Update on the transphobic advert featuring on The National's front page this week.
This is good - but it shouldn't have taken people reaching out to have this response issued privately.
It should have been a public statement before the cover was unveiled.
I am easily distracted by cat videos
A poster for the panel discussion Solidarity: How Scotland Can Support Ukraine In attendance will be Chis Law MP, plus reps from Sunflower Scotland, Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, and Ukraine Solidarty Campaign Scotland 20th of April 6pm
Solidarity: How Scotland Can Support Ukraine PUBLIC MEETING
We are very pleased to announce a panel on Scotland's solidarity with Ukraine. This is a fantastic opportunity to hear more about what are doing to support Ukraine, and what more we could do.
Join us on Zoom 20th April, 6pm!
The SNP’s LGBT+ wing has asked the party’s candidates to condemn culture-war politics and commit to its policy goals ✍️
🔗 www.thenational.scot/politi...
For International Asexuality Day 2026, join us at Out For Independence in celebrating, learning about, standing in solidarity with, as well as advocating for the legitimacy of everyone under the Ace Umbrella.
Happy International Asexuality Day! Asexuality may encompass a lack of, very limited, or occasional and conditional experiences of sexual attraction.
Below is a thread of useful resources on supporting our friends, siblings and colleagues under the ace umbrella ⬇️
Also they might just pull out last minute like they did here
bsky.app/profile/scot...
They WANT people to feel uncomfortable and unable to go to the event.
They WANT our community to fight each other about whether or not the event should’ve gone ahead.
They WANT to sabotage the event and make us look unhinged.
Don’t give them what they want.
On the subject of the @lgbtiscotland.bsky.social hustings:
It is clear Reform were only invited because of the legal requirement. I am sure nobody wants them there.
A better question is why Reform chose to ACCEPT.
Most likely to make people uncomfortable and stir shit up.
Our voices should be heard this election. We know that some people are unhappy that we have a Reform candidate speaking at our LGBTQIA+ hustings this week. A few months ago, when we were deciding whether to put on a hustings for the Scottish Parliament election, we had a choice. We could invite candidates representing every party likely to get elected, or we could not have one at all. This is because of a combination of electoral and charity law, that means these were the only viable options. We thought carefully about what we felt was the right way forward. We asked ourselves if there was any valid, constructive or meaningful point in doing a hustings, given that politicians from so many parties have used our communities, particularly trans and non-binary people, for political point scoring over the last number of years. Some have actively opposed making our lives better – indeed, some have tried to make them worse. Ultimately, we decided that not going ahead would do the work of people who oppose LGBTQIA+ people’s equality and human rights for them. If we retreat from political conversations and from public life, then the voices of those who want to see a world that is smaller and harsher for our communities get to have all the airtime. During an election, every political party is going to have a huge media platform. Often, our mainstream media buys into using our communities (again, let’s be honest, mostly trans and non-binary people) for gotcha questions and clickbait. We hope that our hustings will be at least one small, carved out space, to ask candidates and parties the questions WE think really matter. If the event isn’t for you – we get it. If you’re annoyed, upset, angry, at seeing the logos of charities who work to make LGBTQIA+ people’s lives better alongside those of political parties who you feel do anything but – we get it. We totally understand. We had a tough choice to make, and we hope you can see why we made it this way.
Our voices should be heard this election.
Graphic with the asexual flag in the background. It says "Happy International Asexuality Day!" The Equality Network and Scottish Trans logos are at the bottom.
How to be a good ace ally If someone comes out to you as ace, believe them. Remember to mention ace when you’re talking about LGBTQIA+ inclusion Include an option for asexual if you are asking people about their sexuality Don’t ask intrusive questions about ace people’s sex lives. Educate yourself about asexuality – a good place to start is our booklet; Including Asexual People in Services
Today is International Asexuality day!
International Asexuality Day is marked every year on the 6th April, to educate about, celebrate, and show solidarity with, people who identify in the ace spectrum, including demisexual, grey-asexual and other ace identities.
that 'german or autistic' quiz people are doing is hosted on the website of that canadian guy who loves *aleksandr dugin* by the way. just thought i should put that out there
Let's be clear: Kelly isn't a pollster. He's not an analyst of any kind. He has no expertise in quantitative research methods of any kind.
He's a blogger who happens to support independence.
So could we please stop, in any publications, using his bullshit as if it comes with any authority?
Backed Our Pledges The First Candidates Pledge to support a comprehensive and trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices without exceptions or exemptions Pledge to defend an inclusive society where every LGBTQ+ person is free to live as who they are at home, at work, and in our community Pledge to oppose institutionalised conversion practices through the denial of healthcare to trans people Maggie Chapman North East Scotland List John Redpath Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire Alex Staniforth Edinburgh and Lothians East List Kristopher Leask Highlands and Islands List Isabel Ruffell Glasgow List Michael Gibbons West Scotland List
Our first six signatories of our pledge for the Scottish Parliamentary elections 2026.
Find our full request here: endconversiontherapy.scot#/holyrood26/...
@alexstaniforth.bsky.social @johnredpathsnp.bsky.social @maggiechapman.bsky.social @indymichaelg.bsky.social
April Fools are supposed to be done before noon. Hope this helps!
