Scottish parliament committee - questions on single sex provisions in EA and PSED

[ArabellaScott]

https://www.scottishparliament.tv/meeting/equalities-human-rights-and-civil-justice-committee-march-11-2025

'Operation of the Public Sector Equality Duty in Scotland: The Committee will take evidence from— Clare Gallagher, Human Rights Officer, CEMVO (Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations) Scotland; Jatin Haria, Executive Director, Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER); Lindsey Millen, Head of Policy and Development, Close the Gap; Jill Wood, Policy Manager, Engender; and then from— Dr Pauline Nolan, Head of Policy and Engagement, Inclusion Scotland; Rohini Sharma Joshi, Diversity and Inclusion Manager, Age Scotland; Vic Valentine, Scottish Trans Manager, Equality Network.'

Have just watched a clip in which three reps from Engender failed to answer any questions at all on single sex exemptions. Will steel myself to watch the rest later.

Honestly, duc, she is a complete rocket.

Ew. Alex Cole Hamilton.

I can't even actually focus on him. He's whanging on about 'born in the wrong body' like it's 2017.

I'm following, started listening in late. Russell Findlay tribute to the terfs! Thanked for their heroic work.

I've just got around to reading this, a bit late I know, but the amendment put forward by the SNP is beyond parody, it's like they have literally checked out of reality. The Green amendment is equally bonkers, but I did learn a new word 'transmisogyny'.

Misogyny = dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women. They even want to hijack that word as well. 🤯

ShirleyAnn Somerville - more rabbit than Sainsburys.

"Gender inequality is complex and harmful and it affects everyone, not just women and girls."

"Ensuring that the government is gender-competent is a core ambition of the National Advisory Council for Women and Girls and something which the government strongly supports".

Well that's reassuring, isn't it?. All very lovely and not a sex-based right in sight.

"Our support for trans rights does not conflict with our continuing strong commitment to uphold the rights and protections that women and girls like Sandie Peggie currently don't have under the 2010 Equality Act unless they go to a tribunal and win"

So that's all right then.

It's reassuring to see the term "biological sex" getting plenty of airtime in Westminster and in the Scottish Comittee and even here in the Scottish Parliament now from Jackie Baillie. And no-one has challenged it and everyone seems to know what it means. Hardly a "nebulous dogwhistle" eh?

Maggie Chapman - ooh. Forced teaming with "intersex people" (her term) And oh Lor, who knew I was on an anti-trans crusade led by the Evangelical Right?

And then Alex-Cole-Hamilton. "Born in the wrong body". "Who you actually are". It's not 2017 now, keep up.

"Biological sex assigned to them at birth" What?!?!?

I did love Chapman's own goal of asking for an example of when a trans woman had caused harm by being in a women's facility.

I could feel Ash Regans anger at the concluding minister just reading out some prepared speech, what a disgrace that was. No mention of anyone else’s contributions, so disrespectful to everyone else. Irrespective of differing views.

Tess White what an accurate, brilliant conclusion. Including calling out Maggie Personperson in her use of cis in the chamber. I’m no Tory but thank god for them on this.

Also pleased to hear several mentions of the 1992 health and safety regulations. I really hope that HS professionals and the HSE will start to wake up on this more.

... illegal advice, it seems.

Listened to the committee and was a little disappointed the mixed sex by stealth / deception nature of it all was not mentioned.

If being in a mixed sex space breaks a woman's religion, the NHS is forcing - without consent - these women to break their religion because the changing room says 'womens' and Upton says he's female. So you won't know until you see him that he's male. At which point you might already be in the changing room / toilet with him / have been treated by him whilst unconscious.

The way they're doing it is deliberately discriminating against these women of faith because they're not being honest and clearly labelling the changing rooms / toilets as mixed sex.These women do not know these spaces are mixed sex or that the NHS will put a man's self identity as more important than biological fact and a woman's need to be treated by someone of the same sex.

It's deceiving women who might otherwise self exclude into being used in a man's fantasy. With absolutely no way for them to avoid it.

A video now on YouTube about it, just Jackie Baillie speech though.