Equality Network / Scottish Transgender Alliance Manager James Morton wrote this piece about gender recognition reform in today’s (13/2/18) Edinburgh News.

Although the article says that exemptions will still exist it is contradictory to the guidance given to schools, endorsed by Scottish Transgender Alliance regarding changing rooms & other sex segregated spaces.

What exactly is the position of Scottish Transgender Alliance on this matter?

“Not contrary to the schools good practice guidance. It’s not proportionate to treat trans people differently where cubicles in changing rooms. Schools guidance suggests implementing a rota for individual use of facilities like communal showers if needed for privacy.”

Scottish Transgender Alliance

Most schools do not have cubicled changing rooms though. So what happens then?

The article says the laws allows for trans people to be excluded, which is correct. The school guidance says otherwise.

The school guidance makes no mention of this lawful exemption, instead it says to tell parents to be inclusive. Then suggests that other learners can use different facility.

This is in the actual school guidance!

“All young people should feel comfortable using these facilities”

Yet, if a learner is uncomfortable with a trans pupil in the changing room then she can go use a disabled toilet, as the trans pupil shouldn’t need to just to make someone else comfortable

The Scottish Transgender Alliance / LGBT Youth Scotland school guidance explicitly states that trans should use the changing room they want. It even says it could be unlawful not to.

This isn’t the current law!

The law allows for separate sex changing rooms.

The above article by James Morton is also contradictory regarding the issue of sports. The article confirms that exemptions will exist yet the school guidance says trans pupils can compete in their preferred gender.

Which one is the correct view of Scottish Transgender Alliance?

It is highly questionable that articles are featuring in newspapers to ‘reassure’ us that reforms of the Gender Recognition Act 2004 will not harm anyone’s rights, yet behind the scenes new policies and guidelines have been produced and distributed across most public sectors saying the exact opposite!