Equality Network

18/06/2026

The Netherlands passed a ban on conversion practices this week - what's stopping Scotland?

We're pleased to hear that the ban in the Netherlands covers both s*xual orientation and gender identity, in a variety of settings – which aligns with our call for a comprehensive ban in Scotland. The bill passed with a clear majority - 57 out of 75 total votes.

Many other European countries have passed bans, recognising the harmful impact of conversion practices - but Scotland has yet to do so, despite having a bill at an advanced stage. Survivors of conversion practices worked tirelessly to create this bill, sharing their time and their stories, alongside significant public consultation.

Conversion practices don’t work. While we wait for a ban in Scotland, LGBTQIA+ people continue to be at risk of harm, causing lifelong impacts on their mental health, sense of self and relationships.

We can’t keep waiting - it's time to end these practices for good in Scotland.

Find out more about our work on Ending Conversion Practices: https://www.equality-network.org/our-work/policy-team/ending-conversion-practices/

18/06/2026

Engender have launched their new report today, revealing the appalling extent of misogyny, harassment & abuse that women councillors face in Scotland.

90% of survey respondents had experienced s*xism, misogyny or violence at some point during their career; and a shocking 100% of le***an and bis*xual respondents, and minority ethnic respondents, had experienced at least three different forms of violence in their time as a councillor.

Read the full report and support Engender's vital recommendations for action, to address and prevent violence against women in local democracy. https://www.engender.org.uk/news/blog/nine-in-ten-women-councillors-have-experienced-s*xism-misogyny-or-violence-in-scottish-loc

11/06/2026

11/06/2026

Equality Network and Scottish Trans strongly condemn the racist protests that took place in Scotland this week, and others that took place across the UK.

We strongly support this statement made by BEMIS, and agree that this violent, threatening behaviour should have no place in Scotland: https://bemis.org.uk/statement-on-the-violent-protests-in-glasgow-and-across-scotland/

We stand in solidarity with all migrants, people of colour, Black, minority ethnic and faith communities across the UK. We stand against fascism, racism, xenophobia and anti-migrant violence and rhetoric. We also note that many who encouraged these actions, including some people in other countries, are the same people who are trying to encourage the rollback of human rights and acceptance for a variety of different marginalised groups.

These protests and attacks have made many people in Scotland, including LGBTQIA+ people of colour, feel unsafe to go out in public. They add to the rising tide of anti-migrant and racist sentiment that has been building across Scotland and rest of the UK. This is completely unacceptable, and we all must act to ensure that everyone feels valued and welcome in our communities, and that this hateful rhetoric is not able to take further root in our society.

We recognise that the work being done by local community organisations and grassroots groups who are supporting those impacted by these events, providing reassurance, practical assistance and safe spaces for people who may be feeling frightened or isolated. Their efforts demonstrate the strength of Scotland’s communities in the face of hatred and division.

We call on UK Governments to deal with this threat immediately, and to stand up to those who wish to further divide us for their own ends.

04/06/2026

We are deeply concerned with the recent UK Supreme Court decision that changes the way Deprivation of Liberty is assessed.

This decision means there will be fewer safeguards to ensure the rights and dignity of people who lack capacity to consent to their care and living arrangements. We are disappointed to see another court ruling that further rolls back rights for those among the most marginalised in our society.

Human rights are universal, inalienable, interdependent and indivisible - which means no group's rights can be separated out from others and that everyone's rights must be upheld, or all of ours are at risk.

Please read the statement below from Mind, Mencap and the National Autistic Society about the implications of this decision and join their call for the UK Government to act.

Our charity has joined Mencap and Mind to respond to today’s Supreme Court ruling that removes the framework known as Cheshire West, warning that it strips fundamental human rights protections from potentially hundreds of thousands of disabled people.

03/06/2026

Come along to our workshop at Porty Pride this weekend!

FREE - St Mark's Church - 2-4pm - Sunday 7th June

https://portypride.com/2026events/inclusive-pride

Join Equality Network to explore how Pride can be more accessible and inclusive. Share your experiences and ideas for making Pride truly for everyone.

The Porty Pride team have made every effort to make it accessible and inclusive for all. Unfortunately, not all Prides - or all parts of Pride - are inclusive or accessible to everyone.

In this discussion we’ll share what makes Pride events accessible and inclusive for us and how they might be improved to truly be Pride for All.

