Roddick ‘excited’ for return of gender reform
Equalities Minister Emma Roddick says she would like to bring gender reform back if a new UK Government agreed not to block it.
The SNP minister says she wouldbe“veryexcited”tobring the Gender Reform Bill back to Holyrood.
Theproposalstooverhaulgender laws in Scotland were abandoned last year after a court ruled the UK Government was right to block the legislation. Scottishsecretaryalisterjackis nowlookingtolodgeamotionto get the Scottish Government to reimburse the UK Government for the court costs.
Ms Roddick said she would like to bring gender reform back to the Scottish Parliament ifanewukgovernmentagreed not to block Holyrood’s “democratic right”.
“It can be brought back if any UK Government in the future is willing to lift the veto on the legislation, which passed by a twothirds majority,” she told the BBC. “I would be very excited to see it come back again.
“Hopefully a UK Government in the future will have more respect for the Scottish Parliament’s democratic right.”
Mspsvotedindecember2022 to pass the Gender Recognition Reform Bill, which aimed to make it easier for trans people to legally change their gender. The legislation aimed to do this by reducing the amount of time a person needs to live in their acquiredgenderbeforetheycan get a gender recognition certificate, as well as lowering the age someone can get this certificate from 18 to 16, and removing the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria.
The Bill faced a considerable publicbacklashatthetime,with concerns the legislation would notprotectsame-sexspacesand wouldhaveaknock-oneffecton the safety of women and girls.
Despite being passed in Holyrood, the UK Government then stepped in to block the legislation from gaining royal assent andofficiallybecominglaw,saying it impacted on the Uk-wide Equality Act 2010.
There are now concerns the
Scottish Government will see a similar backlash as it looks to introduce a ban on conversion therapy. Conversion therapy is anypracticethataimstochange orsuppressaperson’ssexualorientation or gender identity.
Fears have been raised that a blanketbanonthiscouldcriminalise parents or religious leadersforsupportingchildrenwho are questioning their sexuality or gender.
Ms Roddick wrote in The
Scotsman to say the rights of parents and religious leaders would be safeguarded in any conversion therapy ban. She said the proposals were out for public consultation, and members of the public could share their concerns or ideas with the Scottish Government.
Ms Roddick said: “That’s not a new situation, to rethink parts of the proposals. This is a genuine consultation and we will always be open to rethinking
parts of the policy, but that doesn’t amount to rethinking the policy itself.”
She added: “We will listen to anyone who has criticisms, concerns and ideas for how to strengthen the proposals and make it easier for certain folk to support this. I personally am really looking forward to seeing the consultation responses and reading them carefully before putting this Bill to Parliament.”
We will listen to anyone who has criticisms Emma Roddick