Kenny McBride vs the Scottish Government: David and Goliath

[Mmmnotsure]

Kenny McBride's case has started today in the Glasgow Employment Tribunal. He is taking the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland to tribunal, and is representing himself.

His fundraiser says that this began when he posted on the Scottish Government intranet about the Sex Equality and Equity Network (SEEN) in the civil service.

People responded by saying that views like this were not welcome in the Scottish Government. McBride says he raised a complaint about the extremely hostile comments he received. "Less than a day later I was dismissed. My complaint was never addressed.”

Online access is available by emailing [email protected] - putting the case reference as subject:

4102841/2023 McBride v Scottish Government 17th-21st June 2024

Shenanigans?

We have been refused permission to live-tweet the proceedings; we will discuss among ourselves how we will report the case with that restriction in place. The Court is now about to break until 1.15pm, for reading time.

https://x.com/tribunaltweets/status/1802654460507775298

Kenny McBride alleges that he was dismissed and discriminated against because of his gender critical beliefs.

He wants to “force the Scottish Government to end its hostility to civil servants who believe that sex matters".

McBride is representing himself.

(Puts head in hands)

If you want to watch.

[email protected]

and ask for remote access. Quote the case number

4102841/2023
McBride v Scottish Government
17th-21st June 2024

You'll need to give your name and address, but there's no risk this time the court will publish them - you're simply a member of the public and there are no access restrictions.

I fear it won’t go well: a man who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client.

From what I read, I felt Kenny is a ‘character’ and the discrimination against his views might be tied up with behaviour they would use to justify his dismissal if his case is badly presented (as it will be if done by himself). I hope he is careful to simple present his case and not consider court an opportunity to right the wrongs of the world.

Tribunal Tweets were refused permission by the judge to live tweet the case. (There has been quite a lot of comment on X/Twitter about this. It's not necessarily a good look for a court to restrict coverage - open justice and all that.)

So Tribunal Tweets listened to the proceedings and made notes during the day, in a similar way as if they were tweeting.

The write up to the day is now on their sub stack:

https://tribunaltweets.substack.com/p/kenny-mcbride-v-scottish-government?r=1gxdhb&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true

I see they held off appealing so as not to cause further delay to the case.

Yes, the process is the punishment for the claimant. We briefly thought about immediate appeal but it seems too cruel.

Tribunal tweets round up here: https://tribunaltweets.substack.com/p/kenny-mcbride-v-scottish-government?r=1gxdhb&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true

Ah I thought I had posted a different day to OP but not so

This morning the witness is an HR manager. It is illuminating, hearing Kenny continually ask him "as an HR professional" should you/should you not have... re the events.

Let's just say the answers being given do not inspire any confidence in HR as a profession.

Anyone know why the sub stack page is no longer working?

I’ve just gone to try to read it too - page not found

Doesn’t appear to have been archived either :-(

Was deffo working yesterday and all up to date, strange.

Does this work?

https://open.substack.com/pub/tribunaltweets/p/kenny-mcbride-v-scottish-government?r=1gxdhb&utmcampaign=post&utmm_medium=web

The substack is back up now.

The Tribunal Tweets substack coverage for the 18th June morning session contains links to some of the material mentioned in court, including terfisaslur.

It also includes a link to something called the Trans Language Primer, which is quite something, if anyone wants to lose the will to live.

@Mmmnotsure The places using the primer are an eye opener. Havard etc etc. Yikes.

OK, I bit, and Googled! 😃

Gender Galaxy
(noun phrase)
This is a model of gender to assist in visualizing the diversity of gender identities and expression within humanity. A galaxy is a three dimensional object in space that consists of billions of star systems, dark matter, and other space objects. All of these objects are interconnected by the force of gravity. Similarly, gender is an overarching term that consists of incredibly diverse identities that can be expressed in infinite ways. Like a galaxy, gender is a web between the relation of people’s personal experience of gender and other forces. Those other forces are the socialization and expectations both within their own societies and across the world.

As the saying goes, I'll have some of what he's smoking! 😃

Some of what he's smoking, @duc748? Shame on you for assuming one of a literal galaxy of possible genders!!

You do not have to be a farmer to recognise bullshit.

Well, it was just a wild guess on my part! 😃

Wow!

Once again, the idea that ‘gender’ is actually another word for ‘personality’ springs to mind

🎵We are stardust, we are golden... 🎵 😁