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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Mandy Rhodes: On reform of the gender Recognition act

9 replies

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 08/03/2020 07:45

www.holyrood.com/editors-column/view,on-reform-of-the-gender-recognition-act_15200.htm

Some hope for Scottish women?

If the Scottish Government believed its own rhetoric, that the move to self-ID for trans people was simply an administrative change that would affect only trans people, then they have seriously misjudged the harm that their naivety, and the ensuing wider debate, has inflicted.

More than half of Nicola Sturgeon’s ministerial team privately admit the proposed reforms are a complete mess, unlikely to stand up to legal scrutiny, never mind get through the committees or win a parliamentary vote. One told me that the hope was that the coronavirus would overtake events and any bill would be kicked into the long grass. Others have just said they ‘can’t go there’.

And in the wider SNP membership, there is the threat of revolt with a widescale loss of support and people already abandoning a party that they see as having been captured by a group of activists who care more about gender identity than they do about independence

...

But this proposal, no matter how well intentioned, has ignored the sensitivities and ethos of hard-won women’s rights and the way issues of equality can butt up against each other and have serious consequences. It is currently unpopular, unworkable, potentially illegal, and could be dangerous to women and trans people. It is a cheap and quick fix to a complex issue that can’t be resolved by a simplistic approach to what being equal really means.

OP posts:
jadefinch · 08/03/2020 07:54

Excellent article. Looks like Sturgeon thought the SNP either supported self ID or didn't care about it (which might have largely been the case a few months ago). That isn't the case any more - and it looks like she now must know she cannot bring in self ID

LizA49 · 08/03/2020 08:47

Superb article by Mandy, who has been critical of this planned legislation for a long time.

The lines that echoed best for me.

this policy has all the hallmarks of the named persons and the offensive behaviour at football matches and will be a political bloodbath for the snp if it ever gets as far as the floor of the parliamentary chamber

I’ve said this for while now; it will be torn apart.
I also really do wonder who in the Scottish civil service is responsible for legal advice to the Scottish government. Because frankly, they’re a bit shite.

Melioration · 08/03/2020 09:22

Off to read this as it sounds like the best thing I have seen on the subject.

They are naive and it is a mess and I have no idea why any sane government would think of introducing it, never mind pushing it forward zealously.

We seem to be living in an era where people have turned into robots parroting the same lines and refusing to think but I suppose they just don’t want to believe it is possible.

teawamutu · 08/03/2020 12:20

A truly excellent article. Hoping against hope she's right about the divisions in cabinet and the prospects of it passing through Holyrood. They've rigged the consultation so much, clearly going to disregard any adverse answers so I'd love to think there will be proper scrutiny and challenge.

Gibbonsgibbonsgibbons · 08/03/2020 12:41

Excellent (but keep responding to the consultation please!) & the Named Person comparison is spot on.

I was just speaking to a ScotGov employed friend who is GC but unable to be public because she would lose her job - There are more of us than you think.

AnyOldSpartabix · 08/03/2020 12:51

Filled in the consultation yesterday. Live in a country with self-ID with “no problems” but a bit of digging means I have been able to point to some problems which have cropped up here.

Encouraging other GC women from my country to fill it in too. They’re not very noisy, but they are there.

Hope Mandy Rhodes’ assessment is correct. Most days I feel hopeful we can stop this.

Gibbonsgibbonsgibbons · 08/03/2020 16:35

Thank you any we will fight with you to get yours repealed Flowers

Alicethroughtheblackmirror · 08/03/2020 17:06

AnyOld thank you from this Scottish woman! Crossing everything that there is a big response to the consultation.

And when we can help you fight yours, we will!

ScrimpshawTheSecond · 08/03/2020 17:08

Excellent article.

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