Nicola Sturgeon confronted by lawyer in gender row at Dundee Book Festival

[IwantToRetire]

(This is a few days old, but seems the TRAs still hold the public opinion.

A lawyer opposed to SNP gender reforms dramatically accused Nicola Sturgeon of trying to “diminish women” during a public event at a Witches of Scotland Dundee Book Festival event.

Campaigner Bryndis Blackadder was met with jeers by the audience at Steps Theatre on Saturday after she confronted the former first minister.

Ms Blackadder told the ex-SNP leader her anger against controversial trans laws – which were later blocked – inspired her to do a law degree.

“Thanks for shining a light on the persecution of women throughout history,” Ms Blackadder said when she was called to ask her question.

“I’ve spent years being called a witch for fighting for women’s rights.

“I do not understand how you can sit here and have the cognitive dissonance of trying to diminish women in legislation.”

At this point she faced jeers from some members of the audience.

In response, Ms Sturgeon said she would fight for groups in society who are stigmatised “for as long as I have breath in my body”.

Her remarks were met with cheers and applause from the crowd.

“Don’t give into people who want to divide and rule,” she added around a minute later.

Coninues at https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/politics/5269880/nicola-sturgeon-gender-dundee-book-festival-witches/

Good for her.(Ms Blackadder) And what a fab name. Nicola is no feminist and is deluded if she think she left office having made women's and children's lives better in Scotland . Handmaiden personified. History will not be kind to Sturgeon.

Dundee is a massive SNP stronghold. It would have been a crowd of the diehard faithful there to see Nicola. Not sure she's as popular in all quarters...

Aside from Blackadder, who challenged excellently, who on earth is shelling out good money to see NS in the year of our good lord 2025?

Must be freebies for staffers and the like??

“Don’t give into people who want to divide and rule”

If you are leader of the Scottish National Party, that’s your one job, surely?

She will never admit that she was wrong. They'll wheel her out in 30 years time and she'd still give the exact same response. She has neither the will or ability to reflect on her own mistakes.

If only we had a laugh react!

I guess most of the audience at such an event will be supportive of Nicola Sturgeon so I guess not reflective of the general population's views. Good for Ms Blackadder though. NS is coming to the Edinburgh book festival, wonder (hope) if there will be similar questions.

There's certainly a concerning level of unquestioning loyalty when it comes to Sturgeon. While not as prevalent as it used to be, there are still pockets of 'abdication syndrome' – where independence followers appear to give up their own critical thought and autonomy, seemingly offering unconditional devotion to their 'leader'. Ostensibly fighting for freedom, they seem unaware of the profound irony in their approach.
There's a difficult truth about Sturgeon's legacy. Her community-level tactics, which many observers and media reports have highlighted as efforts to silence dissenting voices, have undeniably contributed to new and persisting stigmatisation in Scottish society. It's often felt that Sturgeon operates in a way that, to many, looks like gaslighting – which is remarkably effective in plain sight.
What I find fascinatingly curious is the apparent disarming of critical thought amongst her fans striving so hard to be intellectual. The incident of booing and hissing at the lawyer, entirely unaware that they were validating precisely the point she was making, is a stark example. It echoes the observation JK Rowling went on to make: that such a dynamic suggests a climate where it would have been Sturgeon at the forefront, lighting the pyres.
As for Sturgeon's comment, 'Don’t give into people who want to divide and rule,' it does seem deeply ironic. Many believe this divisive approach was, in fact, central to how she held power. This pattern of what many see as subtle manipulation has been apparent to discerning eyes for a very long time. I believe we'll increasingly see detractors emerge from the audience. I'd watch this space; I suspect this is just the start of greater public scrutiny.

History may uncover why Sturgeon was so invested in trans ideology. Trans friends/colleagues/family members. Career progression. Contracts with big pharma companies and the like. Or just couldn't admit she got it wrong in the be-kind days.

Either way it diminished much of her work up to about 2015. Whatever your views on the SNP, Scottish independence, first female First Minister, she was a key figure and a trailblazer. This mess is her lasting legacy.