This is Trans Day of Visibility, so I felt it was time to give a bit more visibility to the positive experience of families with trans kids where love and support come first. Here's my piece for Bylines Scotland. bylines.scot/featured/lov... #TDoV 🏳️⚧️
Out for Independence statement for Trans Day of Visibility 2026: Every day, but especially today, join us at Out for Independence in standing with and celebrating our trans and non-binary siblings. However, we remember that persistent discrimination, underhand political and media attacks on trans people’s healthcare and right to exist in public, and last year’s Supreme Court ruling have worked hard to make visibility a curse, rather than a choice. Today is a reminder of the Scotland we must build - a more equal country where all citizens are treated fairly and no lie goes unchallenged.
As we celebrate our trans and non-binary siblings, we must also treat #TransDayOfVisibility as a call to face down political, media and judicial attacks on their human rights and build a country where they don't face hatred, discrimination or state neglect.
I think we need to celebrate the death of Sora a bit more. This is a technology that, just MONTHS AGO, we were being told was going to literally destroy Hollywood and Disney was going to give them a BILLION DOLLARS and NONE OF THAT EVEN REMOTELY HAPPENED
Why are some ads so disgusting? Like no, I don’t want to see pictures of diseased toes, actually.
To save someone else the click, none of the ones closing are in Glasgow.
Modern hand-dryers are an affront against autistic ears
unbelievably unhinged right wing attack line against the concept of benefits from the bbc at the snp campaign launch this morning
they've attacked the snp's record on ensuring people get the benefits they need by calling it creating state dependency
This was about this btw
bsky.app/profile/laur...
This is completely insane, lads. It’s not her that’s obsessed with anything, it the tiny gaggle of absolute headbangers who have not stopped screaming at her about it for five years. *You* are the wackos here, not her.
I really don't get why people are confused when I block accounts for anti-semitism. Not only is it absolutely and unquestionably sickening, it doesn't help when calling out the Israeli state's actions. On every single level it is abhorrent. There is nothing "progressive" about hatred.
Once upon a time in a land destroyed by Elon Musk I listed all their myriad front orgs and they get everywhere. Like cockroaches.
Your monthly reminder that Stop the War is an SWP front organisation.
Dear candidate, Conversion practices (sometimes marketed as conversion therapy) aim to change or suppress an individual’s sexual orientation, to suppress their sexual attraction or behaviours, or to change an individual’s gender identity to match the sex they were assigned at birth. Conversion therapy, the forced conditioning against a person’s sexuality or gender identity, has damaged generations of LGBTQ+ young people and adults and continues to do so. Almost two-thirds of respondents to a survey on the practice had suffered from mental health issues as a result of experiencing conversion therapy, and nearly a third said they had sought counselling to help them recover from it. Mental health issues caused by experiences of Conversion Therapy include many experiencing self-harm, eating disorders, and attempted suicide. These practices are a form of coercive abuse, they cannot be consented to and all LGBTQ+ people deserve to be protected from them. A majority of those who have experienced the practice support a criminal ban. Our call for a ban is backed by a UN independent expert report to the Human Rights Council, religious leaders from across the world, and Healthcare and Counselling organisations from across the UK. We are asking for you to make three pledges: Pledge to support a comprehensive and trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices without exceptions or exemptions Pledge to defend an inclusive society where every LGBTQ+ person is free to live as who they are at home, at work, and in our community Pledge to oppose institutionalised conversion practices through the denial of healthcare to trans people
Legislation to deliver a comprehensive ban in Scotland has been drafted by the Scottish Government in preparation to be brought to Parliament before being delayed on potential action being brought by the UK Government. It is now clear that no such ban is coming from the UK Government and the Scottish Parliament must act to deliver the ban promised for the past few years. Legislation must include protections for the whole LGBTQ+ community with: a ban on causing a person to undergo conversion therapy a ban on removing a minor from Scotland to undergo conversion therapy abroad a ban on providing conversion therapy a ban on advertising an offer to provide conversion therapy Legislation must not include: exemptions or exceptions for any faith or community exemptions or exceptions for "consent" We believe that with a draft bill already prepared that this ban can be delivered within the first year of the new Scottish Parliamentary Term. We hope we have your support. Yours faithfully, The End Conversion Therapy Scotland Team
Our Holyrood elections 2026 pledge will begin landing in candidate inboxes today.
All responses (or lack of) will be recorded on our website. If you are a candidate you can also reach out to us directly with your pledge.
You can find our full email here:
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT
The SNP Ukraine Solidarity Caucus is going to Ukraine, and we need your help!
We're raising money on behalf of Sunflower Scotland to fund humanitarian aid and medical evacuation vehicles, which our members will deliver personally to Lviv,
www.justgiving.com/page/snp4ukr...
It is truly insane that a Doctor Who *spin-off* created this. Not even the main show. That's how powerful the Whoniverse brand was in 2009.
Not trying to make a wider point here, just, yeah, maybe I am. That powerful!
Keir Starmer wants to be Tony Blair so bad, but at least Blair had some decent domestic policies 🙃