09-05-2025
Nicola Sturgeon refuses to apologise for self-ID despite demand from Isla Bryson's mum
Speaking after the Supreme Court ruling in April, Bryson's mum Janet had told the Sunday Mail: "I think it is now time Ms Sturgeon apologised."
Nicola Sturgeon has refused to apologise for self-ID despite demand from Isla Bryson 's mum.
The former First Minister, who was instrumental in forcing controversial gender self-ID laws through Holyrood, finally broke her silence to say she did not need to say sorry following the Supreme Court judgement which ruled that only biology confirms a person's sex.
Sturgeon had faced calls to apologise, which were backed by Janet Bryson, who son was born Adam Graham but began to identify as a woman called Isla while awaiting trial for rape.
Bryson's case caused outrage after being sent to female jail Cornton Vale before Sturgeon, then first minister, announced a switch to all-male HMP Edinburgh.
The case fuelled outrage over the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill and also contributed to the resignation of Sturgeon as FM.
However this week the former SNP leader said that while she accepted the Supreme Court 's ruling, she also warned that the manner in which it will be "translated into practice" could make "the lives of trans people almost unlivable".
She said she would be "very concerned" if interim advice issued by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) that only biological women can use female-only safe spaces "became the final guidance".
In April, speaking exclusively to the Sunday Mail, Janet, 65, said: "I'm pleased with the ruling which ends years of confusion over these new gender laws and now the rights of biological women are clear and protected.
"That has now been made clear but it should never have been questioned in the first place. But I think it is now time Ms Sturgeon apologised.
"So much time, money and energy has been spent trying to protect the rights of some but at the expense of biological women.
"You can say you are a woman all you want but I believe that is different to being biologically born a woman. With the case of my son, he was born a man. A piece of paper does not change that."
In April Britain's highest court ruled only two biological sexes - male and female, assigned at birth - can be recognised under the 2010 Equality Act. But they said trans people were still protected from discrimination by the act.
Lord Hodge, who read out the historic ruling, said: 'We counsel against reading this judgment. as a triumph of one or more groups in our society at the expense of another it is not.'
After the ruling, author JK Rowling, who has been outspoken on gender issues, said: "In winning, they've protected the rights of women and girls across the UK."
Mum-of-three Janet has always refuted Bryson's claims he had wanted to be a girl from age four.
She said: "My son never expressed any wish that he wanted to be a girl, dressed in any other way or ever asked to be called by any other name than Adam growing up. Never once, at the age of four or at any other age."
Janet previously told the Sunday Mail: "I believe you have to be born female to be female. No wigs, dresses or amount of make-up makes you female."
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The landmark decision came after feminist group For Women Scotland (FWS) challenged the Scottish Government's 2018 ruling that transgender women could be included as female in laws requiring 50/50 representation on public boards.
Five justices unanimously ruled that having a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) does not change a person's sex in law.
FWS's legal challenge was put forward in 2022 over Scottish laws which said men who identify as women could take women-only roles on public company boards.
The Scottish Government introduced laws in 2018 to include people given the legal GRC document, which would allow them to use single-sex areas, including women's loos and changing rooms.
During the case, the Scottish Government argued in court that transgender people with a GRC are entitled to the same sex-based protections as biological women.
The interim EHRC advice states that "trans women (biological men) should not be permitted to use the women's facilities" and vice versa, "as this will mean that they are no longer single-sex facilities."
The watchdog's final guidance is due to be published in the coming months.
Bryson, 33, was convicted of raping women while known as Graham in 2023 and jailed for eight years, with a further three on licence.
