Before MSPs began debating gender recognition legislation, supporters of the reform staged a protest outside the Scottish Parliament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The protest, organised by Scottish Trans, a member of the Equality Network, urged MSPs to support the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, which is currently being debated in Parliament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, a small group of protesters, including members of the Scottish Family Party, held their own demonstration on the grounds outside the building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They held signs that read, “A man cannot become a woman. Simple.” which Bill supporters attempted to conceal with their own signs and flags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It’s really exciting that this Bill is here in Parliament today, it’s something we have been working on for a while,” Mat Wilkie, a volunteer with Scottish Trans, told the PA news agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to be absolutely wonderful when we get this Bill passed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen the Bill has been being developed, there\u2019s been quite a lot of anger towards trans people like me.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“And that has been difficult to deal with at times.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Green MSP Maggie Chapman, a supporter of the Bill, said the legislation is a small but \u201ccrucial\u201d step on the road to trans equality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After the Bill is passed, she argued, other changes should be made around legal recognition for non-binary people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said: \u201cThis Bill still retains the gender binary in law and we know that\u2019s not the experience of people\u2019s lived lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo non-binary legal recognition is really, really important.\u201d<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Before MSPs began debating gender recognition legislation, supporters of the reform staged a protest outside the Scottish Parliament. The protest, organised by Scottish Trans, a member of the Equality Network, … <\/p>\n