SNP minister Ash Regan resigns over gender recognition plans

• Ash Regan served as the minister of community safety for four years. She had previously expressed concerns about the proposed modifications to the law.
• MSPs will vote on the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill on Thursday night.
• The law would make it simpler for trans persons to change their sex on official records.

Due to her objection to proposals that would make it simpler for transgender people to change their sex on official records, an SNP minister resigned.

For four years, Ash Regan served as the minister of community safety and had previously expressed her worries about the Gender Recognition Act’s proposed modifications.

On Thursday afternoon, she informed the First Minister that her “conscience will not enable me to vote” to modify the law.

According to Nicola Sturgeon, the MSP has never before voiced concerns on the legal change.

On Thursday night, MSPs will vote on the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, and SNP representatives have been instructed to support the Government after a free vote on the measure was rejected.

The law would eliminate the requirement for a medical diagnosis, which LGBT advocacy groups claim is stressful, making it simpler for trans persons to change their sex on official documents like their birth certificate.

The law’s detractors have expressed fear that it might be used by predatory individuals seeking access to female-only areas.

In a letter to the government urging it not to “rush” the changes, Regan and 15 other senior SNP figures expressed their objections to amending the law in 2019.

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Along with several of the party’s MPs, frontbenchers Kate Forbes and Ivan McKee also signed.

Regan wrote the FM in a letter and stated: “Over a period of time, I gave gender recognition reform a lot of thought. I’ve come to the conclusion that I can’t vote in favor of the government at this afternoon’s Stage 1 of the Bill because of my conscience.

“Consequently, I am writing to resign my position in the Scottish Government as Minister for Community Safety.

“I have greatly valued the opportunity over the last few years to work in Government with colleagues to build a better Scotland.”

Sturgeon said: “I note that at no stage have you approached me – or indeed the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice – to raise your concerns about the Gender Recognition Reform Bill or the vote this evening.

“Thank you for your contribution to the Scottish Government.”

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