Scottish Government hails ‘historic day’ as MSPs pass Gender Recognition Bill | Scotland

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The Scottish government hailed a “historic day for equality” after MSPs approved plans to make it easier and less intrusive for individuals to change their sex legally, and to extend the new self-identification system to 16-17-year-olds. First time.

Six years after it was proposed by the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, after two of the largest public consultations in the history of the Scottish Parliament and amid highly toxic and polarizing political rhetoric, the bill was passed by the MSPs on Thursday in a particularly expanded session.

And as a sign of the escalating tensions surrounding the changes, the debate was disrupted minutes before the final vote by protesters in the public hall chanting “Shame on you” and “This is the darkest day”.

The final vote came after two days of unprecedented debate as members worked across parties and last midnight on more than 150 amendments to address concerns about potentially abusive males benefiting from the new system and its impact on UK equality law.

The Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill removes the need for a psychiatric diagnosis of gender dysphoria in order to obtain a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC), and extends the application process to 16-17 year olds for the first time.

Scotland’s new self-identification system will also reduce the time someone must be permanently living in their acquired sex before they can apply – from two years to three months, or six months for 16-17-year-olds – with a period A three-month period of reflection during which the individual can change his mind.

Despite the misgivings of some SNP MPs, the bill passed comfortably with support from the Scottish Greens and the Scottish Liberal Democrats. A number of Labor members—who had been whipped for voting for them—also rebelled, while a few Tories, who were allowed a free vote, supported him.

Like the Equal Marriage and Civil Partnership Act before it, Social Justice Minister Shona Robison, who proposed the final version of the bill to parliament, said, “This is an important step to creating a more equal Scotland”.

Justice Minister Shona Robison described the legislation as “an important step in creating a more equal Scotland”. Photo: Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament/Palestinian Authority

Robison insisted that applying for a GRC under the new system would remain a “substantive and important legal process”, with safeguards strengthened during the bill’s passage, and the bill “does not alter public policy … around the provision of one-sex spaces and services”.

She told the MSPs, “Trans rights are not in competition with women’s rights, and as is often the case, we can make things better for everyone when those who experience discrimination act as allies rather than opponents.”

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But Scottish Conservative Equality spokeswoman Rachel Hamilton told Robson that her government had not brought the people of Scotland with them, and that “in a rush to make the process a little easier for trans people, the government is making it easier for trans men to attack women.”

After briefings by the UK government that the new law would create “legal chaos” and result in “gender tourism”, Hamilton said that the rush to pass the legislation just days before Christmas had resulted in “shoddy and inadequate legislation to pass into law”. She added, “This law will be the legacy of the first minister and not in the way she hopes, because… [be quiet]. This government does not listen and our voices will be heard.”

At the last first minister’s question of the year, held just before debate, Nicola Sturgeon said she would “never apologize for trying to spread equality, not diminish it in our country” when pressed by Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross about protecting elements of the bill.

On Tuesday, the Scottish government accepted a multi-party amendment from Gillian Martin of the SNP and Scottish Tore Jimmy Green which means anyone convicted of a sex offense who wants to apply for testimony will need a full risk assessment.

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