Former Dundee MSP Jenny Marra is calling for the Scottish Government to halt what she calls “absurd and dangerous” plans to reform the Gender Recognition Act.
MSPs are due to vote for the final time just before Christmas on reforming how trans people can legally change their gender.
But in a letter, Ms Marra and Scottish Labour’s former leader Johann Lamont say the vote must be postponed, citing a comment from the UN that the proposals “present potential risks to the safety of women”.
What is the GRA reform?
Since 2004, the Gender Recognition Act has allowed trans men and women in the UK to legally change the sex listed on their birth certificate.
The Scottish Government wants to reform the act to make it easier for trans people to get a gender recognition certificate.
The main changes proposed include:
- Lowering the minimum age requirement from 18 to 16
- Dropping the requirement for a psychiatric diagnosis and medical evidence in favour of self-declaration
- Reducing the period the person needs to live in their acquired gender from two years to three months, with an additional three-month reflection period.
Some have criticised the current law for being too difficult to access with too much emphasis on medical diagnoses.
People who are opposed to the reforms say they are not convinced women’s safety will be protected, particularly when it comes to same-sex spaces such as changing rooms, hospital wards and prisons.
The government’s bill to reform the act was first published in March. In October, Holyrood’s equalities, human rights and civil justice committee recommended MSPs support the proposals.
A final vote on the bill is due to take place on December 21.
Marra: The SNP should wait
Ms Marra, who represented the North East region for Scottish Labour from 2011 until 2021, and Ms Lamont, say a vote should not be held until the government has heard directly from Reem Alsalem, the UN rapporteur on violence against women.
Ms Marra said: “If Shona Robison gets her bill through parliament, by Christmas, we will have no way of turning back the absurd and dangerous situations that have been allowed to develop in the public sector.
“If we are making such fundamental changes to the way our society recognises people, should the SNP not wait until at least the Court of Session has ruled before opening up access to these certificates on the basis of self-identification?”
The pair, who have made the call on behalf of the Labour Women’s Declaration, have also written to current Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and deputy leader Jackie Baillie to voice their concerns about the bill.
Both Mr Sarwar and Ms Baillie voted in favour of the bill at stage one.