As a writer, feminist and literary events organiser in Scotland, I’m regularly sent links to information someone thinks might be of interest to me. This week it was a document commissioned by one of Scotland’s leading and most powerful publicly-funded literary organisations, Literature Alliance Scotland (LAS).
Nobody, of course, objects to transgender writers being included or supported, but the content of the guidance raises several extremely serious and concerning issues.
Normally in cases like these, there’s an instant and concerted attempt to rubbish the judgement, both from amateurs and activist lawyers like Robin Moira “Barry” White, Jolyon Maugham, and the anonymous “Pissed Off Lawyer” tweeting as @legaltweetz. They’ll issue spurious “analyses” dismissing the findings with jargon terms like “obiter”, and either question their correctness or attempt to minimise their significance.
For some reason that didn’t happen this time. The hyper-antagonist online trans army has very conspicuously failed to rush to the defence of ERCC CEO Mridul Wadhwa, perhaps because Judge Ian McFatridge’s conclusions were so relentlessly, brutally and comprehensively excoriating of Wadhwa’s appalling behaviour that no amount of spin or disingenuity could disguise it.
But then, on white charger and with papoose, enter a hero.
Mridul Wadhwa, a man with whom Wings readers have been familiar for some years, was found by the tribunal judge to have been “the invisible hand behind everything that had taken place” as Roz Adams, a conscientious, caring and highly professional woman with a long history in the sector, was systematically and methodically hounded out of her job for holding, privately and sensitively, the belief that biological sex is real.
We watched Question Time last night for the first time in about nine years, and this comment from SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn raised an eyebrow.
Because we couldn’t remember ANY times that Flynn had publicly expressed any problems with the Scottish Greens during their governing alliance.
robertkknight on All The Dirt From My Eyes: “D’Izzie… Let me use a word you might understand… “Scunnered”. Over 400,000 people are so scunnered by Sturgeon, Murrell and…” May 27, 18:32
twathater on No Money Back, No Guarantee: “And as if by magic Northcode just to confirm the degeneration of the auld empire that you so eloquently expressed…” May 27, 18:12
Tenruh on All The Dirt From My Eyes: “You’ve got to wonder did he already know from the outset that there never was going to be a referendum?…” May 27, 18:08
Strathglass on All The Dirt From My Eyes: “One begins to wonder if the principal reason Murrell and others were so frightened of Alex Salmond returning to frontline…” May 27, 18:02
Mike on All The Dirt From My Eyes: “It’s a sad reflection on the state of Scotland that Sturgeon has been allowed to walk Scot free in all…” May 27, 17:44
Mark Beggan on All The Dirt From My Eyes: “Amelda Murrell will probably be running a sweepstake with the inmates tobacco rations.” May 27, 17:42
agentx on All The Dirt From My Eyes: ““The Presiding Officer (Kenneth Gibson) The next item of business is an urgent question in relation to Peter Murrell. As…” May 27, 17:39
Young Lochinvar on All The Dirt From My Eyes: “Bet sneaky Pete is finding consolation in jail listening to Jimmy Nails song “Ain’t no doubt”. Probably sings along to…” May 27, 17:26
Nemisis Benn on No Money Back, No Guarantee: “It is a given (by admission, not proof or evidence) that Murrell stole significant sums from the SNP for over…” May 27, 17:16
James Jones on No Money Back, No Guarantee: “It’s sad to see some people here trying to blame the Union for this. The reason the rest of the…” May 27, 17:14
Iain Ross on All The Dirt From My Eyes: “If I were the head of a political party, like JS is, and had been made aware that £c660,000 of…” May 27, 17:13
Geri on All The Dirt From My Eyes: “Good grief! I’ve never been arrested but surely tae fck the police don’t let suspects go home & they can…” May 27, 17:13
Aidan on No Money Back, No Guarantee: “You’re lying again, the GDP per capita in Scotland is around 75% of Denmark, not 50%. Scotland is overall a…” May 27, 17:05
TURABDIN on All The Dirt From My Eyes: “PETTY & not so petty crime in the piss pot of contemprary politics. When democracy goes wrong the answer is.…” May 27, 16:51
diabloandco on All The Dirt From My Eyes: “Did you have to? I have a revolting image now stuck in my head , putting me off my tea!” May 27, 16:46
Alf Baird on No Money Back, No Guarantee: ““it is about 20% higher in Sweden” GDP per cap in Denmark, which has a similar population to Scotland, was…” May 27, 16:40
MaryB on All The Dirt From My Eyes: “Izzie, as an independence supporter, I don’t now see how trying to sweep this, and the Alex Salmond issues, under…” May 27, 16:40
Wally Jumblatt on All The Dirt From My Eyes: “Wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest to find that whoever wrote SNP’s articles of Association / Constitution / whatever, that…” May 27, 16:35
agentx on All The Dirt From My Eyes: “There are calls for an inquiry. “John Swinney has resisted calls for an investigation, saying the matter is being handled…” May 27, 16:34
Captain Caveman on All The Dirt From My Eyes: “Some wag described it as “Mein Kampfervan” the other day, which did raise a smile 😀” May 27, 16:16
agentx on All The Dirt From My Eyes: “Will Murrell turn up to the sentencing hearing dressed in tight pink leggings, claim he is trans and end up…” May 27, 16:12
Rev. Stuart Campbell on All The Dirt From My Eyes: ““This Practice Note outlines the Scottish procedure for obtaining a civil recovery order in the Court of Session under Chapter…” May 27, 16:07
agentx on All The Dirt From My Eyes: “When you are arrested in Scotland, a police officer must inform you of your rights under the Criminal Justice (Scotland)…” May 27, 16:07
agentx on All The Dirt From My Eyes: “Police Scotland’s Standard Operating Procedure governing the arrest process as the following: “I am arresting you under Section 1 of…” May 27, 16:05
Izzie on All The Dirt From My Eyes: “I cant see the point of all this. We all want Scottish Independence. Murrel is vonvicted Sturgeon is history we…” May 27, 16:04
agentx on No Money Back, No Guarantee: ““JOHN Swinney will request a Section 30 order from the Prime Minister when they meet in “the next few weeks”…” May 27, 15:46
lothianlad on All The Dirt From My Eyes: “As a compromissed asset of the british security services, she will feel protected and may well avoid jail time. That…” May 27, 15:44
Northcode on No Money Back, No Guarantee: “Oh, My God, AI Dan… that was one of the most interesting posts I’ve ever read in this place. There…” May 27, 15:23
Morgatron on All The Dirt From My Eyes: “Camper Van!! you just couldn’t get a more apt name for a mode of transport for they two other than…” May 27, 15:12
Northcode on All The Dirt From My Eyes: “To be honest, and I rarely am, If I thought the English colonial state was protecting me in perpetuity from…” May 27, 15:07
