Lib Dems will unite behind Scottish GRA reform

All Liberal Democrat Members of the Scottish Parliament will support proposals to reform the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) in Scotland.

Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats Alex Cole-Hamilton announced the MSP group's unity during the long debate on the measure, which opened at Holyrood yesterday.

The proposals will bring the GRA more into line with Lib Dem party policy dating back more than two decades.

Far from being rushed or haphazard, these debates on the Gender Recognition Reform Bill come after years of work in Scotland.

Upholding and endorsing the rights of the individual is fundamentally what this Bill is about and that is why Scottish Liberal Democrats will support it. pic.twitter.com/nM6bTg8grK

- Scottish Lib Dems (@scotlibdems) December 21, 2022

Alex tweeted: "At the conclusion of Stage 3 proceedings, all of our Scottish Liberal Democrat MSPs will vote for the Gender Recognition Reform Bill in the Scottish Parliament.

"It was a commitment in our election manifestos for the past two Holyrood elections, it honours party policy made by our conference and it is the right thing to do.

"We support reform because we believe the prolonged and intrusive medicalised approach currently in place can cause trauma to trans people who just simply want to have their gender recognised on the documents they are required to hold.

"Ultimately the decision about someone's identity should lie with that person and not with a panel of strangers they have never met."

Myth-busting some of the claims made by opponents of the bill, he added:

"No single sex or protected spaces currently require the presentation of a Gender Recognition Certificate or a birth certificate for entry, indeed neither are seen as a valid form of ID.

"Instead, trained staff undertake a dynamic risk assessment as to whether it is appropriate to grant admission to that person. That goes for prisons as well."

With a concluding vote expected soon the bill is expected to pass with opposition from some SNP and Conservative members.