FM: Gender Bill opponents 'using women's rights to hide transphobia'

The First Minister stressed not all opponents of her Government’s Gender Recognition Reform Bill hold this view.

Nicola Sturgeon: Some Gender Recognition Reform Bill opponents are using women’s rights to hide transphobia Scottish Government

Some opponents of gender recognition reform are using women’s rights as a “cloak of acceptability” for transphobia, Nicola Sturgeon has claimed.

But the First Minister stressed not all opponents of her Government’s Gender Recognition Reform Bill hold this view.

The UK Government has blocked the Bill from becoming law, citing its impact on UK-wide equalities legislation, triggering a constitutional dispute which is likely to go to court.

In an interview with Global’s The News Agents podcast, Sturgeon said: “I have heard people, politicians, claiming to be defenders of women’s rights who I’d never heard defend women’s rights in the past.

“In fact, I’ve heard some support policies… that run counter to women’s rights.

“We have legislation looming later in this Parliament on criminal justice reform to try to deal with issues of low conviction rates for rape and sexual assault, we are likely to be dealing with legislation in months to come around abortion buffer zones.

“I think it will be interesting to see how many of the so-called defenders of women’s rights in the context of the trans debate suddenly don’t think that all women’s rights are actually important.

“There are some people that I think have decided to use women’s rights as a sort of cloak of acceptability to cover up what is transphobia.

“Now, again, that’s not everybody who opposes this Bill. I want to be very clear about that.

“But there are people who have opposed this Bill that cloak themselves in women’s rights to make it acceptable, but just as they’re transphobic you’ll also find that they’re deeply misogynist, often homophobic, possibly some of them racist as well.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Sturgeon said there should be “reflection” on the appointment of BBC chairman Richard Sharp.

Mr Sharp’s appointment is currently being reviewed amid revelations around his role in helping Boris Johnson secure a loan.

Asked whether Mr Sharp should resign, the SNP leader said: “I think there are probably people above him in the queue of folks in public office who should resign at the moment and a former chancellor being one of them, but I think he should be reflecting on, given what has emerged about his role or alleged role, I suppose I should say, in brokering a credit facility for a sitting prime minister, then perhaps he should reflect on him being the chairman of the BBC.

“Does that help the BBC?… I think there should be reflection as well on the process of appointing the chairman of the BBC for the future.”

Discussing the BBC’s impartiality, she said: “Is there a perception of partiality with the BBC?

“I think that is a real danger for the BBC that that is starting to be the case and the Richard Sharp saga, call it what you want, I don’t think helps with that.”

The First Minister was also asked whether she has read the Duke of Sussex’s memoir.

She said: “I think people, particularly those who want to preserve the monarchy, would do well to kind of listen and reflect.

“They probably don’t agree with all of it. But, you know, he tells of childhood trauma, deeply grieving, you felt he lived a life that he wasn’t able to process that or to be himself.

“He felt that the relationship between the Royal Family and the media is a bit toxic.

“There is lots in there that shouldn’t be dismissed, in my view.”

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