We need to change attitudes across the whole of society
Last Thursday, the First Minister announced her long awaited Cabinet reshuffle and I would like to wish Rutherglen MSP, Clare Haughey, well in her new role as Minister for Mental Health.
On the day of the announcement, news headlines were dominated by Nicola Sturgeon’s decision to appoint Gillian Martin MSP to the role of Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science after transphobic comments she made in an online blog resurfaced.
There was some initial confusion with the First Minister claiming she was unaware of what Gillian Martin had said, however it was later discovered that she had full knowledge of the transphobic remarks but had not known about allegedly racist and disablist comments elsewhere in the blog that only emerged on social media that day.
The First Minister eventually made the right decision and put a halt to Gillian Martin’s promotion before the Scottish Parliament had the chance to vote on it, but the entire episode raises serious questions about her judgement.
Earlier in the day, the First Minister seemingly thought nothing of giving responsibility over education to someone who, writing in her capacity as a then college lecturer, asked “are we going to see lovely photos in the foyer of hairy knuckled lipstick-wearing transitional transgender Laydees being embraced by the principle of undisclosed college or visiting politicians for the press”.
I have never met Gillian Martin but, from what I have read, the 10-year-old blog is not representative of the person she is today.
No one is perfect, and I believe everyone should be offered the opportunity to reflect on their mistakes, learn from them, and move on.
But, it cannot be easily ignored that Gillian Martin was a 38-year-old lecturer at a college, when she wrote her blog, which begins “this blog may get me sacked”.
This was more than just a mistake, the self-awareness that what she was saying was wrong is there for all to see.
How might a transgender student at her college have felt upon discovering that blog?
Gillian Martin claims the remarks were taken out of context and has apologised, but no attempt has been made to explain the context, why the blog was written and what, if any, lessons have been learned. Nor has any attempt been made by First Minister to explain why she thought it was acceptable to turn a blind eye to transphobia in her ministerial ranks.
Did she believe the SNP was so beyond reproach that no one would notice?
This month, figures from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service revealed that charges with an aggravation of prejudice relating to transgender identity are at the highest level since the legislation came into force.
Scotland is still not a safe place to live for too many transgender people.
If we are to tackle that prejudice, we need to change attitudes across the whole of society and that must begin at the top, with government.
That responsibility is what should have guided the First Minister’s decision making last week, not bad headlines.
How might a transgender student at her college have felt upon discovering that blog?