Scottish Labour Rejects Motion for Biology-Based Single-Sex Spaces

During the Scottish Labour conference, a motion to align school guidance with the Cass Review, which emphasizes single-sex spaces based on biology, was rejected despite support from leader Anas Sarwar and the party's ruling body. The motion aimed to ensure safeguarding for children and suggested that the current guidance promotes an 'unquestioning affirmation' of children's gender identities. Sarwar faced backlash after admitting that, with current knowledge, Labour should not have supported the Gender Recognition Reform Bill, a stance that many saw as a betrayal of the LGBTQ+ community. The debate became heated, with proponents of the motion arguing that some children are harmed by 'gender ideology' while opponents labeled the motion as 'deeply problematic.' This defeat reflects ongoing tensions within the party regarding gender issues, following a similar rejection of a motion on women's sex-based rights at the previous conference. The controversy has ignited discussions about the adequacy of existing guidance for transgender youth in Scotland.