The world is a curious place, rarely black and white. A current instance of that is happening as I type in Scotland, where Nicola Sturgeon’s party the Scottish National Party (SNP) has passed a law regarding gender recognition which was part of their 2016 manifesto. It allows a trans person to change their birth certificate. This means self-identification rather than being dependent on a medical diagnosis. And this can be done by anyone of 16 years or older.
Personally, I think it is a rubbish law. Having been 16 myself, having helped rear four people who at various points were 16, I know that people of that age should be kept away from sharp objects and decision-making of any importance beyond whether to use a spoon or a fork when drinking soup. At 16 you’re largely a whirling mass of hormones and in serious need of protection, mainly from yourself. So being left free to decide what sex – OK, gender – you are strikes me as a short-cut to madness and tragedy.
On the other hand, the Scottish law has galvanised the English government into insisting that Scotland isn’t entitled to pass this law. So much of the guff about enhanced powers for Scotland are just that – guff. This attitude by the English, while typical, is sure to rile most Scots and reinforce their belief that only by securing independence for their country will they really have control over important pieces of legislation like this. In short, it’ll super-charge the cause for Scottish independence. Certainly that is my hope. So I choose to look at the bright side of a bad law. In the end, it’s like decision-making: we may screw up in how we organise our finances, but that doesn’t mean we’d favour the man next door coming in and controlling them for us.
See what I mean about black and white?
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