Nicola Sturgeon: 'Women not owed apology over trans debate'

Nicola Sturgeon has said she does not owe women an apology over her support of controversial gender reforms.

Speaking to reporters after an event to launch her memoir on Thursday, the former first minister said she won’t say sorry to people on the other side who feel vilified for their views.

“No, I won’t apologise,” Sturgeon replied.

“People on both sides of this debate are vilified. I’ve been vilified and received some awful abuse – nothing like the abuse trans people are getting right now.

“I tried to stand up for rights of one of most stigmatised minorities in the country. I don’t believe that is in conflict with the rights of women which I have stood up for and will continue to stand up for.”

Sturgeon’s gender reform legislation was designed to make it easier for trans people to change their legal gender without a lengthy medical process.

Despite fierce opposition from some women’s rights campaigners who feared it would give biological males access to female spaces, it was passed in Scotland with cross-party support.

But the Gender Recognition Reform was never enacted after it was blocked by Westminster.

The former SNP leader often faces criticism for the way she has handled it.

The former SNP leader has since admitted she should have paused the legislation and said she didn’t anticipate some of the concerns that would be triggered.

Sturgeon said she respects the view of people who disagree with her, but she said she “deeply regrets the way in which some are punching down on trans people who have done nothing to harm anybody”.

At the event on Thursday, Sturgeon said people who call themselves feminists have laughed at her miscarriage on social media, which she revealed in her memoir, and said they want her to be “raped in a toilet”.

“I will continue to stand up for women’s rights and I will continue to stand up trans rights,” she said after the event.

“I didn’t come into politics to back away from the things I believe in because it got a bit difficult for me personally.”