Nicola Sturgeon has indicated she could debate trans rights issues with JK Rowling, though the former first minister doubts the Harry Potter author would agree to such a discussion. The suggestion emerged during Sturgeon's appearance on BBC Breakfast to promote her new memoir "Frankly".
Rowling has been a prominent critic of Sturgeon's gender reform policies, famously wearing a T-shirt branding the former Scottish National Party leader a "destroyer of women's rights". The controversy stems from legislation Sturgeon championed as first minister that would have allowed transgender people to self-identify their gender.
Westminster ultimately blocked the Scottish Government's reforms, which critics claimed would allow biological men to access women-only spaces. Despite the furious row that erupted over the controversial policy, Sturgeon declared she would "always stand up for rights, for equality, for minority rights".
Claims of weaponisation
Sturgeon maintained that "forces on the far right" have sought to "weaponise" the issue to seek to "push back on rights more generally, whether those are gay rights, minority rights, women's rights actually". She acknowledged that "many, many people" disagreed with her position, with "probably the majority" of opponents coming "from a genuine place".
However, she insisted there are "forces on the far right who have weaponised this issue, who want to use the trans issue to push back on rights more generally, whether those are gay rights, minority rights, women's rights actually". The former first minister revealed she had received "probably the most horrific abuse on this issue" compared to any other topic during her political career.
She described some of the criticism as "deeply misogynistic" and noted that "some people in this debate who definitely seem to spend a lot more time thinking about me than I spend thinking about them". Despite the personal cost, Sturgeon emphasised her unwavering commitment to her principles.
Personal stance despite challenges
Sturgeon reflected on her political approach, stating: "There have been many times in my political career when I would have made my own life easier by staying silent on some things. I don't want to be that person, I want to stand up for things I believe in."
Debate challenge
When asked directly about debating Rowling, Sturgeon expressed willingness but scepticism about her critic's participation. "I will debate with many people, but I don't think JK Rowling would be willing to do that," she said, adding "But who knows, maybe she would."
Sturgeon emphasised her track record of public debates, claiming: "One of the things my critics cannot say about me is I don't debate with people - I have probably done more debates than any other leader in the UK, I will debate with anybody." Rowling responded on X, formerly Twitter, describing the memoir as being from Scotland's "most persecuted, misunderstood, self-critical, open-to-debate, feminist-to-her-fingertips ex-first minister".
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
