Particle.news
Download on the App Store
4 ARTICLES
·
3d ago

Scottish Government Adds 'Sex' to Hate Crime Law, Shelves Misogyny and Conversion Therapy Bills

The move follows a UK Supreme Court ruling on biological sex and shifts focus from standalone legislation to broader hate crime protections.

Image
Image
Susan Smith and Marion Calder celebrate outside the Supreme Court on April 16, when judges confirmed that the term “woman” refers to biological sex, not gender identity. The decision ended a long-running legal battle between the campaign group For Women Scotland and the Scottish government

Overview

  • The Scottish government has added 'sex' as a protected characteristic under the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act, defining it as biological sex per a recent UK Supreme Court ruling.
  • Plans for standalone legislation criminalizing misogyny, developed over four years, have been scrapped, with ministers citing legal complexity and time constraints.
  • A standalone ban on conversion therapy will not proceed this parliamentary term, with the government opting to work with the UK on a broader ban or introduce its own bill by 2027 if necessary.
  • Critics, including women’s rights and LGBTQ+ groups, have condemned the shelving of the misogyny and conversion therapy bills as regressive and a betrayal of prior commitments.
  • This policy shift comes ahead of next year’s Holyrood elections and marks a significant reversal of the SNP’s 2021 stance against including 'sex' in hate crime protections.