SNP Minister's husband hurls 'weirdo' insult in clash on trans people and changing rooms
EXCLUSIVE: SNP Councillor Robert Innes hit out at people who are 'obsessed' with 'genitalia' in a debate on the Supreme Court ruling on biological sex.
An SNP Minister's husband has branded critics who raise concerns about trans people and changing rooms as 'weirdo'.
SNP Councillor Robert Innes, who is married to Children's Minister Natalie Don-Innes, hit out at people who are 'obsessed' with 'genitalia'.
He has been urged to retract the comments and apologise.
The row stemmed from a debate at Renfrewshire Council after the Supreme Court ruled that a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law.
Judges sided with campaign group For Women Scotland, which brought a case against the SNP Government legislation on gender representation on public boards.
The judgement will have implications for trans people and single sex spaces such as bathrooms and changing facilities.
During a council meeting, Labour councillor Alison Ann-Dowling moved a motion backing the court ruling.
Her motion also instructed the local authority CEO to review the council's 'policies, procedures and guidance and training materials' to ensure compliance with the Supreme Court decision.
Innes said during the debate: 'If you are obsessed with, or focused on caring about, somebody else's genitalia in a changing room, then you're the weirdo, not the person who is trying to get changed.
'If you are in a public restroom and everybody is behaving as you would expect - going to the toilet, washing their hands, checking their reflection - then what does it matter if they are a male or a female?
'It's the abusers that should be the concern and the focus here, not the people in the toilet. This ruling here, it rips rights away from a vulnerable minority.'
He also quoted former SNP MP Mhairi Black who wrote that 'a proven gateway into fascism is transphobia'.
Innes' wife is the Minister for Children, Young People and the Promise, as well as the MSP for Renfrewshire North and West.
Ann-Dowling told the Record: 'It's really disappointing when elected members with influence over public policy use their time to personally attack people who have raised safeguarding concerns in the most offensive terms.
"Instead of making a positive contribution to upholding principles of safeguarding, he chose to attack people who recognise the need for single-sex spaces for the safety and privacy of women and girls, places like rape crisis centres and changing rooms, as 'weirdos' who are obsessed with 'genitalia'. He should retract his comments and apologise."
The SNP Government has said it will wait until new guidance is issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission on single sex spaces before it implements the court ruling.
An SNP spokesperson said: 'We've been clear that we accept the judgement of the Supreme Court ruling and are committed to promoting the rights of women and LGBT people. It is important we all do our best to ensure the discussions and debate following the Supreme Court judgement are rooted in empathy, compassion and equality for everyone.'
Councillor Innes has been contacted.
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