NICOLA Sturgeon has defended her government’s plans to overhaul gender recognition– insisting it will make processes “less traumatic and inhumane” for “one of the most stigmatised minorities in our society”.

The First Minister was responding after author JK Rowling hit out at the Scottish Government’s plans to reform the gender certification process for trans people – claiming it was putting women’s rights at risk.

On Thursday, SNP Social Justice Minister Shona Robison unveiled the delayed plans to reform the Gender Recognition Act, which is backed by all Holyrood parties except the Scottish Conservatives.

Under the proposals, the system used by trans people to obtain a certificate legally recognising their acquired gender will be simplified and sped up.

Over the weekend, the Harry Potter author claimed the plans "will harm the most vulnerable women in society".

But speaking on BBC Radio 4’s the World at One, the First Minister said she “fundamentally disagrees” with that assessment of her government’s plans.

She added: “The rules haven’t yet changed, the legislation was introduced to parliament last week and it will now go through a full legislative process.”

READ MORE: Scottish Government publishes controversial gender reform plans

Asked whether the SNP will allow a free vote on the legislation, Ms Sturgeon insisted that “all of the MSPs in my party were elected on a manifesto commitment to do this”, but acknowledged that “whether or not it is a free vote is a decision for my parliamentary group”.

Turning to the proposals, the First Minister said: “This is about a process, an existing process, by which people can legally change their gender.

“It’s about making that process less traumatic and inhumane for trans people – one of the most stigmatised minorities in our society.

“It doesn’t give trans people any more rights, it doesn’t give trans people one single additional right that they have right now nor does it take away from women any of the current existing rights that women have under the Equalities Act.”

Asked whether the plans will change anything about safe spaces, Ms Sturgeon insisted: “No it doesn’t.”

She said: “It doesn’t change anything about safe spaces.

“What it does is, if you are a trans person wanting to legally change your gender, and few, few, people do it – instead of having to go through a process that means you have to go before a medical panel to prove gender dysphoria, you can self-declare – but it is still a statutory process with criminal implications if you do that fraudulently.

“It’s about making an existing process more humane and less traumatic for one of the most stigmatised and discriminated-against groups in our society.”

Pressed over Ms Rowling’s intervention, Ms Sturgeon said: “She’s clearly free to express her opinion, as am I, as is everybody. 

“On Thursday in the Scottish Parliament as this legislation was introduced and one of my ministers made a statement, almost unanimously across parties there was a plea to have a debate that was civilised, was respectful of different opinions but that didn’t give inadvertently sucker to those, and I’m not describing anybody like JK Rowling or anybody else in this way, for the avoidance of doubt – but for those that do try to exploit this issue for purposes of prejudice an transphobia.”