Readers' Letters: Be kind to all, but let's ditch gender madness

The Supreme Court judgment that, in law, a “woman” is a biologically defined human female is most welcome in delivering sanity to an area of public policy that has seemed to have been created by Lewis Carroll. We all – women and men who care about women – owe For Women Scotland a huge debt for persisting with this issue against unscientific and illogical theories espoused by those who should know better.

No doubt the “gender” theorists will try to come back for more, and will strongly disparage the judges making the decision. But we should all accept that this draws a line under the “gender” madness, which means that maternity services should talk about “pregnant women”, not “pregnant people”, and “mothers”, not “chestfeeders”. Biological men should not be admitted to gynaecological facilities. There should be an end to demands for the use of inappropriate pronouns. Perhaps we can even dispense with the services of those who monitor the use of pronouns in the NHS . Above all, damaging “gender” theories should be removed from schools and universities, and small children should be taught unequivocally that there are two sexes and that sex is immutable. Those who have been teaching alternative theories need to abide by reality, or leave.

Genuine trans people should be treated with consideration and respect, but not to the extent of admitting them to women’s safe spaces or sports. It is time for the “gender” nonsense to end.

Susan Smith (left) and Marion Calder, directors of For Women Scotland, arrive at the Supreme Court before Wednesday's ruling (Picture: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Jill Stephenson, Edinburgh

Apology ahead?

Nicola Sturgeon’s career came to an abrupt end when she attempted to railroad gender self-identification into law while, in effect, diluting women’s rights and protections. Following the Supreme Court’s decision, I await with bated breath the news that Nicola Sturgeon will hold a press conference to apologise to those in Scotland to whom she referred when she described opponents to her reforms as “transphobic, you’ll also find that they’re deeply misogynist, often homophobic, possible some of them are racist as well”.

Frankly, these comments were appalling at the time, and thankfully the Supreme Court’s decision seems to be based on a degree of common sense. Nicola Sturgeon should be utterly ashamed of herself but, realistically, one knows that no apology or self-reflection will be forthcoming. Pleasingly, the public knows that she knows she was fundamentally wrong.

Richard Allison, Edinburgh

Rest now, George

That the question of how a woman is defined even reached the Supreme Court in 2025 will bother future generations in the same way as we look back on burning witches centuries ago and wonder how that could possibly have gone on for so long. The numbing absurdity is so overwhelming, it staggers the brain. The money, time, effort and divisiveness were an utter waste in every sense.

Former FM Nicola Sturgeon, and her followers, must bear much of the guilt that this nonsense persisted for so long. Ms Sturgeon's “misogynistic, homophobic, possibly racist” criticisms of those who disagreed with her assessment will haunt her surely.

How glad I am to have lived to see sanity return to my country. George Orwell's grave can cease rumbling.

Alexander McKay, Edinburgh

Last word

Just wondering if Nicola Sturgeon's got time before the imminent publication of Frankly to pen an afterword with her take on the Supreme Court decision. Frantically.

Allan Sutherland, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire

Hang your heads

It is a great pity, involving a considerable waste of money, that some leading figures conducted the gender debate with such vehement militancy and insulting name calling which brooked no argument or engagement in reasonable debate. Let us hope the Supreme Court judgment results in a sensitive and sympathetic resolution by authorities and affected parties to the many outstanding issues, with both factions contributing positively and listening to each other to reach an acceptable accord.

The main protagonists, who drove matters on in indecent haste and with no proper debate, should hang their heads in shame and be held personally responsible for the avoidable legal costs. Politics by coercion never succeeds.

Fraser MacGregor, Edinburgh

Respect biology

The Supreme Court ruling is more than a victory for common sense. it is the first step in women regaining equalities and safeguards which have been drastically eroded.

Talking to women, I have found many are very worried for their daughters and granddaughters. I first noticed this erosion of girls' rights when I was in a Perthshire community campus which had been built to a standard PFI design. I was appalled to see the mixed sex toilet area, built within the public corridors, which contained cubicles with about a foot gap at the bottom. The sinks were placed centrally.

I won't describe the rite of passage when a young girl “becomes a woman”. Suffice to say, she needs a safe girl-only space to deal with this biological event. So biology is important. We want girls to be able to go into a changing room and to know that there won't be someone with a penis there. Simple.

Of course, many trans people only want to live peaceful lives. But there are predators who have already taken advantage of the Scottish Government's view that we can ignore biological reality.

Helen McDade, Pitlochry, Perth and Kinross

Good intentions

Once again a senior Green Party politician is weaponising the English language superlatives to stoke the fires of outrage in giving a voice to that small group within the transgender community who are demanding large amounts of parliamentary time, quango time, legal time and money to subvert scientific, philosophical and popular consensus that supports robustly their human rights but falls short of their demands for exceptional treatment.

Maggie Chapman MSP takes time out from debating real inequalities and environmental priorities in Scottish life to claim on behalf of the collective trangender people that as a result of the ruling of the UK Supreme Court on biological sex they have received a “huge blow” as the “most marginalised people in our society” and that not only transgender folk but also their families are “deeply anxious” about this clarification process.

Surely the Green core activists and parliamentarians will at some stage, hopefully as leadership changes hands, begin to refocus their efforts to protect our environment, redress inequalities in health and wealth, espouse a wellbeing circular economy and perhaps even strengthen their half-hearted resolve to emancipate Scotland from colonial exploitation and democratic deficit. It may even be time for the leadership to reflect on whether this whole issue and its politicisation ad nauseam has in any real and palpable way improved the quality of life materially or psychologically for the average transgender person. Many of my transgender and gender dysphoric friends would say a resounding “no”.

I do not doubt good intentions but the road to unintended consequences is paved with good intentions.

(Dr) Andrew Docherty, Selkirk, Scottish Borders

Kemi’s view

The UK Supreme Court has ruled on the legal definition of a woman. It said that the legal definition of a woman is based on sex. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch summed it up when she said: “Trans women are women was never true in fact and now it isn't true in law either.”

Michael Baird, Bonar Bridge, Highland

Better together

In Wales, support for independence is rapidly increasing. A few years ago it was static at around 20 per cent; but now polls at 41 per cent, whereas Scotland has stalled at around 50 per cent. The difference is that Welsh Indy has remained united and the Scottish campaign has not.

The keynote is “unity of purpose” as the independence party Plaid works closely with All Under One Banner Wales and Yes Cymru; gaining support from other political party members and none.

At Holyrood SNP problems are obviously not due to their progressive policies, as election after election proves. In truth, they have been in office too long without gaining their main object of independence!

To further galvanise Indy support in Scotland, it’s now time for the SNP to cut out arrogant back biting and work seriously with all other Yes Indy campaigners, including Alba.

Grant Frazer, Newtonmore, Highland

Art Deco rated

I was interested to read heritage writer Alison Campsie’s recent article on Art Deco in Scotland (Scottish Life, 16 April).

It wasn’t among the examples mentioned but a building I thought an outstanding example of the style is the office block of the India Tyre factory near Inchinnan in Renfrewshire. The rural setting made it particularly impressive.

The factory ceased operations many years ago but I understood that the office block had been given protected status and I hope it is still extant.

S Beck, Edinburgh

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