The co-leader of the Scottish Greens has accused the SNP of tolerating transphobia despite being in a Holyrood coalition with the party.
Patrick Harvie said on Thursday that under Nicola Sturgeon’s leadership the problem had been allowed to “fester” within its ranks.
The minister for active travel went on to claim that “a significant number of high-profile people” within the SNP had been able to “get away with promoting transphobia”.
While he did not mention anyone by name, Joanna Cherry, the MP, is by far the most prominent and outspoken opponent within the SNP of plans to allow Scots to legally change their own sex by making a declaration.
Ms Cherry and other feminist campaigners believe allowing biologial men to change their legal sex by affirmation, without a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria, will threaten the rights and safety of women.
The MP claimed Mr Harvie’s comments were the latest attempt to silence opponents to the legislation.
Lorna Slater, his co-leader, provoked outrage this week when she suggested those who had concerns about the radical reforms were akin to racists or anti-semites.
“In the past week both Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie have displayed an extraordinary insouciance towards human rights and equality law by seeking to brand women who question legislative proposals based on gender identity theory as transphobic and akin to racists and anti-Semites,” Ms Cherry said.
“Ms Slater wants us banned from the airwaves and Mr Harvie wants us disciplined by our political parties.
“Both of these politicians need to go off and acquaint themselves with Articles 9 and 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights which protect freedom of belief and freedom of speech in this country.”
Several figures within the SNP who support removing the need for a medical diagnosis to legally change sex have called for Ms Cherry to be disciplined or kicked out of the party.
She was among the prominent “gender critical” women who attended a lunch in London last weekend hosted by author JK Rowling.
Many trans activists have a broad definition of what constitutes transphobia, with some arguing it is not permissible to state the belief that it is impossible for a biological man to become a woman.
Mr Harvie said some of the unacceptable practices included “deadnaming” – meaning to refer to a trans person under the name they used before they transitioned – or “misgendering”, which means to use words contrary to a person’s gender identity.
He claimed legislation around self-identification currently progressing through Holyrood will pass and that “the sky will not fall in”.
Mr Harvie accused of ‘bullying’
The campaign group For Women Scotland accused Mr Harvie of “posturing and bullying”. A spokeswoman added: “If Harvie and Slater really believe so-called “deadnaming” or “misgendering” are as serious and deplorable racism or antisemitism, we wonder why they remain in coalition with them.
“The real reason, of course, is that once again Harvie is setting out to stifle opposition.
“There is bigotry at play here, but it is Mr Harvie’s and the Scottish Green Party, and it is not transphobia, but misogyny.”
A spokeswoman for the SNP said the party was “proud to be taking forward legislation to improve the lives of trans and non-binary people.”
A spokesman for the Scottish Greens said: “The Scottish Greens are clear that discussions surrounding gender recognition reforms must be respectful and free from bigotry which denies the existence of trans people or portrays them as predators. It’s clear that some would rather deliberately misrepresent this position than engage in meaningful discussion.”
