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The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- General
- The Herald Scotland
Letting libraries crumble is attacking the vulnerable
Libraries have always been more than shelves and silence. They're vital spaces for the whole community and one of the few places where you're not expected to buy a coffee just to sit down. In today's digital world, they're a lifeline for those who can't afford broadband or don't have access to a printer. We talk about levelling up, tackling isolation, improving literacy, supporting mental health – libraries do all of that and more with far too little credit. It's not just short-sighted to let them crumble; it's attacking the vulnerable. If we're serious about building a fairer, more equal Scotland, we need to stop treating libraries like optional extras. They are – and always have been – lifelines. Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, Tayport. Read more letters Definition of a hate crime To be a hate crime in Scotland, something must first be a crime. Then, for any crime, if it is proven in court that the motive was prejudice on grounds such as race, religion or sexual orientation, the crime is recorded as a hate crime. The motive can then be taken into account by the sheriff in deciding an appropriate sentence. That's been the law for 15 years and more. Tearing down the street decorations for a parade is likely to be the crime of vandalism. In the case of the Arran Pride march ("A hate crime on Arran? No, just a sign of where we are", Mark Smith, The Herald, June 2), the fact that it was an LGBTI+ event and was targeted in that way suggests that it may in fact have been a prejudice-motivated crime. In that case it's right that the police look into that. Whether it ends up recorded as a crime, and potentially prejudice-motivated, depends on what evidence there is. Mark Smith suggests that the perpetrator may have been a gay person who doesn't like the rainbow flag. Hypothetical, dare I say imaginary, based only on his own views about trans people it seems, and frankly a great example of victim-blaming. Disliking what a flag represents suggests more than a dislike of the colours or design, it suggests disliking the inclusion of those that the flag represents – the wide and diverse LGB+ community alongside the people of colour who founded the LGBTI+ movement, those lost within the AIDS crisis and of course, trans people. It's hardly surprising that the police might consider this flag being torn down to have been motivated by prejudice and hate. The Equality Network's Scottish Trans team were at Arran Pride, and we're happy to report that despite the vandalism the night before, everyone had a really great time with locals – celebrating everyone's diversity and calling for a better Scotland for everyone. Rebecca Don Kennedy, CEO, Equality Network, Edinburgh. Glasgow's transport shame I fully agree with Stuart Neville (Letters, June 3) who comments on the fact that Subway travel in Glasgow is a difficult and confusing experience if you are not familiar with all the stations on its circular route, due mainly to the lack of any visual indication of which station the train is approaching, in spite of over £28 million spent on its upgrade. As Mr Neville says there are the occasional spoken announcements, some of which are understandable and some not. I am also somewhat puzzled as to why after this lengthy and expensive revamp the service frequency is less than in the days of the previous "Clockwork Orange" system. Another obvious drawback is the fact that the service stops operating at 6pm on a Sunday, something that was previously blamed on the need for extra maintenance to keep ageing rolling stock and infrastructure working. Sadly the Subway seems to be like the rest of our city's disjointed and expensive public transport in that passengers come, by some distance, a poor second to what suits the various operators in Glasgow. The city centre is no longer the thriving and busy place it once was as retail, hospitality, theatres and music venues suffer from the lack of footfall. Surely it is obvious that easy-to-use and affordable public transport is a must to help Glasgow get back to being the city it once was. William Gold, Glasgow. A train on the revamped Glasgow Underground (Image: SPT) Educating Nigel AJ Clarence (Letters, June 2) remarks on Nigel Farage's likeness to one Joe E Brown. As one of your older readers, I have always thought Mr Farage unnervingly like 1950s ventriloquist dummy Archie Andrews, in oh so many ways. Rosemary Parker, Troon. Memories of Canada scheme In the "100 years ago" section today (The Herald, June 3) mention is made of a scheme for young boys to go to Canada. My mother's brother was sent to Canada aged 16 with £2 in his pocket in 1929 under this scheme. It was run by the British Immigration and Colonisation Association of Canada (BICA). It would be considered very controversial nowadays as its slogan was "Keep Canada British". They had an office in Bath Street, Glasgow. Boys aged 14 to 18 were recruited to work as farm hands for 10 shillings a week with full board. Boys who went out under this scheme and who saved £100 by the age of 21 would receive a loan of £100 from the Canadian Government to set up their own farm. My uncle returned to Glasgow in 1931 having completed his first three years. He returned under the scheme in late 1931. However the coldest weather on record hit East Ontario in late December 1933 and my grandmother paid for his return home. He spoke about his time in Canada often. It was not easy for many of the young farm labourers. Some were badly treated and lived in wooden shacks. There was very little supervision of essentially a fairly wild bunch of teenage lads from modest backgrounds. He was aware of one lad who had not been paid, was molested by the farmer, and stole food. Then he found himself in prison and was deported. However my relative struck lucky and was well treated. Eric Flack, Glasgow.
