For Women Scotland

The group was established in 2018 "amid growing unease about how women's rights would be affected by the Scottish Government's plans to reform the Gender Recognition Act to allow for self-declaration of sex".[8] The directors of For Women Scotland are Trina Budge, Marion Calder, and Susan Smith.[9] Magdalen Berns was a co-founder.[9]

A theme in an interview study with members of a "Scottish women's cooperative constellation around the issue of GRA reform and its impact on women's sex-based rights", was that organisations like For Women Scotland and Woman and Girls in Scotland were founded because established women's organisations in Scotland, such as Engender, Rape Crisis Scotland, and Zero Tolerance, were "running scared of the debate around GRA reform or actively working against gender-critical women in their support of the Scottish government's plans".[10]

The group has been described as anti-trans[11][12][3][4] and as trans-exclusionary radical feminist.[5]

In November 2021, author J. K. Rowling hailed the group for its support, after trans activists publicised her home address online. She said: "Thank you, my sisters xxx."[13]

In February 2019, the group held its first public meeting in Edinburgh. The event attracted an audience of around 150, protested by about 40, and was described by The Guardian as "most public expression in Scotland of increasingly vocal concerns around transgender issues".[1] Susan Smith said:

"We are concerned that the Scottish government is sleepwalking towards a significant erosion of women's rights, both in terms of proposals to reform the GRA to allow self-identification and the failure to prevent other organisations running ahead of the law and adopting policies which are in breach of the Equality Act. We’re not here to quibble about toilets and we’re not here to create trouble for those who have battled crippling gender dysphoria. We welcome extra provisions for other vulnerable groups that don't involve dismantling existing rights. If we cannot see sex, then we cannot see sexism, we cannot define sexuality, and it is the most vulnerable women who will suffer from this."[1]

Critics of the meeting included the Intersectional feminist group Sisters Uncut Edinburgh who said: "While For Women Scot do a sterling job of making transphobia look respectable, their actions and statements do real damage to Scotland's trans and non-binary community."[1]

During proceedings regarding the bill eventually passed as the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021, For Women Scotland presented its concerns regarding free speech to the Justice Committee of the Scottish Parliament: the group feared it could be prosecuted over its position on women's rights and transgender people.[14]

In March 2021, the group lost their judicial review at the Court of Session to remove trans women from the definition of "woman" in the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018, a law intended to grow the number of women on public boards.[4] The Scottish Trans Alliance had intervened, describing the case as "hurtful and pointless".[15][16]

In July 2021, the group announced it would appeal,[17] and in November 2021 the appeal hearing began in the Inner House of the Court of Session.[18] In February 2022, Lady Dorrian found in their favour, ruling that by "incorporating those transsexuals living as women into the definition of woman the 2018 act conflates and confuses two separate and distinct protected characteristics ... Changing the definitions of protected characteristics, even for the purpose of achieving the gender recognition objective is not permitted and in this respect the 2018 act is outwith legislative competence".[19]

In June 2021, Marion Millar, an accountant from Airdrie who works for the group, was charged in connection with tweets alleged to be homophobic and transphobic, and was interviewed at Coatbridge police station under the Communications Act 2003.[6] A spokesperson for FWS said: "Marion is naturally upset that the police have decided to press ahead with charges. [..] Sadly, in Scotland, it seems both free speech and women's rights are under attack."[6][20]

In July 2021, FWS organised a rally in support of Marion Millar on Glasgow Green, addressed by Graham Linehan, among others.[8]

In August 2021, Marion Millar and a group of activists affiliated with For Women Scotland were asked to leave the Doctors Pub in Edinburgh by a trans bar server who objected to their presence. Millar said she left when asked, but Police Scotland said they were called in after "a group of people refused to leave the premises". The pub owner, Greene King, was investigating, while For Women Scotland said some involved were considering legal action.[3]

On 28 October 2021 the Crown Office discontinued all proceedings against Marion Millar pending a review of the case.[21][22]

On 1 September 2021, the group organised a demonstration outside the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, demanding that the SNP-Green government uphold sex-based rights. Demonstrators called on MSPs to respect women's rights, and single-sex spaces and services, and not to allow men identifying as women to use them. The Herald estimated there were 400 people in the main demo, and 100 at a counter-protest.[23]

Marion Calder of For Women Scotland, said: "They need to understand that women won't wheesht, that they need to consider women's rights within any piece of legislation, especially over the next year, whether it is self-ID, GRA reform, the census, or the impact of the Hate Crime Bill and the chilling effect on women's rights and being unable to speak out."[23]

• Fair Play for Women
• LGB Alliance
• Woman's Place UK