This LGBT+ History Month, email the Scottish Government to ask them – how do they want history to remember them?

Below we’ve written a template message of the kind of things you could say to the First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice.

We suggest asking the Scottish Government how they think their choice to use the definition of “sex” from April’s harmful Supreme Court ruling in Scottish law, when they don’t need to, will be remembered in the future.

If you’d like to read more details about why we think this is such a bad decision, you can do that here: LINK TO SHORT EXPLAINER ON ST WEBSITE

If you can, we encourage you to put the message in your own words. We are hoping that lots of people will want to get in touch to ask the Scottish Government about this decision, so personalising the email will make them more likely to pay attention and help them understand the different reasons that people have for getting in touch.

If you are sharing personal experiences in your email, please think about what you do or don't feel comfortable with them or their staff knowing. It's fine to not share everything about how you feel or your own situation. Equality Network and Scottish Trans staff can also see the content of emails that are sent.

Finally, please do not use this email to direct abuse or threats towards the First Minister or Cabinet Secretary, or any other individual or group. Abusive emails will not be sent.

First Minister

Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice

Name *

Your email *

Town *

Subject

<div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW104402101 BCX0">I’m getting in touch with you this LGBT+ History Month to ask how the Scottish Government wants its actions now to be remembered in the future. </div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW104402101 BCX0">I’m very disappointed that the Scottish Government has chosen to copy and paste the definition of “sex” from the Supreme Court ruling in April into Hate Crime legislation in Scotland. </div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW104402101 BCX0">As you will surely know, that ruling has caused a great deal of harm to trans people already. There is huge uncertainty about whether trans people can use spaces and services in line with their gender identity. Many trans people feel less safe and welcome in their daily lives.  </div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW104402101 BCX0">International human rights actors like the Commissioner for Human Rights at the Council of Europe, and UN experts, have sounded the alarm for the direction of travel that the UK is taking on trans people’s human rights as a result of the Supreme Court decision. </div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW104402101 BCX0">When the First Minister responded to that decision last April, he said that he understood the anguish and hurt that it was causing trans people.  </div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW104402101 BCX0">So why have you chosen to use that definition, here in Scotland when you do not need to?  </div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW104402101 BCX0">I want the Scottish Government to take actions that protect and promote trans people’s human rights. Scotland has led on LGBTI+ equality in the UK for the past 25 years, but this SSI is the opposite. We’ll be the only part of the UK to write ‘sex means biological sex at birth’ - the idea that is at the heart of so much campaigning against the equality and human rights of trans people – into legislation. And it is one of the last things that this Government will do before the elections in Spring.  </div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW104402101 BCX0">How do you think that history will remember this?  </div></div>

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