Violence against women 'being used' to demonise trans people, says Church of Scotland minister

A Church of Scotland group has supported research from Rape Crisis and Engender as a minister expressed concerns the voices of sexual assault survivors are being used to demonise trans people.

The Church of Scotland has backed government plans to remove the need of a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria for trans people looking to obtain a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC).

This measure has been proposed under the Gender Recognition Reform Bill which is currently working its way through Holyrood.

Reverend Karen Hendry, Minister of Yoker Parish Church and a representative of the Church of Scotland’s violence against women task group, Integrity, told the Scottish Parliament the rights and safety of women and girls as survivors of abuse along with the safeguarding of single-sex spaces have been used to “justify” arguments against the reform.

Church of Scotland reverend Karen Hendry told the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee the voices of survivors is being used to demonise trans people.

Rev Hendry said: "I want to be clear that Integrity is satisfied and convinced by the evidence offered by Engender, Rape Crisis and Scottish Women’s Aid that the advancement of trans rights does not endanger women and girls or encroach upon their rights.

“We are concerned that the voices of survivors are being used in this way which risks confusing vulnerable women and demonising another vulnerable group.”

Rev Hendry said the views she expressed represent “the broad majority” held within the Church of Scotland.

However, the church has not shown equal support for measures that would lower the minimum age for a certificate to be obtained from 18-years-old to 16-years-old.

Rev Hendry said the reason for this is because the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child defines a person becoming an adult at 18.