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A few thoughts about why we are where we are. Reform of gender recognition laws is party policy and was included in the 2016 manifesto.A similar pledge was contained in every manifesto. Some people had concerns about that and entirely legitimately raised them.
But there has also been an element that has used GRA reform as a cloak to promote transphobia. They didn't mind scaremongering about trans people being a threat to women & children (though this is unsupported by any evidence from countries where self-declaration exists).
Quite rightly, Scotgov sought to provide reassurances about safety because, whether or not those fears are based in reality, the fear can still be very genuine & must be addressed.
But after every concession, after every reaching out, hardline GRA opponents simply raised the ante. Because it's not actually about the GRA at all. For them, it is about pushing back against the idea transgender identities should be recognised at all.
Pretty soon this started to take on some of the characteristics of a moral panic. This has, I am sure, resulted in parliamentarians being contacted by women worried and alarmed by what they were reading, not only online but in newspapers.
So it is understandable in a sense that parliamentarians prioritised trying to provide reassurances over and above supporting their party's policy. But that has resulted in a perception that they are only listening to some voices. The loudest ones.
Meanwhile - I am talking about the SNP here but I doubt we are the only party grappling with this, we are simply the largest - those who support GRA reform & who have a strong belief in equality felt ignored & unsupported.
This was particularly so of young members, some of the most active and committed in our party, who became targeted for abuse: "wokist" "careerist" "entryist" being the mildest epithets hurled at them. As always, women got it worst.
I don't blame parliamentarians for perhaps not being completely aware of this because God knows they have had their work cut out over the past year, and that is obviously more so for ministers.
But they need to pay attention now because we are not only losing some of our most hard-working activists but some of the most persuasive voices for independence, people like @wgsaraband
When young, progressive & particularly LGBT voices say they don't feel at home in the party any more it's serious. I can fully understand why ppl don't want to fan the flames of this binfire, particularly in the run up to the election, but Houston we have a problem.
The folk leaving are still just as passionate about independence. I think many of them still want to be in the SNP - people have told me they have left in tears, they are experiencing this as a serious grief.
But they need to be heard. They need to be listened to and they need some reassurance that the SNP is still the progressive, social democratic party they joined with such high hopes.
