Greens welcome Scottish Government plan to apologise to gay men
The Scottish Government’s announcement that the First Minister will offer an apology to homosexual men “convicted before 2001 under discriminatory laws against same-sex sexual activity” has been welcomed by the Greens.
Green co-convener Patrick Harvie welcomed that planned apology and said that all political parties must now stop selecting “anti-equality voices” as candidates at elections.
The government says the First Minister will make the parliamentary statement on Tuesday (7 Nov) to coincide with the publication of legislation to provide an automatic pardon to people convicted under historical discriminatory laws against same-sex sexual activity that is now legal.
Green MSP, Patrick Harvie said:
“The legal exoneration of people convicted under unjust laws is long overdue and I'm pleased that the First Minister feels that it's appropriate to make an apology on behalf of Scotland at the same time. If we're serious about this, all political parties should start to show less patience with their own anti-equality voices, and stop selecting candidates who will stand in the way of progress.
“We must also work harder to ensure that schools monitor and tackle homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic bullying so that young LGBTI people growing up today never have to face the kind of oppression experienced by previous generations.”