Latest news with #SusanSmith
Scottish Sun
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Scots pro-trans group launches bizarre defence of ‘men who can BREASTFEED'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A TRANS lobby group funded by the Scottish Government has been blasted for moaning that the rights of males 'who are able to breastfeed' are at risk after the Supreme Court ruling on gender. Scottish Trans has raised concerns over the protections available to those who have transitioned seeking pregnancy and maternity support. 1 Scottish Trans has complained that the EHRC's consultation threatens the rights of men "who are able to breastfeed" Credit: Getty The charity's complaints came in a response to watchdog the Equality and Human Rights Commission's consultation on a new code of practice for interpreting the law. But Susan Smith, from For Women Scotland, blasted the controversial practice of men who have transitioned to women breastfeeding. The campaigner said: 'Men who do this should be investigated for putting the health of a baby at risk.' Scottish Trans, part of the Equality Network, has received hundreds of thousands of pounds of Scottish Government funding in the past decade. The charity said they 'strongly disagree' with EHRC's statement that the explanation of the legal rights and responsibilities set out in the new content defining sex at birth is clear. It has published a response, complaining that there is 'now significant uncertainty following the ruling on whether trans women who are able to breastfeed can access pregnancy and maternity protection if they experience discrimination. 'We think that if they are unable to access these protections as a result of the ruling, that this is a further significant impact on trans people's equality and protection from discrimination, that the Commission has a statutory duty to highlight.' The group added: 'In addition, there is now significant uncertainty, following the Supreme Court ruling, on whether trans women who are able to breastfeed can access protection under section 13(6)(a) of the Equality Act if they experience discrimination because of this. 'We think that if they are unable to, as a result of the ruling, that this is a further significant negative impact on trans people's equality and protection from discrimination, that the Commission has a statutory duty to highlight.' Transgender women claim to be able to breastfeed, a process known as induced lactation, through therapy that mimics the hormonal changes of pregnancy. Man, 39, dies in hospital after 'major incident' in Scots town as cops lock down street & arrest suspect Medications such as estrogen and progesterone are often used to stimulate breast tissue development, followed by a transition to a medication called domperidone and a reduction in estrogen, to trigger milk production. But activists have voiced safety and nutrition concerns over trans women breastfeeding. Ms Smith said: 'Scottish Trans didn't seem worried when the Scottish Government lawyers argued that pregnant women who identified as men should lose all legal protection to maternity rights, but they have sprung into action to defend men who want to feed drug-induced discharge to babies. 'Women are routinely told that they should avoid alcohol and medication while breastfeeding, so far from being encouraged and protected, men who do this should be investigated for putting the health of a baby at risk.' Scottish Tory shadow minister for equalities, Tess White MSP, said: 'This is absolutely ludicrous. The Supreme Court's ruling in April couldn't be clearer; sex is based on biology. 'It's simply a matter of common sense that only women can become pregnant and breastfeed healthy milk to a baby. Health and Safety are paramount. 'It is vital John Swinney and his Ministers ensure that public bodies are upholding the law rather than bowing to irrational gender self-ID zealotry.' In April, Supreme Court judges clarified that sex in equality law is based on biological sex — not whatever gender a person says they are. It came after a challenge by feminist group For Women Scotland, who defeated the Scottish Government in court. SNP ministers had argued that anyone with a gender recognition certificate should be treated as the sex they say they are, for all purposes. New guidance related to the ruling and how organisations should act is now being drawn up by the EHRC.
