Nicola Sturgeon, the leader of the Scottish National Party, spoke out against transphobia amid accusations that the political group has become a ‘hub’ of anti-trans rhetoric. Teddy Hope, a former transgender officer for the official LGBTQ+ wing of the SNP, resigned over the issue, causing many to criticise Sturgeon for not addressing transphobia in the party. Responding to criticism in a “message from the heart”, Sturgeon posted a video to social media, saying: “This is a message from me as SNP leader on the issue of transphobia. I don’t have much time for anything other than the fight against Covid-19 right now, but on some days silence is not an option.”
She addressed reports of young people leaving the SNP due to transphobia, saying: “It grieves me deeply that you’ve reached this conclusion after much soul-searching because you consider, at this stage, the SNP not to be a safe, tolerant or welcoming place for trans people…Trans people have as much right as any of us to be safe, secure and valued for who they are. Transphobia is wrong, and we must treat it with the zero tolerance we treat racism or homophobia.”
Sturgeon continued: “Some will criticise this message, say it doesn’t go far enough, or that the words are hollow unless we prove we meant them. I’m determined we will. No doubt others will accuse me of being ‘woke’. I don’t care. Sometimes, particularly as a leader, it’s vital to speak up for what is right and against injustice.” A party member thanked her for addressing the issue, saying: “Thank you Nicola. Both myself and my sister were on the verge of leaving the party today. Your statement is very welcome. One of the many reasons I joined the SNP was with regards to inclusion. We must stay and fight against transphobia.”
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