LGBT charities granted permission to intervene in gender reform legal case
dailyrecord.co.ukScottish Government is challenging Westminster’s decision to use Section 35 of the Scotland Act to prevent the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill from becoming law.This was the first time that the power had been used since the Scottish Parliament was established in 1999.Tory Scotland Secretary Alister jack said at the time that the bill was blocked because it affected UK-wide equality laws.The gender reforms would have made it possible for a transgender person to obtain a gender recognition certificate without a medical diagnosis.But the Scottish Government has said the intervention gives the UK Government the ability to veto laws passed in Holyrood.Director of nations at Stonewall Colin Macfarlane said: “The Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill was passed by an overwhelming majority of MSPs from across all the political parties in the Scottish Parliament.“The Bill, as passed, would mean the process that trans men and trans women use to update the sex recorded on their birth certificates would no longer be intrusive or dehumanising.“It would also bring Scotland into line with international best practice.
More than 30 countries or territories around the world such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland have similar or more progressive laws and we want Scotland to join them so our trans friends, family and colleagues can live their lives with dignity.”Chief operations officer of the ICDR Victoria Grace said: “Constitutional questions like this one aren’t just between governments.
