Sturgeon: Equality watchdog advice could make 'trans lives almost unlivable'

Nicola Sturgeon has said that interim guidance from the UK’s equality watchdog on single-sex spaces could “make trans lives almost unliveable”.

Speaking to reporters at the Scottish Parliament, the former first minister raised concerns about how the UK Supreme Court ruling on gender is interpreted.

Interim advice from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has said that in places such as hospitals, shops and restaurants, “trans women (biological men) should not be permitted to use the women’s facilities”.

Sturgeon said that the Supreme Court judgement is the “law of the land”, but worried about the impact of the EHRC’s interpretation.

“I would be very concerned if that interim guidance became the final guidance and I hope that is not the case because I think that potentially makes the lives of trans people almost unlivable,” Sturgeon said.

“I don’t think the majority of people in the country would want to see that.

“It certainly doesn’t make a single woman any safer to do that because the threat to women – as I think we all know – comes from predatory and abusive men.”

Sturgeon said she believes the Supreme Court judgment should be interpreted in a way that “of course protects women” but also protects trans people to “live their lives with dignity”.

But she said it remains to be seen if that were possible.

“No one can gainsay the Supreme Court – what it says is a statement of the law as it stands,” Sturgeon said.

“I’ve spent my life campaigning for the protection and enhancement of women’s rights, and I bow to nobody on that.

“But I also think it’s really important that the tiny, tiny number of people who are trans in this country get to live with dignity and in a way they feel safe and accepted in society for who they are. I don’t believe – I’ve never believed and I never will believe – that those two things are inevitably in contention.”

Sturgeon added: “The question now is how does the Supreme Court judgement, which is the interpretation of one particular act of Parliament, translate into practice and can that be done in a way that allows trans people to live their lives.”

The EHRC’s new guidance for public bodies, employers, and the NHS about single-sex spaces is set to be published this summer.

The body’s interim guidance can be found here.