I GREW up in what may have seemed like an unconventional way to some, certainly in the late 1970s and early 80s. I lived with my mum and her partner, who were in a same-sex relationship. I was a 10-minute walk from my Deaf dad, who I saw every day for lunch and most weekends.

I have spoken about these experiences in the past and how they shaped me as an individual, how they strengthened my resolve for social justice and how they made me determined to eradicate stigma for anyone who experienced a shunning or othering from society.

Human rights and the removal of stigma are fights I have faced since childhood.

It is why I want independence.

I see it as a justice issue.

My teachers had a hard time, I think. On one hand, I was very easygoing, my academic performance was above average and was often chosen by the headteacher to carry out tasks. On the other hand, I was occasionally put into the “cooler” or made to stand outside the classroom because I just could not shut up when it came to any injustice.

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I wasn’t afraid to challenge teachers and I am the same today as I stand up for human rights, particularly for the rights of trans people. The injustice is fierce. What we see is a clear imbalance of power. We cannot say there are two sides to the fight for progressing trans rights without acknowledging how one side is a minority and vilified by many in society. I dare anyone to say there are two sides to below-the-line arguments without being confronted with some harsh truths regarding that imbalance of power.

How have we got to the place of causing more damage to a community who just want an equal footing in life, and why are they being demonised and othered by what some see as credible sources?

I was asked once by a peer if my mum had tried it on with me. The pure ignorance of that time created an environment where perceptions of the LGBT community were sexualised and attached to predatory behaviour. They still are, unfortunately.

I have never forgotten being asked that question and have spent many years analysing it over and over. It sickens me, and it’s probably why I feel such outrage over the tropes spewed out about trans people today.

The lack of understanding is still significant when it comes to our LGBTQI+ community.

I was asked to speak at a trans rally just prior to the stage one debate of the Gender Recognition Reform Bill and was pulled aside by someone who wanted to say how much they valued my words. I was so warmed by the interaction and I was grateful to them for approaching me to let me know. Then they said: “My name is Russ, by the way.”

I was taken aback, and asked: “Did you submit one of the quotes for a briefing?” They confirmed they had, and I got goosebumps as I realised this was the person whose voice I had chosen to add to my speech that day, the quote I had read so many times as I redrafted and spoke it out loud to prepare.

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We shared an incredibly powerful moment as I let them know their voice would be heard in Parliament, as part of law-making for their community.

I won’t ever forget Russ and the lesson to amplify voices, not to speak for people.

I also met a parent of a trans child who had set up a support group in the 1990s. They explained that in the beginning, they had support and empathy from society, and people were keen to understand and listen, being generally supportive and curious.

Fast forward to today, and although their child is now a young adult, they have kept the support group going for others.

They are shocked at the change in attitudes and said they have to keep a low profile to protect themselves and their clients from abuse. Decades of hard work on acceptance and education have been pulled away by political gameplay and ignorance. It’s an all-out assault and we need to be bold in calling it out for what it is.

What scares people off doing that is the backlash and the prospect of being potentially called a “destroyer of women’s rights”. It’s no secret that we trans allies have faced torrents of abuse over our stance and many times have been called a danger to women and girls.

It turns my stomach at the injustice and ignorance of these comments directed at women when we deserve to be protected, too. I am a woman. I have a daughter and granddaughters. I am a survivor of sexual assault and domestic violence. I will not have my story used to uphold dangerous misrepresentations against trans people.

Many other survivors feel the same, and credible organisations who support survivors do too. Women and survivors of violence mostly support trans rights. They see the connection of transphobia to misogyny and patriarchal power.

Many of the online voices calling us traitors to women are men … the irony. If there is any certificate that gives unfettered access to abuse women, it is most certainly not a gender recognition certificate – in fact, statistics can confirm that it would most likely be a marriage certificate.

What we see is the pitting of one group against the other and one issue against the other, then off we go running in circles while the powerful with an agenda enjoy the show.

I hope we can instead keep our eyes on the prize – an independent Scotland, one that is world-leading in human rights where no one is othered or stigmatised.