South Scotland MSP Brian Whittle has hit out at Green MSP and Scottish Government Minister Lorna Slater for comments she made about critics of the Scottish Government’s proposed reforms to the Gender Recognition Act.
During an interview, Ms Slater appeared to liken critics of the proposed legislation, which would allow someone to change their gender by self-declaration, to racists and anti-semites. The Minister said “we would not put balance on the question of racism or anti-Semitism” before going on to argue that “we allow this fictional notion of balance when it comes to anti-trans [views]”. She went on to say that she was “genuinely afraid for” the safety of trans candidates standing in the upcoming council election and suggested that groups opposing gender recognition reform were being secretly funded by right-wing American groups.
The remarks have been labelled as “grossly offensive” by women’s rights groups and local MSP Brian Whittle has questioned whether it’s appropriate for the Green MSP to remain part of the Scottish Government.
Several organisations, including the Equality and Human Rights Commission have called for the Scottish Government to rethink their proposed reforms, suggesting that the implications had not been fully thought through. The Scottish Conservatives have also stated their opposition to the current reforms amid concerns that the plans threaten women-only spaces.
Brian Whittle MSP said:
“These comments from Lorna Slater are the latest example of how toxic this debate has become. It’s absurd to suggest legitimate questioning of the Scottish Government’s position is in any way the same as the most vile hate speech.
Attempts by members of the public, politicians and women’s groups to ask perfectly valid questions about the implications for women of this legislation have repeatedly been met with accusations of transphobia. This kind of extreme response is profoundly anti-democratic and doesn’t benefit anyone.
Shutting down debate with sweeping generalisations, unfounded accusations and statements bordering on conspiracy theories is the kind of thing I’d expect from Donald Trump’s America. Yet here we see it in the SNP’s Scotland.
People on both sides of the gender reform debate have genuine and reasonable points to make and politicians should be listening. If Lorna Slater isn’t capable of accepting the legitimacy of any view that doesn’t match her own, she shouldn’t be an MSP, never mind a Government Minister.”
