Equality

Campaigners from the Scottish Trans Alliance will demonstrate for three days at the Scottish Parliament this week, to highlight what they describe as a major threat to trans people’s rights. They are warning of a new “section 28”, targeting trans people, as attempts are made to try to change the rules that currently recognise trans people’s lived sex.

Over the first three days of the new Parliamentary year, Tuesday 3rd to Thursday 5th September, the campaign will maintain a presence outside the Parliament under the banner “Defend Trans Rights – Our Lives Are Real”.

The focus of the demonstration is on attempts to change the basis of the next Census, in 2021, so that instead of answering the sex question in the sex they live as, trans people are forced to answer with the sex they were assigned at birth. The Scottish Government proposes to continue with the arrangements for previous Censuses, under which trans men and trans women answer in their lived sex. But the convener of the Parliamentary Committee considering the Census rules, Joan McAlpine MSP, is calling for this to be changed to require trans people to answer with their “biological sex at birth”.

James Morton, Manager of the Scottish Trans Alliance said, “In all previous Censuses, trans men and trans women have answered using their lived sex, and that has worked well. To change that would fundamentally undermine the long established practice, and internationally established human right, of recognising our lived sex. There is no doubt that if those who want this change to be made in the Census are successful, they will move on to try to stop trans people being recognised as our lived sex in other areas such as our use of services including the NHS and education, and in government and other equality policies.”

He added, “If the Census is changed in this way, it will be the first time that LGBT equality in legislation has gone backwards anywhere in the UK since the introduction of section 28 under Margaret Thatcher in 1988. Section 28 labelled same-sex relationships as ‘pretended’. The suggested change to the Census sex question would similarly state that trans people’s lived sex is not real. That’s why we’re here at the Parliament to defend against this threat to trans rights, and to say Our Lives Are Real.”

More than 20 performers, artists and authors will come together on Sunday 11th August for a day of music, comedy, storytelling, poetry, zines and artwork, to celebrate and fundraise for trans equality. The event takes place on Giles Street, Leith, and in Harmonium Bar (Giles St) and Sofi’s Bar (Henderson St), from 2pm to 10pm. It is organised by the Equality Network, Scottish Trans Alliance, Harmonium and Sofi’s, and sponsored by Absolut and Electric Spirit Co.

The line-up includes Teddy Lamb, Kate Charlesworth, Emilie Hwang, Sheboom, Rachel Plummer, Jo Clifford, Lavender Menace Returns, Ryan Brown, James Cuddihy, Helen Reeves, The Prettiest Dunce, Hawf a Dug Crisp Box, Hidden Ink Child, Bombinate, Gordon Shaw, Wild and Kind, Andres Ordorica, Gloria Bittman and Ink Asher Hemp.

There will also be vegan street food and an outdoor bar on Giles Street.

The event is a fundraiser for the Equal Recognition campaign, which is campaigning for reform to Scotland’s Gender Recognition Act, to make it easier for trans people to change their legal gender to match the gender in which they live. The Scottish Government has proposed making such changes, and later this year will be consulting the public on a draft bill to do that. All parties represented at Holyrood had manifesto commitments on this at the 2016 Holyrood election.

Becky Crowther, organiser of the event at the Equality Network, said, “Showing solidarity with the trans community in Scotland is so important right now. Whilst trans rights and trans people are under attack online and in the media, we are so grateful to all of our contributors for standing with them to do something positive and celebratory.”

Ben Thomson, manager of Harmonium Bar said, “We wanted to team up with Scottish Trans Alliance on this because this is a positive campaign to be involved in. As a venue we value equality and diversity and we want to be a place that does good food, good booze and is open to everyone.”

Jo Clifford, world-renowned playwright who is performing at the event, said, “This is a difficult time for everyone in the LGBTI and queer community, and it’s really important we find occasions to show our pride and our solidarity for each other. So I’m really happy this event is happening in the middle of the Edinburgh Festival, and really proud to be taking part in it.”