@arabellascott that's interesting about crankery - I hadn't realised until recently how many insults are female sexed based insults. We've seen witch screamed in peaceful protesters faces, seen hysterical used on a near constant basis and women's concerns dismissed as 'pearl clutching'.
In terms of 'conspiracy theories', the use of FOI have been a clear, consistent way of determining the truth. As an example, women were concerned that the Welsh Government were not correctly consulting or considering the impact on other protected characteristics (including women) through the development of the 'Welsh Government Action Plan to advance equality for transgender people' (2016). An FOI was submitted to request a copy of the Equalities Impact Assessment which should have influenced the policy. The Welsh Goverment claimed in their response to have lost not only the Assessment but every document pertaining to it. Every email, every consultation document, every minute, every handwritten note. Every piece of correspondence through which they had consulted with groups who represented the interests of each of the protected characteristics was apparently deleted, despite the policy being described as a 'living document'.
I can't comment on any accusations against Nicola Sturgeon. My issue with the Scottish Government is not that they are receiving bribes but that the money which is being spent out the public purse to political lobby groups such as Stonewall is directly influencing policies and groups representing the concerns of other protected characteristics are simply ignored. As an example, the Scottish Government removed the word mother from their maternity policy after direct lobbying from Stonewall.
The example of the Welsh Government given above shows that dismissing concerns as conspiracy theories like
(or crankery or hysteria or pearl clutching or other sex based insults) is short sighted at best.