Hundreds Protest Supreme Court in Slessor Gardens

Written by Hannah Linda Hamilton

Image: Protesters holding a sign. Source: Emma Thomson.

Crowds gathered yesterday to demonstrate against the Supreme Court’s recent ruling that the term “woman” refers to biological sex in the 2010 equality act. The attendees included members of the Scottish Green Party, Unison, and the Socialist Workers Party, alongside members of the general public.

Protesters were vocal and passionate, joining in chants such as: ‘Trans rights are human rights’ and ‘trans liberation not trans litigation’. The event had many speakers take to the mic and address the crowd, a varied combination of people sharing their experiences and expressing their support. MSP Maggie Chapman addressed the crowd, echoing the sentiment she shared earlier via Instagram that the recent rise in anti-trans rhetoric is part of a “cruel culture war” and that the “Scottish Greens stand in solidarity with trans people”.

Image: Several protesters hold signs. Source: Emma Thomson.

The Supreme Court’s decision has had an intense impact upon the protesters in attendance. The event’s organiser, Kay, spoke about the need for the protest: “we don’t need a Supreme Court telling an individual who they are… for a panel of five people that are predominantly male to tell society the definition of one word is ludicrous”. She went on to say that this issue affects everyone, not just the trans community.

Multiple speakers raised this point of wider ramifications, citing concerns over bodily autonomy and the reduction of ‘woman’ to mean “walking wombs”, as Kay described it. In contrast to the eminent fear and uncertainty the ruling seems to have inspired, the community present at the protest were vocal about the need for love and support in this time.

Image: Protesters hold homemade signs. Source: Emma Thomson.

In the near 2 and a half hours it lasted, there was no shortage of protesters in attendance. Emotions were naturally high, and the passion of the people was palpable. We spoke to one protester, Amara, who explained that “we are here, we are fighting for our lives, literally”.

Kay, whose daughter attended the protest also, told The Jute Journal that the day had given her a sense of hope and shown that there are “people who don’t fear, or are avert to, trans people or biological people”. Throughout the day, the sentiment of ‘we are here’ was reinforced, seemingly in response to the ruling’s threat to the autonomy and existence of the trans community. The outpouring of love and support culminating in a cry for the right to a safe existence.