Self-ID, Politicians and Deaf Ears

I wrote to one of my local Glasgow MSPs, Patrick Harvie, about possible changes to the Gender Recognition Act.

I finally received a response just the other day, some 10 months later, and as you can see I wasn't at all impressed with Patrick had to say.

How can it possibly take so long for an MSP to respond in such a propagandist fashion especially when his office is supported by large sums of public money.

To my mind the Greens and the SNP are refusing to listen to reason or to what the wider public has to say on such a controversial issue. 

From: Mark Irvine <markirvine@compuserve.com>
To: scott.rutherford@parliament.scot <scott.rutherford@parliament.scot>; patrick.harvie.msp@parliament.scot <patrick.harvie.msp@parliament.scot>
Sent: Tue, Sep 27, 2022 1:24 pm
Subject: Re: Consultation on Potential Changes to the Gender Recognition Act

Dear Patrick Harvie

Consultation on Potential Changes to the Gender Recognition Act

Thank you for your very belated response to my letter dated 19 November 2021.

While I am familiar with the old saying 'a week is a long time in politics' I do feel that taking 10 months to respond to a local constituent is rather excessive, particularly when your Glasgow MSP office is supported generously with public funds. 

I also note your response fails to address any of the points raised in my original correspondence or, for example, the more recent and disturbing evidence from the independent Cass Review which raises serious questions about the efficacy of placing vulnerable children/young adults on to an 'affirmative pathway' to irreversible medical and/or surgical treatment.

For the record, I take the view that it is impossible for men or women to change their sex - because a person's sex is embedded in every cell in a human body.

I disagree strongly with the absurd policy of self-identification and believe that a man self-identifying as a woman is akin to a white person self-identifying as a black person - or vice versa.

Kind regards

Mark Irvine

On Monday, September 26, 2022 at 11:08:43 AM GMT+2, Rutherford S (Scott) <scott.rutherford@parliament.scot> wrote:

Dear Mark,

Thank you for writing to the office of Patrick Harvie MSP. I am responding as one of Mr Harvie's members of staff, apologies for the delay in response. Please see a response to your enquiry below.

I and the Scottish Green Party wholeheartedly support the rights of trans people including that of self-identification. Trans rights and women’s rights are not in conflict, as all humans have the same human rights. The human rights of minority groups should not be open to debate and interpretation, they should be accepted.

The Scottish Green MSPs stand firmly for inclusive, intersectional feminism which recognises the intersectional nature of power which creates additional barriers for women facing multiple discriminations. You can read more about this here: Women's Pledge.

In the cooperation agreement between the Scottish Greens and the Scottish Government we agreed to reform the Gender Recognition Act to establish a more straightforward system for obtaining legal gender recognition for trans people. I believe that trans people should not have to go through a degrading, traumatic and intrusive process to be legally recognised in their gender.

I hope that you agree that we must do more to improve the lives of the trans community who have been the target of a hate campaign for the past few years.

Regards,

Scott Rutherford

Parliamentary Assistant to, and writing on behalf of, Patrick Harvie MSP

 

 

From: Mark Irvine <markirvine@compuserve.com>

Sent: 19 November 2021 14:59
To: Harvie P (Patrick), MSP <Patrick.Harvie.msp@parliament.scot>
Subject: Consultation on Potential Changes to the Gender Recognition Act

 

CAUTION: This e-mail originated from outside of The Scottish Parliament. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognise the sender and know the content is safe.

 

Dear Patrick Harvie

 

Consultation on Potential Changes to the Gender Recognition Act

 

I am a resident of Glasgow and I am contacting my local constituency MSP and regional MSPs regarding potential changes to the Gender Recognition Act.

 

I am very concerned at the Scottish Government's plans to amend the Gender Recognition Act which reportedly includes the following suggestions:

• Reducing the requirement for those wishing to be recognised as a different gender to have lived in their acquired gender from 2 years to 3 months prior to submitting an application, and for a 3-month reflection period after application.
• Changing the age at which an application for legal gender recognition can be made from 18 to 16 without parental consent.
• Removing the need for a gender dysphoria diagnosis.

In my view, these proposals are highly dangerous and mean that vulnerable children will inevitably will be encouraged down a path which leads to lifelong medical interventions, sterilisation and, for many, regret.

 

The proposals will also result in intact biological males, who have not been assessed by medical experts, being able to access women’s single sex spaces which is especially worrying in situations where vulnerable women cannot just choose to leave, e.g. prisons, psychiatric wards and hospitals. 

 

As such these proposals are an attempt to subvert biology and the sex-based rights of women and girls.

 

Safeguarding is not about pointing the finger at particular groups, but about preventing harm before it can take place and, in my view, these suggestions disregard safeguarding principles and put women and especially children at risk.

 

For example, it seems absurd to me that it is unlawful for under 18-year-olds to consume alcohol, yet Scottish Ministers are considering that children should be able to decide upon irreversible changes to their still developing bodies (emotionally and physically) without parental guidance or proper medical oversight. 

 

As one of your constituents, I am asking you to vote against any Gender Recognition Reform that removes a gender dysphoria diagnosis by medical professionals, and that allows children to make potentially irreversible changes to their bodies without the due time, exploration of all potential issues and parental guidance, that would allow them to fully understand the long-term implications.

 

In doing so, you will provide reassurance to the women and girls who rely on single-sex spaces and protections, and parents of children who are questioning their identity.

 

I look forward to your reply

 

Kind regards

 

 

 

Mark Irvine