Nicola Sturgeon has defended gender bill, saying she wanted people with strong views to “treat each other with respect”, after author JK Rowling termed the Scottish First Minister as “destroyer of women’s rights”.
Earlier, the Harry Potter author posted a selfie wearing a T-shirt calling Ms Sturgeon a “destroyer of women’s rights”.
I stand in solidarity with @ForWomenScot and all women protesting and speaking outside the Scottish parliament. #NoToSelfID pic.twitter.com/5vZNaZu13H
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 6, 2022
Rowling, who has been outspoken in her views on gender issues, shared a photo of herself wearing the costume on Thursday in support of a demonstration against the Gender Recognition Act’s amendment outside Holyrood.
The Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, which is currently being debated in Holyrood, would eliminate the requirement for a gender dysphoria diagnosis and shorten the period of time a person must live as their adopted gender from two years to three months, with a three-month “reflection period” in between.
In a report issued on Thursday, the majority of MSPs serving on the Scottish Parliament’s Equalities, Human Rights, and Civil Justice Committee expressed their support for the Bill’s fundamental ideas. The first vote on the proposed law is scheduled for this week’s end.
The Harry Potter author showed her support on Twitter for the more-than 100 strong protests outside Holyrood, which featured speakers including former Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont.
Alongside the photo, she wrote: “I stand in solidarity with @ForWomenScot and all women protesting and speaking outside the Scottish Parliament. #NoToSelfID.
Speaking on the BBC’s Today program ahead of the SNP conference in Aberdeen, the First Minister was asked if she is a destroyer of women’s rights.
The First Minister described herself as a “passionate feminist”, when asked about the attack during a media round on Friday.
“I respect people’s views on this – people are entitled to express their views however they wish.”
She said the Bill is about “reforming an existing process” and “doesn’t give any more rights to trans people and it doesn’t take any rights away from women”.
Any man who seeks to abuse any process to attack women, we should deal with that, we shouldn’t stigmatize further an already stigmatized group of people
She said the threat to women is not trans women, but predatory men.
