Nicola Sturgeon today repeatedly refused to say whether she considers a double rapist to be a man or a woman.
At First Minister’s Questions, she was asked by Douglas Ross whether she agreed with justice secretary Keith Brown that Adam Graham – now self-identifying as Isla Bryson – should be regarded as a woman.
Earlier in the week Keith Brown had said: “I think that is the case. We have to accept people identify, as in this case [Adam Graham], as women.”
And the Scottish Government policy states: “It is the view of the Scottish Government that trans women are women.”
But Nicola Sturgeon – who belatedly stepped in to ensure Graham was transferred from a women’s prison to a male one following a public outcry – declined to answer directly.
She instead claimed that Graham should be seen simply as a rapist and that she didn’t have enough information to form an opinion on his chosen gender.
The Scottish Conservative leader said it was clear that Graham was cynically exploiting loopholes in the SNP’s gender self-ID policy.
He added that Graham’s gender identity – in the SNP Government’s eyes – mattered because it went to the heart of women’s safety and access to single sex spaces post-release from prison.
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said: “Adam Graham, who wants to be known as Isla Bryson, raped two women. He is an abusive man seeking to exploit loopholes in the government’s current policy.
“When a man rapes two women, we don’t think he should be considered a woman just because he says so – we should call out criminals like this who are abusing the system.
“They are not trans people. They are violent and dangerous men.
“The justice secretary this week said that Adam Graham should be considered a woman, simply because he claims he is.
“Now the First Minister has repeatedly refused to say whether she considers him a man or a woman. Incredibly, she claims not to have enough information to form an opinion.
“This matters because of what happens when violent criminals like Adam Graham get out of prison.
“Under Nicola Sturgeon’s current policies, he is considered a woman. That means sex offenders like him can keep forcing their way into women’s spaces.
“Adam Graham was already able to access a beauty class after raping two women.
“It’s a fundamental question of women’s safety. I refuse to trust the word of a man who lied in court and claimed that he didn’t rape two women.
“But SNP policy ensures he is believed when he claims to be a woman.
“So, he can keep demanding access to women’s spaces, he can keep forcing victims to call him “she”, he can keep terrifying and traumatising women.
“The First Minister should listen to the words of one of Adam Graham’s rape victims.
“She said: ‘I don’t believe a word. I don’t believe he’s truly transgender. I feel as if he’s made a mockery out of them using it. As far as I’m concerned, that was to make things easier for himself… I’m sure he’s faking it.”
“Astonishingly, though, the First Minister is giving this double rapist an easy way out.”
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