New anti-trans laws will cause significant harm
Reports the UK Government is to roll back on the rights of trans people will cause significant harm to an already vulnerable community, the Scottish Greens have warned.
The Sunday Times reports that Boris Johnson is not only preparing to scrap plans to cut red tape for people transitioning, his government also plans to repeal some of the hard-won rights trans people have gained in order to be recognised.
Responding, Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater said: “With one of the worst records on tackling the coronavirus pandemic in the world, and with right wing violence on the streets of our cities, the Prime Minister has picked this moment to reveal he is rolling back on equalities legislation.
“Excluding trans people from refuges and other safe spaces places them in even more significant danger than they are already in. This is a community which already suffers from abuse, violence and poor mental health yet are being cruelly portrayed as predators.
“But this backward step hurts us all. The right wants to divide the equalities movement, and we must not let that happen. Feminism needs to be intersectional, otherwise we all lose, which is why the Scottish Greens women’s network introduced a pledge of solidarity with our trans and non-binary siblings, with the support of the Rainbow Greens.
“Some of the new laws are reserved to Westminster, but we urge the Scottish Government not to relent to pressure from the right and stand firm with the evidence when it comes to devolved GRA reform.”