Eyes on Scotland ...

[ArabellaScott]

www.thenational.scot/news/21138178.liz-truss-trying-block-scotlands-gender-recognition-act-reforms/#comments-anchor

www.vice.com/en/article/3adva3/liz-truss-scotland-gender-identity

'LIZ Truss is reportedly trying to block Scotland's plans to allow self-ID for transgender people and has asked lawyers for advice on how to "pause or prevent" the reforms.'

I hope she succeeds. And I say this as a scottish woman.

I think it could be argued that the proposals are not affecting the law in the UK.

Scots law already varies significantly in matters of personal and family life including greater autonomy for 16-18 year olds. One could argue that ccWestminster recently interfered with Scots law by making Gretna Green marriages illegal for under 18 year olds domiciled in England and Wales.

A marriage conducted between 2 under 18 year olds who are domiciled in Scotland will be recognised as valid in England and Wales, even although they couldn't get married in England and Wales. An English under 18 could acquire Scottish domicile and be validly married in Scotland.

I think it could be argued the same way. The changes will apply to an under 18 domiciled and applying for a GRC in Scotland but an under 18 domiciled in England and Wales could not get a "Gretna Green" GRC.

So far as altering birth certificates, the legislation applying generally to this is a Scottish Act, so within the competence of the Scottish Government to amend.

Sorry, of course the GRC change wouldn't be limited to just under 18s but the same argument would apply- it can only be applied for by someone with Scottish domicile.

Just posting a link to an earlier thread about the cross border effects of a change to the GRA in Scotland.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4544862-how-scottish-gra-reform-could-impact-england-and-wales

These links from that thread give more details about how these changes could affect the rest of the UK.

fairplayforwomen.com/dont-let-sex-self-id-through-scottish-backdoor/

macemagazine.com/erskine/

I think it could be argued that the proposals are not affecting the law in the UK.

It could also be argued that they are. From the last of the links I just posted:

GRCs issued by the devolved legislatures are valid in the whole of the UK. Under the Scottish draft Bill, anyone with a Scottish birth certificate would be able to apply for a GRC without visiting Scotland. Those not born in Scotland have only to be resident in Scotland at the time of application. There is no requirement to be resident in Scotland for a fixed period of time, and once the application is made, there is no requirement to remain ordinarily resident in Scotland.

So anyone from another part of the UK could go and live in Scotland for a week, get a Scottish GRC then change their birth certificate.

I think a tax difference between Scotland and the rest of the U.K. will make Scots more wary. Even if it's just a few as the pro ref have a small majority.

There’s been so much newspaper coverage in England/wales and the English/welsh general public are actively talking about the trans issue and it’s effects on women - despite most political parties blindly following the stonewall line. Is Scotland a bit behind the welsh/English? Are the Scottish general public in fear of speaking up? Are the Scottish papers outlining all the issues for women and trans? Are Scottish women really in favour of losing their rights to safe spaces?

@BloodyCamping the women (and general population) of Scotland are no more ok with any of this than our English and Welsh counterparts!
Nichola Stergeon is forcing this through against our wishes and ridiculing any and all valid concerns.
May I suggest that you look into the work or For women Scotland and Murry, Mackenze and Blackburn before you make anymore offensive comments about the women of Scotland ffs

I'm not speaking out on this I don't care if this legislation goes through.

It's the merest drop in the SNP's vast ocean of incompetence , badly thought out , blind dogmatic legislation, class hatred and determination to destroy the Scottish economy.

Unfortunately they often use Ireland as an example of 'international best practice' when it comes to this crap. I can safely say that Ireland is a shitshow on this issue (and many others). This would never have been voted in by public consent, it had to be snuck in the back door.
The government will not discuss or accept the implications of this bullshit legislation, and the media either fawn pathetically or completely ignore this issue - as a result we have rapists in women's prisons, men in women's sports and an attempt to remove the words women and mother from maternity legislation among other things.

Please don't be like us.

@Hoardasurass "self id is (when fully explained)supported by less than 20% of the population" I didn't realise it was as low as that. Could you tell me where to find those statistics please?

Huh. I'm not used to seeing good news. Montana in the U.S. prohibited changing birth certificate sex yesterday, as well.

@EfingNora I'm trying to remember if it was a times poll or if they just reporting on a you gov poll it was in the times newspaper and there was a thread about it on here at the time (around December 2020) but thanks to the mess of the search feature I can't find it will keep looking though

Panelbase poll from May had 65%/35% oppose/support self ID.

wingsoverscotland.com/voting-for-people-who-hate-you/

@Hoardasurass @ArabellaScott Thank you both for your answer.