3 days ago
Police Scotland accused of comparing gender-critical feminists to Nazis
Police Scotland has been accused of comparing gender-critical feminists to Nazis after an internal document drew parallels between the two.
The document said that 'gender binary' – the belief that there are only two genders – was a 'key feature of the Nazi racial policies'.
It said that 'right now, some 88 years later the gender-critical movement has a strong voice and presence' and questioned whether this was 'an echo of how past hostilities arose'.
The document also asked whether the strength of gender critics, who argue there are only two genders, meant 'we have failed to understand the lessons we should have collectively learned from our shared history.'
It was posted on a divisional noticeboard to mark 'Trans+ History Week' in May, which aims to celebrate the history of 'gender diverse people', including 'trans, non-binary and intersex people.'
Police Scotland said the document had been removed but critics said it should be a 'wake-up call' about how the force deals with gender and sex.
Last September, the force reversed a policy that allowed rapists to self-identify as female as it fostered 'a strong sense of belonging'.
The furore over the document erupted after the Supreme Court ruled in April that trans women are not women.
Police Scotland announced that it would review its policies on trans issues and a meeting was held behind closed doors at its Tulliallan headquarters on Thursday to discuss the implications of the ruling.
Responding to the document, which was disclosed by the Scottish Daily Mail, a force spokesman said: 'The content does not reflect the views of Police Scotland and has been removed. Advice will be given around the use of language.'
Dr Lucy Hunter Blackburn, of policy analysts Murray Blackburn Mackenzie, said: 'It is welcome Police Scotland recognise this is unacceptable language.
'But this should be a wake-up call about the culture around sex and gender in the force. The Supreme Court's clarification of the law offers an opportunity for the leadership to break with the past. They urgently need to take it.'
Murdo Fraser, a Scottish Tory MSP, said: 'It's unbelievable that such outrageous language made it into an official Police Scotland document.
'This is a deeply offensive comparison. People with concerns about the SNP's flawed gender self-ID plans shouldn't be vilified for standing up for common sense.'
The document said Trans+ History Week was a chance to 'learn and celebrate the rich and long history of trans, non-binary, gender-diverse and intersex people.
'At a time when anti-trans rhetoric is on the rise, this can be a week where we can uplift the trans community and send a clear message – 'trans people have always been here.''
It said the event was timed to coincide with the anniversary of a 'Nazi raid on the world's first ever trans clinic in 1933', adding that: 'Gender binary was a key feature of the Nazi racial policies.'
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