Los Angeles Times
05-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Los Angeles Times
Prestigious Beverly Hills Flats
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Scotsman
18-06-2025
- Health
- Scotsman
Supreme Court gender: Government told to 'stop dragging its feet' on self-ID and single-sex spaces
Scottish ministers have been told to implement the interim guidance from the EHRC urgently. Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Scottish Government is being accused of 'dragging its heels' on gender self-ID and its guidance on single-sex spaces. Ministers have been warned they are opening the Government up to 'legal, financial and reputational damage' by not implementing the interim guidance on single-sex spaces issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This comes a month after the UK Supreme Court ruled the legal definition of the words 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 refers to biological sex, and the Scottish Government's guidance that trans women could be classed as women for some pieces of legislation was 'incorrect'. Susan Smith and Marion Calder, right, co-directors of For Women Scotland with campaigners celebrate outside the Supreme Court in London after terms "woman" and "sex" in the Equality Act were ruled to refer to a biological woman and biological sex. Picture: Lucy North/PA Wire | Lucy North/Press Association Following the verdict, the EHRC has issued interim guidance that says trans women 'should not be permitted to use women's facilities' such as toilets and changing rooms. Conservative MSP Pam Gosal raised this with Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville and said the Government must urgently implement this guidance. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad She said: 'The Scottish Parliament announced it will be implementing this guidance, but bodies are still waiting for clarity, including the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association, the nursing union with nurse Sandie Peggie calling for the Royal College of Nursing to take a stand, and prisons needing clarity on the handling of trans prisoners. 'Can the Cabinet secretary and the Government stop dragging their heels?' Teachers 'crying out' for single-sex space guidance Alba MSP Ash Regan added: 'Teachers are crying out for lawful guidance to repair a decade of lobby-led ideology, councils are losing court cases, female prisoners are being denied justice and their human rights, and NHS Fife policy is now exposed as clearly unlawful. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'How much legal, financial and reputational damage will Scotland stomach before the government stops dragging its feet?' The minister's response Ms Somerville said a consultation on the EHRC guidance was ongoing and the Scottish Government would be waiting for the finalised guidance before changing its position to ensure 'consistency in this complex area of the law'. She said the EHRC had not objected to this approach from the Scottish Government, and this was in line with the stance taken by the UK government.
Daily Mail
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Transgender murderer's criminal record is wiped... by a simple change of name
A trans killer had their criminal record wiped clean after declaring themselves to be a woman behind bars. Alexandria Stewart, convicted as Alan Baker when he murdered a man more than a decade ago, apparently had no criminal record according to official disclosure checks. But Stewart's past was only revealed after it was pointed out that the 37-year-old was a prisoner serving a life sentence. Campaigners and politicians have reacted with fury at the revelation and have branded it a 'dereliction of duty' from authorities involved. They have now demanded to know how many others have been able to hide their criminal records by changing their gender. Susan Smith, from For Women Scotland, said it was a 'terrifying example of the sort of consequences which follow when people are allowed to lie about their sex'. Ms Smith, who is part of the group responsible for the landmark Supreme Court ruling which states sex is defined by biology and not gender choices, said: 'This was only picked up because of the obvious absurdity that an incarnated murderer had a clean rap sheet. 'But how many other former prisoners have been able to hide their criminal past in this way? 'We know that rapists and child sex offenders, who may have been released, have taken advantage of self-identification policies in prison. 'Women and parents will be horrified to learn that these men may, even now, be out in the community and taking advantage of their whitewashed record..' And Sharon Dowey, Scottish Conservative spokesman for victims and community safety, demanded to know whether it was an 'unacceptable blunder' or if it has happened to other criminals. The MSP said: 'We already have dangerous male offenders cynically gaming the system to serve their sentences in women's prisons, and that number is only likely to rise if they spot an opportunity of having their records wiped via this ruse. 'Scotland's justice system, like all our public bodies, has been in thrall to the SNP's reckless gender policy, which the Supreme Court has ruled unlawful. 'We urgently need a directive from John Swinney to public bodies telling them to uphold the Supreme Court ruling. 'The Alan Baker case represents a dereliction of duty by Police Scotland and the Crown Office. 'What has unfolded is not only deeply insulting to the victim's family, it lays bare again the stark reality of both the SNP's soft-touch justice agenda, which panders to criminals, and their unlawful gender self-ID policy.' The scandal came to light amid the case of hairdresser Jane Sutherley, who killed a man with a pair of scissors, who was accused of a four year abuse campaign against Stewart and child killer lover Nyomi Fee. But when disclosure requests were made accurate records returned for Fee but a blank sheet for Stewart, the Daily Record reported. A correction was only made after the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) were told that Stewart was appearing in the witness box as a prisoner and serving a life sentence for murder. Stewart, a biological man, is now serving time in a women's prison. Last month Sutherley, behind bars for culpable homicide, was acquitted of being abusive and deliberately misgendering Stewart following a trial at Greenock Sheriff Court. A Police Scotland spokesman said: 'We are aware of an issue relating to the previous convictions of a victim, which were omitted from a report submitted ahead of a case heard at Greenock Sheriff Court. 'The issue has been rectified and work is ongoing to prevent similar scenarios taking place in the future. Officers are continuing to liaise with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.' And the Crown Office said that information on previous convictions was provided by the police 'following a check of the relevant databases'. Its spokesman said: 'Although the initial witness check showed no previous convictions, on further inquiry by the procurator fiscal this was corrected prior to trial.
