Trans rights and healthcare must be delivered
The Scottish Greens are to push for action on trans rights and healthcare in spite of a court ruling on gender recognition reform.
GRR was voted through by the overwhelming majority of the Scottish Parliament last December but blocked by a Section 35 order from the UK Government which was ruled lawful by the courts.
The Scottish Government confirmed today it will now not appeal the decision, but the Bill won’t be withdrawn, meaning it could be enacted by a future government at Westminster.
Maggie Chapman MSP said there was now a duty on politicians to ensure that all other measures to support trans people are taken.
Ms Chapman said: “What is needed for now is to ensure we do absolutely everything else in our powers not requiring this legislation to make the lives of trans people easier and to help them realise their full rights.
“This means action and delivery on improved access to appropriate healthcare. It means action on and delivery of support for Non Binary people.
“It means action and delivery on tackling the systemic inequalities that trans people, and other members of our LGBTQIA+ communities, face.
“I am determined to continue to work with trans people, equalities organisations, and anyone else who seeks to create a world where the lives of trans people are not politicised or weaponised as part of a culture war.”
She added: “I am very disappointed we have found ourselves here having passed the legislation in the first place. I know many trans people will feel let down and hurt today.
“Given the impact on trans people, their allies and the organisations that support them that another court battle could have, and the unlikelihood of any appeal being successful, the Scottish Government does not believe an appeal to be the best course of action.
“But we must remember what this means. It means that the UK Government will be emboldened to use what is essentially a political veto on laws passed fairly and democratically in the Scottish Parliament. It means no law is safe.
“It also means that trans people will have to wait even longer for the simple administrative changes that the Gender Recognition Reform legislation sought to enable. They will have to wait longer to be recognised, in law, for who they really are.
“As a result of the UK Government’s blocking, some trans people will die before getting this legal recognition and so won’t be buried under their actual identity. Some trans people will not be able to get married until they go through the current lengthy and demeaning process to get a gender recognition certificate.
“That cannot be right.”