Telegraph
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Trans activists ‘in denial' after Holyrood lavatory ban
Trans activists are 'in denial' about the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman, it has been claimed. Scottish Trans and Equality Network wrote to Holyrood's ruling corporate body to protest against an announcement that only biological women will be allowed to use female facilities in the Parliament building from Monday. They described the decision as being 'rushed, unworkable and exclusionary', despite last month's Supreme Court ruling that trans women are not women taking effect immediately. Although Holyrood's authorities made clear that extra gender-neutral toilets would be provided, they claimed the change would 'make trans people feel significantly less welcome at Parliament'. They said that trans people had been 'using toilets in line with our gender identities across Scotland and the UK for decades'. However, the Scottish Tories pointed out the Supreme Court had found this practice to be unlawful. Tess White, their shadow equalities minister, said: 'This ridiculous letter shows that trans activists remain in denial about the Supreme Court ruling. 'The Scottish Parliament, like every public body in the country, has a legal obligation to protect women's rights to single-sex spaces. Yet this extremist lobby group is urging them to break the law because it doesn't like it.' Swathes of public bodies in Scotland, including the Scottish Government, NHS boards and councils, allow biological men self-identifying as women to use female facilities. Experts have warned these practices will have to be scrapped following the Supreme Court's ruling that the definition of a woman is based on biological sex, and does not include trans women. First Minister John Swinney has said that they should delay acting on the ruling until the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) publishes official guidance in the summer. This is despite the EHRC publishing interim advice making clear that access to single-sex facilities in workplaces and public services should be based on biological sex. The Scottish Parliament's Corporate Body (SPCB) wrote to all MSPs and staff on Thursday stating that access to all single-sex facilities in the Parliament would be determined by biological sex from next week. A bank of three toilets in the public area of the Parliament is to be designated as a 'gender-neutral facility' that could be used by trans people. In addition, an existing shower and changing facility and a toilet in the non-public part will also be gender-neutral. Vic Valentine, manager of Scottish Trans, dismissed the Tories' claim that the charity was urging the Parliament to break the law as 'completely disingenuous' and argued it should have waited for the final EHRC guidance. He said: 'If banning trans women from women's toilets and trans men from men's toilets turns out to be a genuine requirement of the recent Supreme Court judgment once the statutory code of practice is in place, then we do not expect Parliament to ignore or to flout the law.' 'But we do expect parliamentarians to be honest and to show leadership when laws are clearly unjust, and cause harm to groups of people.' He added the Parliament's decision 'will exclude us and segregate us in the heart of Scotland's democracy'. But Dr Kath Murray, of policy analysts Murray Blackburn Mackenzie, said the activists' letter showed that they thought 'women don't matter and identity trumps everything'. A Scottish Parliament spokesman said: 'Holyrood provides a wide range of facilities so that it is an inclusive and welcoming space for all. 'The Supreme Court's ruling had immediate effect in law and after careful consideration the SPCB announced interim steps to ensure it fulfils its legal responsibilities. This included taking into account EHRC's interim update to organisations.'
The Independent
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Trans people ‘excluded in heart of democracy' after Holyrood toilet rule change
A decision by Holyrood bosses to ban trans people from using the toilets of their preferred gender at the Parliament will leave them excluded at the 'heart of Scotland's democracy', equalities campaigners have warned. The Scottish Trans and Equality Network hit out after the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body – which makes decisions on the accommodation at Holyrood – announced the permitted use of 'all facilities designated as male or female' will be based on 'biological sex'. It comes in the wake of the recent landmark Supreme Court ruling which made clear the terms 'woman' and 'sex'' in the 2010 Equality Act 'refer to a biological woman and biological sex'. An update from the Equality and Human Rights Commission issued afterwards stated that in workplaces which are open to the public, trans people should not be permitted to use facilities which correspond with their identified gender. Holyrood Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone said: 'As Scotland's legislature, it is vital that the Parliament fulfils its legal responsibilities. 'Our officials therefore took immediate steps following the publication of the judgment to review it in detail and to consider its implications for services and facilities at Holyrood.' In an email sent to those working at Holyrood, she said that from Monday May 12 the Parliament would 'provide male-only and female-only facilities as well as gender-neutral and accessible facilities'. Ms Johnstone added: 'We believe it is important to take these interim steps now not only to ensure we fulfil our legal responsibilities, but to give clarity to all those using the building. 'Such clarity is an important element in offering all individuals confidence, privacy and dignity when using our facilities. 'Everyone working in, or visiting, Holyrood should feel welcome in the building and be confident there is a suitable facility for them.' But the Scottish Trans and Equality Network branded the move 'rushed, unworkable and exclusionary'. Scottish Trans manager Vic Valentine said: 'If banning trans women from women's toilets and trans men from men's toilets turns out to be a genuine requirement of the recent Supreme Court judgment once the statutory code of practice is in place, then we do not expect Parliament to ignore or to flout the law. 'But we do expect parliamentarians to be honest and to show leadership when laws are clearly unjust, and cause harm to groups of people. 'We cannot understand why this decision has been described as one that will bring 'confidence, privacy and dignity' to everyone. 'It will not do so for trans people. It will exclude us and segregate us in the heart of Scotland's democracy.'
