policies. Anyone would have thought risk assessment hadn't existed over the last 5 years.

I'm glad they seen to have picked up on the detailed comments in the consultation. It was very clear that those opposing change gave thoughtful and detailed replies rather than box ticking. And that they highlighted the threat to women's rights.

I think politicians are waking up to the fact that this is a massive vote loser. They thought it was similar to supporting gay rights in the past and didn't want to be behind the curve or unprogressive so they allowed Stonewall to lead them by the nose.

If anyone is in Scotland though, please contact all 8 (yes really!) of your MSPs. There's info on forwomen.scot if you need pointers.

Sorry James McCormack considers concerns about the GRA to be 'trivial in the extreme'. Thanks James. Maybe that's because you're a man?

My reading of james’ comment was that others say it is trivial and that means it’s slipped in via the back door. I didn’t read it as him saying it’s trivial. I think he’s supportive of a more cautious approach. The quote is unclear though which suggests they have picked and chosen in publishing.

If anyone is in Scotland though, please contact all 8 (yes really!) of your MSPs. There's info on forwomen.scot if you need pointers
Can't emphasise this enough. It really works. Some will try and give you the run around at first but if you are persistent they usually give in and will meet with you. IME anyway. Let's keep up the pressure.

Given the (welcome) £8.5 m the Scot gov have announced for health boards to work with women survivors of rape and domestic abuse, maybe they realise it won’t count for much if we can’t choose to have a female health care practitioner/counsellor. And we can’t do that if they decide a woman is a feeling in a man’s head. I’m still v concerned how much influence the trans lobby has on govt and the amount of public money the trans lobby gets from govt.

A very encouraging article. At the Camden meeting Sheila Jeffries said that British safeguarding practice was unique and would be very useful in preserving women only spaces. But it's not going to do anything unless it's applied. Having read that I'm more hopeful that it may be coming to the fore, in Scotland at least.

The Scottish consultation flew very much under the radar so I was encouraged to see that even a third of respondents took issue with the proposals.

When it came to the GRA consultation that ended in October, far more women were aware and the total number of responses was far higher than is usual for a Government consultation, though we've no way of knowing which perspective dominated the replies.

Be interesting to know how many responses were from overseas as TRAs were encouraging activists from other countries to fill in the consultation. I don't know if they'll monitor that.