NHS Scotland instructs staff to call bearded trans colleagues 'women'

NHS Scotland has issued training materials instructing staff to treat biologically male colleagues with visible facial hair as women if they self-identify as female, emphasizing a legal obligation to use the correct name and pronouns. The training uses a fictional case of 'Lucy', a 29-year-old trans nurse who has not formally changed her name from Lee, highlighting discomfort among some staff when correcting patients who use male pronouns. The materials also promote gender-neutral lavatories, claiming they foster equality by removing the need to conform to traditional gender norms. Critics, including members of the Scottish Conservative party, have condemned the training as 'nonsensical' and a form of 'thought control'. This controversy follows real-life incidents involving NHS staff, including cases where employees faced repercussions for misgendering transgender individuals. The training documents have since been revised after media scrutiny, but debates about gender identity and rights within the NHS continue to draw public attention.