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Trans people ‘will avoid hospitals if put on wards with patients of same biological sex'
Trans people will avoid hospitals so they do not experience 'humiliation' of being placed on wards that match their biological sex, activists have warned MSPs after the Supreme Court ruling. The Equality Network and Scottish Trans said it was 'very likely' that people will avoid 'necessary hospital care' rather than be placed on a ward that is 'opposed to their gender identity.' In a joint letter to Holyrood's equalities committee addressing the impact of last week's ruling, they said that trans people face being 'outed' at work or in the NHS if they are forced to use facilities that match their biological sex. They also insisted that trans women are women despite the court's ruling that the definition of woman for the purposes of the Equality Act is based on biological sex. If the ruling forces trans women to use male changing facilities and toilets, they argued this would result in 'repeated breaches' of their human rights, including their right to privacy. But the UK's equalities watchdog told the committee that the case 'resolves' difficulties that 'risked jeopardising the rights and interests of women and same-sex attracted people'. The Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said this included 'the challenges faced by those seeking to maintain single-sex spaces, and the rights of same-sex attracted persons to form associations'. Nicola Sturgeon's plans to allow people to self-identify their legal gender by signing a simple declaration were vetoed by the UK Government over concerns they undermined women's safe spaces. But it has emerged that swathes of Scotland's public sector have adopted self-ID anyway to allow trans people to access female toilets and changing rooms. In it submission to the Supreme Court, the SNP Government argued that it was unlawful for women-only clubs and associations to exclude biological males with gender recognition certificates (GRCs). For example, its legal submission stated that it would be unlawful for a lesbian association to bar biological males with GRCs who were sexually attracted to women. Experts have warned the self-ID policy will have to be ripped up in the wake of the court's ruling that the definition of woman is based on biological sex. Legal experts such as Dr Michael Foran, a public law lecturer at Glasgow University, has said the ruling was clear that services can exclude trans women from female-only services 'where it is proportionate'. Dr Rebecca Don Kennedy, the Equality Network's chief executive, and Vic Valentine, the manager of Scottish Trans, told the committee they were 'deeply concerned' about the judgment's 'potential implications.' They said a 'narrow interpretation' would allow trans people to continue accessing single-sex services that align with their gender identity but a 'wider interpretation' was they could be excluded 'by default'. Arguing that the latter would strip trans people of their right to privacy, they said: 'For example, someone having to use the toilet at work that corresponds to their 'biological sex', as opposed to their gender identity, would out them as trans to their colleagues. 'Or someone who is placed on a hospital ward that corresponds to their 'biological sex' as opposed to their gender identity, may be immediately outed as trans to others on that ward, and their visitors.' They also claimed this 'could potentially open trans people up to experiences of discrimination, harassment, abuse and violence', before adding: 'We also think it is very likely that trans people would avoid necessary hospital care due to the potential humiliation of being placed in a ward where they clearly do not belong.' The pair questioned whether it was feasible to create 'third spaces, solely for trans people' given they constitute less than 0.5 per cent of the population. They also argued that determining someone's biological sex was not as straightforward as seeing whether they had a male or female anatomy, saying there was a multitude of diversity in humanity.' But For Women Scotland, the feminist group that won the Supreme Court case, noted that the SNP Government's lawyers had 'conceded that self-identification was not lawful'. Trina Budge, Marion Calder and Susan Smith, the group's directors, wrote to the committee that trans people with or without a gender recognition certificate 'would be counted as their sex for all purposes under the Equality Act.' They also said they would not appear before the committee while Maggie Chapman, a Green MSP, remained a member. She was filmed last weekend attacking the 'bigotry, prejudice and hatred that we see coming from the Supreme Court'. Tess White, a Conservative committee member, has tabled a motion recommending that the parliament remove Ms Chapman. Ms White said Ms Chapman's position was 'untenable', adding: 'I urge my fellow MSPs on the committee to do the right thing on Tuesday and back my call to recommend that she be removed from her position.' The Scottish Greens declined to comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