The National
15-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
For Women Scotland mull new legal action against Scottish Government
The anti-trans campaign group who took the case over the meaning of biological sex to the UK's highest court, and won, has now claimed the key motivation of the case has been lost amongst a growing debate on toilets. The Supreme Court ruled that under the Equality Act 2010, a woman was defined by biological sex, excluding trans people with a gender recognition certificate (GRC). Following the judgment in April, the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) issued interim guidance that banned transgender people from using the toilets of their acquired sex. READ MORE: Ian Murray 'does not understand how devolution works', minister says The contentious guidance was branded as 'cruel', and now a consultation, which has been extended, is now underway before full guidance is published. The fallout from the ruling also saw trans women banned from taking part in women's football and cricket. Speaking at a fringe event at the Scottish Conservative conference in Edinburgh this weekend, For Women Scotland (FWS) co-director Susan Smith claimed there has been 'extraordinary pushback' following the judgment. 'We don't want to go back to court, we really, really don't, but if we don't see some action that may be something we will have to consider,' she told journalists afterward. Smith (below, left) said there were concerns about the lack of action by the Scottish Government on prisons and school guidance. 'We have spoken to the Scottish government and asked them to withdraw some of this guidance, just to say that it's under review – they don't have to re-issue anything at this point – because it's clearly unlawful, we really do need some action,' she said. 'They're telling us they have to wait for the EHRC revised guidance and we don't believe this is true.' The EHRC guidance said that it is 'compulsory' for workplaces to offer single-sex toilets and changing facilities. It said that trans women should not be allowed to use women's facilities and trans men should not be allowed to use men's facilities as 'this will mean that they are no longer single-sex facilities and must be open to all users of the opposite sex'. The guidance then went on to say that trans people 'should not be put in a position where there are no facilities for them to use'. READ MORE: UK jets being sent to the Middle East as Keir Starmer refuses to rule out defending Israel Smith claimed there has been too much focus on the issue of toilets. 'I wish we could stop talking about toilets all the time, because that wasn't really the reason we went to court,' she said. 'We went to court about the prisons, about the rape crisis centres, about the hospitals, where people are uniquely vulnerable.' It comes after Harry Potter author JK Rowling, who donated to FWS crowdfunder to take their case to the Supreme Court, set up a fund to challenge public service providers and employers over the issue. 'We really need people to start challenging where they feel that organisations, local councils are not implementing the law,' Smith said. 'We're very fortunate to have the fighting fund that JK Rowling set up and that will make a massive difference because when people start to realise that there's a cost maybe they will start to apply the law.' Current Scottish Prison Service (SPS) guidance states trans women prisoners cannot be housed on the female estate if they have been convicted of serious offences. A spokesperson for SPS said: 'We have received the supreme court's judgment and are considering any potential impact it may have.' The Scottish Government said it has 'been clear that we accept the supreme court judgment'. 'As the judgment relates specifically to the guidance issued under the Scottish Government's Gender Representation on Public Boards 2018 Act and stated that it was incorrect in relation to the definition referred to of 'woman' under the Equality Act, the guidance has now been removed and will be updated shortly to reflect the judgment,' a spokesperson said. 'The Scottish Government has already begun work on implementation. We have established a Short Life Working Group to ensure support and consistency across Government.'
