Scottish Green Government ministers have been slammed for claiming author JK Rowling is “putting trans lives at risk”.
Green co-leaders Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie have been accused of “making this debate more toxic and divisive”.
They said the Harry Potter author was “not helping” and deliberately misrepresenting proposed legal reforms before Holyrood.
Rowling opposes the Gender Recognition Bill that is backed by the Greens which would simplify the process for changing a person’s legally recognised gender.
Opponents say the proposals will affect the rights of women and threaten single-sex spaces for women.
But Harvie said: “I think she is advocating positions that are against trans peoples’ equality and human rights.”
Slater said: “The whole conversation and misrepresentation do indeed put trans lives at risk.”
But the two have been attacked for trying to shut down women’s voices. Feminist campaigner Susan Dalgety said: “It’s astonishing and very worrying that two Scottish Government ministers have chosen to publicly attack JK Rowling for speaking up for women’s rights.”
Scottish Conservative spokeswoman on gender reform, Meghan Gallacher, said: “These over-the-top accusations from SNP-Green Government ministers are making this debate more toxic and divisive than it should be.”
Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison insists the plans will not change women’s rights.
A Scottish Greens spokesperson said the bill “outlines simple proposals that will help trans people do things like marry, pay their taxes or get their pension in ways that recognise who they are”.
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