25-04-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Trans people ‘will avoid hospitals if put on wards with patients of same biological sex'
Trans people will avoid hospitals so they do not experience 'humiliation' of being placed on wards that match their biological sex, activists have warned MSPs after the Supreme Court ruling. The Equality Network and Scottish Trans said it was 'very likely' that people will avoid 'necessary hospital care' rather than be placed on a ward that is 'opposed to their gender identity.' In a joint letter to Holyrood's equalities committee addressing the impact of last week's ruling, they said that trans people face being 'outed' at work or in the NHS if they are forced to use facilities that match their biological sex. They also insisted that trans women are women despite the court's ruling that the definition of woman for the purposes of the Equality Act is based on biological sex. If the ruling forces trans women to use male changing facilities and toilets, they argued this would result in 'repeated breaches' of their human rights, including their right to privacy. But the UK's equalities watchdog told the committee that the case 'resolves' difficulties that 'risked jeopardising the rights and interests of women and same-sex attracted people'. The Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said this included 'the challenges faced by those seeking to maintain single-sex spaces, and the rights of same-sex attracted persons to form associations'. Nicola Sturgeon 's plans to allow people to self-identify their legal gender by signing a simple declaration were vetoed by the UK Government over concerns they undermined women's safe spaces. But it has emerged that swathes of Scotland's public sector have adopted self-ID anyway to allow trans people to access female toilets and changing rooms. In it submission to the Supreme Court, the SNP Government argued that it was unlawful for women-only clubs and associations to exclude biological males with gender recognition certificates (GRCs). For example, its legal submission stated that it would be unlawful for a lesbian association to bar biological males with GRCs who were sexually attracted to women. Experts have warned the self-ID policy will have to be ripped up in the wake of the court's ruling that the definition of woman is based on biological sex. Legal experts such as Dr Michael Foran, a public law lecturer at Glasgow University, has said the ruling was clear that services can exclude trans women from female-only services 'where it is proportionate'. Dr Rebecca Don Kennedy, the Equality Network's chief executive, and Vic Valentine, the manager of Scottish Trans, told the committee they were 'deeply concerned' about the judgment's 'potential implications.' They said a 'narrow interpretation' would allow trans people to continue accessing single-sex services that align with their gender identity but a 'wider interpretation' was they could be excluded 'by default'. Arguing that the latter would strip trans people of their right to privacy, they said: 'For example, someone having to use the toilet at work that corresponds to their 'biological sex', as opposed to their gender identity, would out them as trans to their colleagues. 'Or someone who is placed on a hospital ward that corresponds to their 'biological sex' as opposed to their gender identity, may be immediately outed as trans to others on that ward, and their visitors.' They also claimed this 'could potentially open trans people up to experiences of discrimination, harassment, abuse and violence', before adding: 'We also think it is very likely that trans people would avoid necessary hospital care due to the potential humiliation of being placed in a ward where they clearly do not belong.' The pair questioned whether it was feasible to create 'third spaces, solely for trans people' given they constitute less than 0.5 per cent of the population. They also argued that determining someone's biological sex was not as straightforward as seeing whether they had a male or female anatomy, saying there was a multitude of diversity in humanity.' But For Women Scotland, the feminist group that won the Supreme Court case, noted that the SNP Government's lawyers had 'conceded that self-identification was not lawful'. Trina Budge, Marion Calder and Susan Smith, the group's directors, wrote to the committee that trans people with or without a gender recognition certificate 'would be counted as their sex for all purposes under the Equality Act.' They also said they would not appear before the committee while Maggie Chapman, a Green MSP, remained a member. She was filmed last weekend attacking the 'bigotry, prejudice and hatred that we see coming from the Supreme Court'. Tess White, a Conservative committee member, has tabled a motion recommending that the parliament remove Ms Chapman. Ms White said Ms Chapman's position was 'untenable', adding: 'I urge my fellow MSPs on the committee to do the right thing on Tuesday and back my call to recommend that she be removed from her position.'