This participatory session will include opportunities for you to share your thoughts and feelings by speaking, writing or by joining in a group art activity.

We will be centering the experience of disabled and neurodivergent people, although all are welcome.

02/06/2026

We understand that this Pride Month comes at a time where many LGBTQIA+ people in Scotland, especially members of the trans community, are feeling increasingly unable to be open, joyful and proud about who they are, due to continued attacks on our rights.

Many people may not feel like celebrating pride this year, many are angry, frustrated and hurt. This was how the Pride movement was founded; In anger and hurt we came together to support and protect one another, something we need now, more than ever. We pushed on, for better, and we demanded real, meaningful, change for everyone in the LGBTQIA+ community. We will continue to do just that.

To LGBTQIA+ people in Scotland, we want you to know that you are loved, and your existence is valued. To our allies, we need everyone to keep stepping up.

If you want to take action against the EHRC Code of Practice, please contact your MP and ask them to object to the code.

We have analysed the new Code here: https://www.scottishtrans.org/supreme-court-ruling-on-s*x-in-the-equality-act/our-thoughts-on-the-ehrcs-updated-code-of-practice-may-2026/

You can find our tool to email your MP here: https://equalrecognition.eaction.org.uk/rejectthecode

It is really important that MPs understand the huge impact that passing this Code will have on the dignity and human rights of trans people across the UK.

27/05/2026

We've produced an in-depth summary and analysis of the EHRC's new Code of Practice. You can read it on the Scottish Trans website here: https://www.scottishtrans.org/supreme-court-ruling-on-s*x-in-the-equality-act/our-thoughts-on-the-ehrcs-updated-code-of-practice-may-2026/

See the post below for our full statement:

After taking a few days to read and process the EHRC’s new Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations, we have produced an in-depth summary and analysis of the key changes that it makes and what we believe they mean for trans people and organisations who wish to be inclusive. You can read it in full on our website here: https://www.scottishtrans.org/supreme-court-ruling-on-s*x-in-the-equality-act/our-thoughts-on-the-ehrcs-updated-code-of-practice-may-2026/

Last week, the UK Minister for Equalities laid the Code before the UK Parliament, approving changes made to it by the EHRC in light of last year’s Supreme Court judgment on the meaning of “s*x” in the Equality Act.

While we understand that the judgment has impacted interpretations of equality law, we believe the Code goes above and beyond “necessary changes”, cementing exclusion and segregation into the statutory guidance that businesses, services, and public bodies across the UK are strongly encouraged to follow.

We think that the Code is neither fit for purpose in how it understands trans people’s lives and needs when it comes to service provision, nor is it practical or clear for service providers. It treats trans people as second class citizens and a “third s*x”, an approach that is completely contrary to the original intentions of both the Equality Act 2010 and the Gender Recognition Act 2004.

Our summary covers some of the key changes the Code makes on s*x, gender recognition, access to services, harassment, associations, and sports. Following that, it explores in detail how the Code fails the “three tests” we established with TransActual and Trans+ Solidarity Alliance, showing exactly why it is not fit for purpose.

The summary is long, and we apologise that we cannot give clear and simple answers on what the Code says. The fact is, the Code is not in any way clear or simple, and we think it will only make life more difficult for trans people, as well as the organisations that wish to include us. If it comes into effect, we expect that this guidance will result in further harm, litigation, and confusion for years to come.

After 40 days, around 10th July, if there is no objection from the UK Parliament, the Code can be made statutory by order of the Secretary of State, and becomes statutory guidance. There is perhaps a very small chance that a motion could be passed in Parliament to stop this, but there’s no guarantee that a vote on this would be given time.

If the UK Government and the EHRC are correct in their interpretations of what the Equality Act now means after the Supreme Court judgment, we are in a situation where trans people are not able to safely (or at all) access many essential services like hospitals or toilets. Then there is no other reasonable course of action but for the law to be changed to allow us to live in dignity.

The Equality Act 2010 no longer means what it was intended to mean. Trans people’s rights have been pushed back to before the 2004 Gender Recognition Act. The Equality Act needs amended to restore the original intention of Parliament, and trans people’s human rights and equality. Holyrood can’t do this, as the Act is reserved to Westminster.

We will do our best to make the case for this change in Westminster as well as in Scotland, and to share our understanding of how this Code works (or doesn’t) with the community, service providers, and lawmakers. We’ll keep you up to date on any further changes or developments as they occur.

