AN SNP MP has raised concerns that the views of LGBT+ politicians in Scotland on gender reform are being “policed” by their straight colleagues.
Commenting on Tory MSP Jamie Greene losing his position in the Scottish Conservative shadow cabinet over his backing of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, SNP MP Joanna Cherry said that it was part of a “unpleasant pattern” in Scottish politics.
She tweeted: “There’s an unpleasant pattern in Scottish politics whereby the beliefs of lesbian & gay politicians on gender identity are closely policed by straight colleagues.
“I support Jamie’s right to his beliefs as I hope he would support mine.”
On Sunday, Greene told the BBC that while he wasn’t given a reason for being dropped from his party’s frontbench in Holyrood, it was “probably” because he voted in favour of the Scottish Government’s gender reform bill, which was later blocked by Westminster.
During the final debates about the legislation, Greene was praised by members of other parties for attempting to find compromise on the issue.
But despite giving MSPs a free vote on the bill, Douglas Ross decided that Greene’s views were incompatible with a position on the shadow cabinet and sacked him from his role as justice spokesperson.
Cherry has been an outspoken critic of her party’s gender reform proposals for years.
After fellow gay MP Alyn Smith called on those who disagreed with the SNP’s policy on gender reform to leave the party, Cherry said SNP rebels were “not going anywhere”.
There are currently no transgender MSPs in the Scottish Parliament.
