Nicola Sturgeon has refused to apologise to gender critics as she warned the lives of transgender people will become almost ‘unliveable’ following the landmark Supreme Court ruling.
The Supreme Court judgment said the definition of a woman in relation to the 2010 Equality Act was linked purely to biology – and therefore did not include transgender women with a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC).
Former first minister Ms Sturgeon had been in charge of the Scottish Government when controversial gender reforms were put through parliament – including the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill that was ultimately blocked from gaining royal assent.
Speaking to journalists in Holyrood, Ms Sturgeon said she was concerned about how the judgment would be implemented in practice.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission issued interim guidance stating trans women – or biological men – would be unable to use “women’s facilities” in places such as hospitals, restaurants and shops.
Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, Ms Sturgeon said: "The Supreme Court judgment by very definition is the law of the land. The Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority in the country."
But she added: "The question for me and I think for a lot of people is how that is now translated into practice - can that be done in a way that of course protects woman but also allows transwomen to live their lives with dignity and in a safe and respected way.
"I think that remains to be seen. I think some of the early indications raise concern in my mind that we are at risk of making the lives of trans people almost unliveable and I don't think the majority of people in the country would want to see that.
"It certainly doesn't make a single woman any safer to do that because the threat to women comes from predatory and abusive men."
The former first minister said she had spent her entire life campaigning for the protection of women's rights.
"I've spent my life campaigning for the protection of women's rights, but I also think it's really important that the tiny number of people who are trans get to live with dignity and in a way that they feel safe and accepted for who they are," she said.
Ms Sturgeon said there was concerns around how the judgment will impact on the 2010 Equality Act and whether that will allow trans people to live a “dignified” life.
She warned some of the interpretations would make the lives of trans people “impossibly difficult”, adding current legislation may need to be amended.
“If that is the case, then yes, it would be my view that the law as it stands needs to be looked at.”
SNP MSP calls on Swinney to say sorry to women and transgender people
She also rejected calls from campaign groups such as For Women Scotland that she owed them an apology following her treatment of women.
“I fundamentally, and respectfully, disagree," she said.
“I recognise the different views on this, I’ve always recognised the different views on this, but I think its important that respect runs in both directions.”
“For any group or individual to say their view is the only that carries weight I just think is fundamentally (wrong)."
Her former SNP colleague Joanna Cherry has repeatedly condemned Ms Sturgeon's stance, adding: "I've had to put up with my own party leader, Nicola Sturgeon, calling me a bigot and a transphobe for sticking up for the rights of women and lesbians.
"I think she owes all of us, not just me, and more importantly the women of Scotland, an apology."
Former SNP MSP Joanna Cherry, a critic of gender self-ID, said Ms Sturgeon’s claims that trans lives could be “unliveable” were “the sort of fatuous hyperbole that she has indulged in relation to these issues from the outset and it is deeply irresponsible for any politician to so misrepresent the judgment”.
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: “Nicola Sturgeon betrayed women and divided Scotland with her reckless gender self-ID policy, yet she still can’t bring herself to apologise.
“For years she arrogantly dismissed the concerns of women and girls that their rights and safety were being sacrificed, as she parroted the views of extremist gender activists and ensured they were adopted across Scotland’s public sector.
“Gender self-ID was always nonsense – and now the Supreme Court has declared it unlawful too.
“Nicola Sturgeon needs to hold her hands up and say sorry to the women of Scotland. But she and the SNP never admit to their mistakes or accept accountability when they get things badly wrong.”
Share