THE recent headlines claiming a Savanta ComRes poll of 2038 people showing a clear majority of Scots backing gender reform proposals need some clarification (Clear majority of Scots back gender reform proposals, Feb 18).
Responses to question one showed people do not all understand transgender as meaning the same thing. 51% thought it was gender expression, 22% thought it was hormones plus full gender reassignment surgery and a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC); 9% thought it was a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, and 5% thought it was just a GRC.
If people have differing ideas of what transgender is, how much we can read into their answers? Only 31% of respondents have been closely following the recent gender reform debates. They will likely be the ones who realise the full implications of proposed reforms. The remaining 67% may not be aware.
READ MORE: Britain gripped by 'moral panic' over trans rights, claims Mhairi Black in viral speech
Roughly 35% thought males and females should be able to access single-sex spaces relating to the opposite sex, but only if people had legally changed sex and had gender reassignment surgery. Only 28% thought there was no need for surgery to access single-sex spaces.
Self-identification as a different gender was equally supported and opposed (40% supported, 38% opposed), with 35% supporting self-ID as non-binary. But 61% thought single-sex spaces should be retained, with only 10% disagreeing.
Did the respondents realise that supporting self-identification would compromise those spaces without safeguarding, which is conspicuously omitted from the proposed legislation?
38% agreed transwomen should be able to use women’s public toilets and communal spaces, and 40% that transmen should access men’s spaces; 36% that transmen should be allowed in men’s amateur sport, 34% transwomen in women’s amateur sport. But for elite or professional sport, only 27% agreed for transmen and 23% for transwomen.
READ MORE: Scottish Census guidance for transgender people is legal, court rules
About a third favoured both transwomen being housed in women’s prisons and transmen being housed in men’s prisons. Just over half (53%) thought transmen should have access to men’s domestic abuse services, and transwomen to female services.
People were much more able to see dangers to children and under-16s. Only 10% of respondents strongly favoured trans school pupils using toilets and sharing communal sleeping spaces according to their chosen gender; 40% were opposed, the same proportion as opposed under-16s accessing hormone blockers, while 47% opposed under-18s accessing surgery, and 49% opposed under-16s getting cross-sex hormones.
The figures give a mixed picture, not as clear-cut as the headlines suggest. The clearest percentage was the 61% who strongly wish to retain single-sex spaces in everything from bathrooms to all-women shortlists and reserved jobs. Opposition was also strong when children and young people’s safety was at stake.
But the safety and fairness implications of the proposals were apparently not pointed out to respondents, nor that there is NO safeguarding in the proposed legislation for safety, for decency for religious women and girls compromised by males in single-sex spaces, nor for fairness and equality in things like sports, refuges, prisons, all-women shortlists and jobs which should be reserved for biological females.
If respondents had been aware of these issues, their answers may have been different.
Julia Pannell
Friockheim, Tayside
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel