Nicola Sturgeon urged to suspend gender bill to hear evidence from UN expert

Nicola Sturgeon has been urged to suspend her controversial overhaul to gender reforms until Holyrood takes evidence from a UN human rights expert on women’s safety.

Rem Alsasmen, the UN special rapporteur on violence against women and girls, warned in a nine-page letter to the First Minister that her proposed laws risk “opening the door” to predatory males abusing women in single-sex spaces.

The Scottish Government’s Gender Recognition Bill, currently in its second stage of debate, makes it far easier for people to apply to legally change their gender.

Ms Alsasmen has repeatedly urged for the legislation, which is expected to pass by Christmas, to be paused and said its impact on women’s rights will have global consequences.

In an interview with The Times she claimed to have received “many messages from women in many countries in Europe and beyond” thanking her for raising concerns.

The consequences of the bill “go beyond Scotland and the UK”, she added.

Halt the Bill

On Monday, the Scottish Tories demanded the SNP leader halt the Bill’s progress through Holyrood until the Bill’s committee, made up of cross-party MSPs, had assessed the letter’s contents.

Rachael Hamilton, the Scottish Tory spokesman for gender said: “It is vitally important that we make good laws with proper and full consideration of all the consequences.

“This United Nations expert on violence against women and girls has raised serious concerns about the current gender reform proposals.

“As it stands, the Scottish Parliament, including the committee in charge of scrutinising this Bill, has not had a chance to examine this new piece of evidence from perhaps the world’s leading authority on the subject of women’s safety.

“The SNP-Green Government has put a lot of stock in opinions from the United Nations, so let’s make sure we consider all the evidence available. We should not be selective or cherry-pick expert opinions.”

Psychiatrists condemnation

The Bill has been condemned by psychiatrists and feminist campaigners over its perceived danger to the safety of women and children.

If passed, children as young as 16 could apply to legally change their gender without a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria.

The legislation also slashes the length of time an applicant has to live in their acquired gender from two years to three months.

An additional three-month “reflection” period is also mandatory for all applicants.

JK Rowling on Sunday attacked the Labour Party over its support for the legislation, accusing it of ignoring “widespread opposition” in its own ranks.

The Harry Potter author tweeted on Sunday that Scottish Labour’s support for the legislation meant that “the Tories have been handed an open goal on safeguarding” women.