SCOTTISH Labour have been accused of failing the party’s trans supporters by ignoring complaints about one of their elected representatives.
The Scottish Greens have accused Renfrewshire Labour councillor Alison Ann-Dowling of betraying her party’s commitment to reforming the Gender Recognition Act by attending a rally opposed to expanding trans rights.
The Gender Recognition Act is currently progressing through Holyrood and aims to make it easier for trans people to change their sex on official documents such as birth certificates.
It is fiercely opposed by groups such as For Women Scotland - who campaign for sex to be given stronger protection in law, over the category of gender.
The Scottish Greens said they consider the group, which organised the rally attended by Ann-Dowling, who represents the leafy Renfrewshire village of Houston, on October 6, as anti-trans and have complained to Labour about the councillor’s support for the group.
They said Ann-Dowling’s attendance put her at odds with the party’s official stance on trans rights issues.
Scottish Labour’s last Holyrood manifesto pledged to reform the Gender Recognition Act something it shared with the SNP, the Scottish Greens, the LibDems.
All mainstream parties other than the Conservatives are formally committed to changing the gender recognition process, so trans people do not need to undergo medical assessment to have their sex on official documents such as birth certificates match the gender in which they live.
Gender critical feminists, including For Women Scotland and their supporters, are concerned doing this would mean predatory men would be able to falsely claim they were women.
Charley O’Hear, co-convener of the Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Greens, said: “Our complaints to the Labour Party, the Co-Op Party and the leader of Labour in Renfrewshire Council were submitted in the hope that these officials were simply unaware of the views of Councillor Dowling or her presence at this anti-trans rally.
“Unfortunately, we have yet to receive a response with regards to this. We are slowly losing hope that any response received would be sufficient in addressing and owning up to the harm Councillor Dowling’s actions have caused.
“A Labour politician using her profile as a councillor to attend events and promote views that contradict party policy is simply unacceptable – not just to transgender people in Renfrewshire and Scotland but also to everyone who believed the Labour Party's policies at council elections.
“Everybody deserves to be able to elect politicians, and political parties, who stick to their word and their own policies.
“Sadly, those who have voted Labour will now know that they have backed a party who do not stand up for the rights of trans people across the country. Both Councillor Dowling and the Labour Party have failed in their duty.”
For Women Scotland describe their organisation as working to “protect and strengthen women and children's rights”.
Ann-Dowling and For Women Scotland were approached for comment.
Scottish Labour did not respond to requests for comment.
