SNP leader: I support right of trans women to use female bathroomshttps://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/snp-leader-i-support-right-of-trans-women-to-use-female-bathrooms/ar-AA1zQ2DO?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=3f29d0a7b1b54ffca4355f7151b51762&ei=134 🔗 [Link: msn.com/en-us/news/world/snp-leader-i-support-right-of-trans-women-to-use-female-bathrooms/ar-AA1zQ2DO/]Story by Simon Johnson, Daniel Sanderson (26 Feb 2025)
Scotland's First Minister has backed the right of trans people who self-identify as women to use female toilets and changing rooms.
John Swinney, the leader of the SNP, said he supported Scottish Government guidance for its trans employees, which states they "should choose to use the facilities they feel most comfortable with".
Mr Swinney said that trans access to female facilities must "not come at the disadvantage of other members of staff" but confirmed that he thought that trans women are women.
Mr Swinney's comments also came amid a landmark employment tribunal in Scotland about the right of trans people to access female-only areas.
NHS Fife accused Sandie Peggie, a nurse, of misconduct after she challenged the presence of Dr Beth Upton, who was born male but identifies as a woman, in female facilities at Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy.
At the time, it was not possible for Dr Upton to hold a gender recognition certificate (GRC), meaning the medic was legally male.
But the tribunal heard that NHS chiefs allowed the doctor to use the female changing rooms on the advice of an equalities officer, who insisted Dr Upton had a "right" to access women's facilities.
The guidance, which is to be rolled out across the Scottish NHS, warns that stopping a trans person from using their "preferred facilities" could amount to "unlawful discrimination on the grounds of gender reassignment".
