Graham Norton discusses J K Rowling and transphobia discourse

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J. K. Rowling shared a picture on Twitter wearing a T-shirt with a message opposing Scotland’s Gender Recognition Reform Bill, legislation which aims to make it easier for transgender people to be legally recognised as their preferred gender. It comes as the Bill was backed today by a majority of MSPs in a Holyrood committee. The author’s shirt reads “Nicola Sturgeon – destroyer of human rights” targeting Scotland’s First Minister and SNP leader. 

In a message captioning her photo, the author expressed her support for ‘For Women Scotland’, a campaigns group members of which protested outside the Scottish parliament today against the new legislation.

The group campaigns against changes to transgender rights and has been described as anti-trans, with many LGBT+ rights campaigners criticising its views.

The Harry Potter author, 57, wrote on Twitter: “I stand in solidarity with @ForWomenScot and all women protesting and speaking outside the Scottish parliament. #NoToSelfID”

Today, a majority of MSPs on the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee have recommended the general principles of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill should be approved.

Committee convener Joe FitzPatrick said: “We believe these important reforms will improve the lives and experiences of trans people.”

Papers lodged alongside the Bill by the Scottish Government estimate the changes could result in the number of people applying for a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) increasing from 30 a year to 250-300.

Five MSPs on the committee backed the legislation but the two Conservatives – Pam Gosal and Rachael Hamilton – opposed it.

The Bill sets out plans to speed up the time it takes to obtain a GRC, and also lowers the age for obtaining one from 18 to 16.

A medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria would no longer be required, removing the requirement for doctors’ reports.

The period of time someone must have lived in their “acquired gender” before applying would be reduced from two years to three months under the legislation – although a three-month “reflection period” would be introduced to the process.

A previous consultation by the Scottish Government found 60 percent of respondents backed moving to a system of self-declaration.

A majority of MSPs on the committee backed removing the need for any medical evidence or diagnosis “believing that trans people know their own minds”.

Rowling has expressed similar views in the past, while Nicola Sturgeon had previously defended the Bill saying however that the author is “clearly free to express her opinion”.

The SNP leader had said of the Bill that it is about an existing process by which people can legally change their gender and it’s about making that process less traumatic and inhumane for trans people – one of the most stigmatised minorities in our society.”

She added: “It doesn’t give trans people any more rights, nor does it take away from women any of the current existing rights under the Equality Act.

“There was a plea [in Parliament] to have a debate that was civilised, that was respectful of different opinions, but that didn’t give inadvertently sucker to those – and I’m not describing anybody like JK Rowling or anyone else in this way for the avoidance of doubt – to exploit this issue for purposes of prejudice and transphobia.”

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