On 1st April the Scottish Hate Crime Act is law. This embraces perception based recording of non crime hate incidents, despite the Miller ruling. I set out all my hate below, for easy access.
In a decision of monumental idiocy and with an ostensibly bizarre lack of awareness, this act comes into force on April Fool's Day. Sadly, I think it is safe to say that it will not be ineffectual after the traditional midday cut-off point for Fool's Day spoofs. Although it clearly should die such a death.
Yet despite Fool's Day thankfully lasting but a single half-day per year, I would suggest that each day afterwards will seem to be filled with equivalent imbecilic, authoritarian legalities brought upon those people whose only 'crime' is to accept reality, by fabulating, vituperative and coercive gender fundamentalists with no jobs or lives.
Thank you for taking a stand. Lots of less brave people hiding behind you. The problem is that even if you are 100% right in law the risk of getting caught up in the process and having to prove this is enough to keep our errant thoughts in line.
That lot say such awful things about us, we should be able to use this law against them. It might well be repealed once they realise it cuts both ways. Or is that merely wishful thinking?
The law can certainly be an ass. When transactivists argue that some men are legally women, therefore they ARE women, I would ask: 'Then following your logic, you would happily call gay people criminals if you were back in 1966, because the law criminalised homosexuality'. And here are some misleading words that we would all be better without: Gender. Hate. Offence. Transphobia. Islamophobia. Identity.
Disagree. In 1966 homosexuality is deemed wrong and a danger to society because it is criminalised, and the law justified the attitude that being gay is wrong. In 2024 many people deem 'gender' as the main factor determining whether you are a man or a woman and this is supported by the legal fiction that a man can become a woman, i.e. supported by the law, just as in 1966. The analagy is that people in both eras use the law to guide and justify their thinking. A bad law can make people stupid. Like religion. It can help people indulge in their prejudice. Of course, there is no direct analagy between being homosexual and changing biological sex.
I share your faith and at the same time try not hate anyone! As a Scot, I have not yet met any other Scots who do not share your faith. Are the vast majority to be crimalised because of our faith and sincerely held beliefs based on painstaking scientific investigation?
The 10 Articles of your Creed should be learned and recited daily by all adherents to the faith of Reality. In Scotland they should be publicly proclaimed daily.
The illogic of being able to misgender someone makes me want to scream. Gender advocates acknowledge sex as being real, but say it is not important. Gender is. Gender is how one feels inside about him/her self. Okay, let’s say I agree. Two sexes, forty genders. But as a stranger, ad an outside observer what do I respond to? Gender or sex? It must be sex. Because I am not privy to another’s inside feelings! Of the 40 genders how can I know what one you are that day? Since gender is fluid you could a man one minute, a woman the next, pan the following. But 99.9% of the time regardless of how you are dressed I can say ‘that’s a Dude’. I was in Thailand on business for a few months. There are Ladyboys. If you’ve ever seen a pic of a dolled up ladyboy you might think
‘Huh, that could fool me’. Nope. Not in real life. Maybe from 30’ away walking down a big street in Bangkok for a second. But as she/he passes closer it is obvious it is a guy. And that is a delicate Thai person. I see trans guys in my City. They look like absurd caricatures of women. They aren’t women. How can I misgender someone when one can’t tell from looking as by their own definition it is an internal feeling? And changeable.
In a decision of monumental idiocy and with an ostensibly bizarre lack of awareness, this act comes into force on April Fool's Day. Sadly, I think it is safe to say that it will not be ineffectual after the traditional midday cut-off point for Fool's Day spoofs. Although it clearly should die such a death.
Yet despite Fool's Day thankfully lasting but a single half-day per year, I would suggest that each day afterwards will seem to be filled with equivalent imbecilic, authoritarian legalities brought upon those people whose only 'crime' is to accept reality, by fabulating, vituperative and coercive gender fundamentalists with no jobs or lives.
I fully agree. This law is completely absurd. I am not going to comply and expect Scottish police to be in contact shortly.
Thank you for taking a stand. Lots of less brave people hiding behind you. The problem is that even if you are 100% right in law the risk of getting caught up in the process and having to prove this is enough to keep our errant thoughts in line.
And so say all of us!
Brilliant piece, such dark times we're in - thanks Sarah, keep us updated! Solidarity. xx
That lot say such awful things about us, we should be able to use this law against them. It might well be repealed once they realise it cuts both ways. Or is that merely wishful thinking?
The law can certainly be an ass. When transactivists argue that some men are legally women, therefore they ARE women, I would ask: 'Then following your logic, you would happily call gay people criminals if you were back in 1966, because the law criminalised homosexuality'. And here are some misleading words that we would all be better without: Gender. Hate. Offence. Transphobia. Islamophobia. Identity.
Well said. I wonder if all of us who agree with you in our (hateful) comments will be deemed to have "published" them in Scotland, too?
Disagree. In 1966 homosexuality is deemed wrong and a danger to society because it is criminalised, and the law justified the attitude that being gay is wrong. In 2024 many people deem 'gender' as the main factor determining whether you are a man or a woman and this is supported by the legal fiction that a man can become a woman, i.e. supported by the law, just as in 1966. The analagy is that people in both eras use the law to guide and justify their thinking. A bad law can make people stupid. Like religion. It can help people indulge in their prejudice. Of course, there is no direct analagy between being homosexual and changing biological sex.
I share your faith and at the same time try not hate anyone! As a Scot, I have not yet met any other Scots who do not share your faith. Are the vast majority to be crimalised because of our faith and sincerely held beliefs based on painstaking scientific investigation?
Thank you for being a voice of reason in these times, Sarah.
Is it true that women as a group are not protected under this new "hate law"? Another step in the erasure of women and human rights.
Women have little to no rights in many countries. Is this where we are heading?
The 10 Articles of your Creed should be learned and recited daily by all adherents to the faith of Reality. In Scotland they should be publicly proclaimed daily.
Check out this new level of insanity.
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/health/other/court-to-decide-if-ontario-must-pay-for-surgery-to-make-vagina-if-patient-also-want-to-keep-penis/ar-BB1kVIuY
The illogic of being able to misgender someone makes me want to scream. Gender advocates acknowledge sex as being real, but say it is not important. Gender is. Gender is how one feels inside about him/her self. Okay, let’s say I agree. Two sexes, forty genders. But as a stranger, ad an outside observer what do I respond to? Gender or sex? It must be sex. Because I am not privy to another’s inside feelings! Of the 40 genders how can I know what one you are that day? Since gender is fluid you could a man one minute, a woman the next, pan the following. But 99.9% of the time regardless of how you are dressed I can say ‘that’s a Dude’. I was in Thailand on business for a few months. There are Ladyboys. If you’ve ever seen a pic of a dolled up ladyboy you might think
‘Huh, that could fool me’. Nope. Not in real life. Maybe from 30’ away walking down a big street in Bangkok for a second. But as she/he passes closer it is obvious it is a guy. And that is a delicate Thai person. I see trans guys in my City. They look like absurd caricatures of women. They aren’t women. How can I misgender someone when one can’t tell from looking as by their own definition it is an internal feeling? And changeable.
Well done. I applaud you for your courage.
Not sure this kind of deliberate taunting to provoke some form of official response is an offence umder the new act. I cant see intent. But..
Why is oppression absurd?
Evil and in this case obscene but not absurd, indeed normal.