First Minister challenged over broken promises to trans Scots the day after a issuing Twitter appeal to SNP members
Nicola Sturgeon has said it is a “simple matter of conscience” to tackle transphobia in Scotland as she was challenged over broken promises to transgender Scots by the Scottish Greens.
Speaking the day after she issued a personal message on Twittertopartymembersafter reports of high numbers of young people leaving the SNP due to concerns on transphobia, the First Minister said that nodebateontransrightsshould “become a cover for transphobia”. Ms Sturgeon said she “recognised” the concern around the erosion of women’s rights andonmentakingadvantageof expanded rights for trans people to attack women.
But, in response to a question from Patrick Harvie, she said the threat to women “is not from trans women”.
The co-leader of the Scottish Greens had asked whether she regretted broken promises to transgender Scots. He said: “Another regret that the First Minister expressed this week was a message she gave yesterday about transphobia within her party and promising a zero
toleranceapproachtothisprejudice in the future.
"Following that statement as a party leader, does she think the same message and the same commitment is needed from her as First Minister for the actions and inactions of the government? Does she regret the promises made to trans andnon-binarypeopletomake their lives easier, to improve their healthcare and uphold their rights were broken and that transphobia has grown far worse as a result of the government’s failure to act?”
In response, the First Minister said the debate must be had “openlyandhonestly”,butmust not enable hatred.
Ms Sturgeon said: “I have a duty and responsibility to tackle transphobia if it exists in my own party, I have a duty as First Minister to make sure that the Scottish Government protects andenhancestherightsoftrans people, but I don’t think there is anybody across this chamber in their own organisations or in terms of Scottish society as a whole,whocansitbackandrest on their laurels here.
"This is a really important issue. I understand the concerns that women have about abuse, misogyny, the erosion of women’s rights. I face, like women across this chamber and across society vile, misogynistic attacks every single day of my life.”