For now, we encourage you to continue to be kind to yourself and your trans friends and loved ones. We may have a long road ahead of us in the fight to restore and improve trans people’s right to public life in the UK, and so it’s important to focus on sustaining ourselves and our communities.

If you need to speak to someone about how this is affecting you, support is available from:
LGBT Health and Wellbeing (https://lgbthealth.org.uk/lgbt-helpline-scotland-developments/) Helpline 0800 464 7000, email [email protected], webchat, available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays (12-9pm) Sundays (1-6pm)

LGBT Youth Scotland (https://lgbtyouth.org.uk/get-support/) live chat Mon 4-6pm, Wed/Thurs 4-8pm

Breathing Space (https://www.breathingspace.scot/how-we-can-help/need-to-talk/) Helpline 0800 83 85 87, available Mon-Thurs 6pm-2am Fri-Mon 6pm-6am

21/05/2026

The UK Minister for Equalities has laid the EHRC’s Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations before UK Parliament. Find out more in the post below.

The UK Minister for Equalities has laid the EHRC’s Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations before UK Parliament. You can find it here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-2010-draft-code-of-practice-for-services-public-functions-and-associations-2026

This means that she has approved the Code, and it is now available to MPs and the public. There’s no guarantee that MPs will get to debate or vote on the Code, and after 40 days an order from the Secretary of State can make it statutory guidance. It is now very unlikely that the Code can or will be changed before it is brought into effect. You can read her statement here: https://commonsbusiness.parliament.uk/Document/105423/Pdf?subType=Standard

The Code is a very important document for how services, public bodies and associations make decisions around how they include trans people, and this new version has been updated in light of last year’s Supreme Court decision on the meaning of “s*x” in the Equality Act.

We know many of you will be very nervous about what the Code says, and we’re doing our best to read through it thoroughly and thoughtfully, but the document is over 300 pages long. We’re working as quickly as we can, and will provide you with our thoughts as soon as we’re able to.

As this document is so long, and has likely changed compared to the version the EHRC consulted on 10 months ago, we would advise you to be cautious of any commentators or media outlets that seem to have all the answers about what the Code means for trans people already. It will take some time for organisations to scrutinise the Code in full, and even longer to see how services, public bodies and associations put its advice into practice.

In the meantime, if you’d like to find our more about how we are approaching our analysis of the Code and its suitability for trans people, check out our website: https://www.scottishtrans.org/supreme-court-ruling-on-s*x-in-the-equality-act/three-tests/

Please take time to look after yourself if you need to over the coming days, and check in with your trans and non-binary loved ones too.

If you need to speak to someone about how this is affecting you, support is available from:
LGBT Health and Wellbeing (https://www.lgbthealth.org.uk/services-support/lgbt-helpline-scotland/) Helpline 0800 464 7000, email [email protected], webchat, available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays (12-9pm) Sundays (1-6pm)
LGBT Youth Scotland (https://lgbtyouth.org.uk/get-support/) live chat Mon 4-6pm, Wed/Thurs 4-8pm
Breathing Space (https://www.breathingspace.scot/how-we-can-help/need-to-talk/) Helpline 0800 83 85 87, available Mon-Thurs 6pm-2am Fri-Mon 6pm-6am

20/05/2026

Email your MSPs and let them know your priorities and hopes for what Scottish Parliament can do for the LGBTQIA+ community over the next 5 years.

Following high turnover at this month’s Scottish Parliament election, only half of the MSPs from last session are returning, with half being entirely new to the chamber. As discussion of the LGBTQIA+ community was so toxic and divisive in the last session, this is a great opportunity for the Scottish Parliament to turn over a new leaf and set a much higher tone for the national discussion of our lives and rights, and to help MSPs understand the lives and priorities of the people they represent.

This is where you come in!

Everyone in Scotland has 8 MSPs who belong to multiple different political parties, and many of them will be new to the role. We've created a tool to help find your MSPS and share your priorities and hopes for what Scottish Parliament can do for the LGBTQIA+ community in just a few minutes. We’ve provided some template text to get you started, but the more unique you make it, the more likely it will be to have an impact.

Link for LGBTQIA+ people: https://equalrecognition.eaction.org.uk/newparliamentLGBTQIA
Link for allies: https://equalrecognition.eaction.org.uk/newparliamentally