Scot Govt’s gender self-ID plans out of step with public

The majority of the Scottish public do not share the Scottish Government’s view that making it much easier to change legal sex is an urgent priority, a poll has found.

Of the 2,003 people surveyed by Panelbase for The Sunday Times, only 13 per cent viewed changing the Gender Recognition Act 2004 (GRA) as an urgent priority – the lowest figure for the issues considered.

In contrast, 68 per cent of respondents agreed that “achieving strong economic growth” was an urgent priority.

‘Absurd’

The Scottish Government recently confirmed its plans to press ahead with its controversial GRA reforms, despite widespread resistance.

Its Bill is expected to remove the need for any medical evidence, reduce the two-year period to change legal sex to three months and extend ‘sex swaps’ to 16-year-olds.

the absurd notion that people can change their sex

Women’s rights group For Women Scotland commented that the Government should focus on pressing issues instead of “the absurd notion that people can change their sex”.

Biology

But First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has denied that the proposals are a “real threat” to women, telling the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland show that critics’ views “are not valid”.

In a separate interview Sky News’ Trevor Philips asked her if she agreed with Harry Potter author JK Rowling “that there is a biological basis to sex and that you, for example, are a woman, not a person with a womb but a woman?”

Sturgeon replied: “I am a woman, and yes I do think there is a biological aspect to sex”.

Panelbase interviewed 2,003 adults resident in Scotland from September 6-10.

Protest

Results from a Scottish Government consultation on changing how the GRA operates in Scotland also revealed significant objections to its plans, and earlier this month hundreds of people gathered outside Holyrood to protest against them.

The Christian Institute was among nearly a hundred organisations to raise serious concerns in response to the consultation.