A revolution stopped in its tracks is an uncanny sight. After impatiently pursuing reforms to the Gender Recognition Act (GRA), the Scottish Government has suddenly hit the brakes. Shirley-Anne Somerville, SNP social security minister, announced the halt in a statement to the Scottish Parliament on Thursday. Although Nicola Sturgeon, at her minister’s side for support, remains committed to ditching medical diagnosis in favour of self-identification, she has made substantial concessions to feminist dissenters.
The proposed three-month wait for a gender recognition certificate will be extended by a ‘mandatory three-month reflection period’. The 16-week public consultation held in 2018 will be superseded by a ‘full consultation on the precise details‘ of draft legislation, ‘including a comprehensive updated equality impact assessment’. Guidance materials prepared by LGBT Youth Scotland will be withdrawn from schools after ‘valid concerns’ over ‘potentially excluding other girls from female-only spaces’. The Equality Act right to maintain single-sex spaces was affirmed and the minister pledged ‘further consideration’ on lowering the transition age below 18 while rejecting calls to recognise non-binary identities.
Trans advocacy groups and third-sector organisations accused of ‘policy capture’ have reacted with frustration.
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