Today the Scottish Parliament’s Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee will take evidence on the effect on sport of the proposed Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill. Speaking about sport will be two men.
No women involved in sport either as a participant, a coach or an administrator will be there to tell MSPs about the effects on female sport in Scotland that a policy of gender self-ID is already having.
Earlier this month we hosted a public meeting to talk about why women’s sport matters, why inclusion comes at a cost of safety, fairness and opportunity, and what we can do to encourage sport’s governing bodies and administrators to take women’s concerns seriously and to put women’s reality ahead of men’s feelings. You can watch our speakers here.
Yesterday we wrote to Ian Maxwell, the chief executive of the Scottish Football Association, to ask for our concerns and suggestions to be taken into account when its Equalities and Diversity Board reviews the SFA’s transgender inclusion policy this year. We publish that letter and suggestions in full here on the blog.
We also suggest anyone involved in football – whether as players, coaches, parents, grandparents, fans – who wants to ensure women and girls are not disadvantaged by a policy that puts inclusion above everything else should also write to Ian Maxwell, sharing their concerns.
You can do this by email to ian.maxwell@scottishfa.co.uk or by good, old-fashioned snail mail to Hampden Park, Glasgow.
#WomenVotingWithOurFeet 