SNP’s LGBT hypocrisy is nae cause fur Pride

Three o the abuin views would hae ye turnit awa fae maist political pairties in Scotland the day. Ane o them wouldnae.

On Setterday efternuin in Glesga, Nicola Sturgeon becam the first servin leader in the UK tae heid up Pride. It’s wunnerfu that we hae a First Minister whae personally uphauds ma richts, whae supportit equal mairriage fae day ane, an whae his committit tae makkin inclusive education fur aa a reality in Scotland’s scuils. Forby there’s nae doot that Scotland is ane o the best airts in the warld tae be gay. Hooivver, an it’s a gey muckle hooivver, A couldnae get ahint the uncritical celebration o Nicola Sturgeon as “honorary grand martial” o Glesga Pride.

Ane o the main reasons citit by the organisers fur the appyntment wis Sturgeon’s speirheidin o the early stages o Equal Mairriage legislation. She e’en actit as a witness at ane o the first e’er equal mairriages tae tak place in Scotland.

This is aa braw, but we maun remember that gin aye-servin memmers o the pairty an government she leads had had their wey in the Chaumer, there wouldnae hae been onie waddin fur Nicola tae attend.

A muckle hantle o hostile amendments were lodged tae the Equal Mairriage Bill at Stage 3, the majority o which cam fae 2 SNP MSPs, baith o whom aye represent the pairty at Holyrood.

Ane o yon amendments fae the SNP backbenches would in aa likelihood hae preventit the Equal Mairriage Bill fae e’er comin intae pooer – by requirin the UK Government first tae mak chynges tae the 2010 Equality Act that it had nae intention o makkin. As Labour’s Jackie Baillie pyntit oot at the time, this wis “undoubtedly a wrecking amendment”.

Anither amendment fae the same SNP backbencher would hae required a “review” o Equal Mairriage efter five year. Sae insteid o celebratin oor saicont anniversary next year, ma wife an masel would be anxiously waitin tae see whither or no the government’s review had concludit that oor mairriage had resultit in onie “unintended consequences”.

The backbencher in question, re-electit as an SNP candidate in 2016, maist recently criticised pairdons fur gay sex convictions on the basis that it’s like “the Italians apologising for the Roman occupation”.

Whan Nicola becam First Minister in 2014, ane o her first acts wis tae appynt a 50/50 Cabinet, which she seyd sent oot a “strong message”.

As pairt o her commitment tae gender equality, Nicola appyntit ae female Cabinet Secretary whae descrievit gay adoption as “against nature’s design” an single-haunditly heidit up the campaign tae prevent gay couples fae adoptin bairns thegither through a series o amendments tae Children and Adoption (Scotland) Bill in 2006. The same MSP votit agin Equal Marriage jist afore her appyntment in 2014. She survived the latest re-shoogle an is aye a servin Cabinet Secretary in Sturgeon’s government.

Anither servin Cabinet Secretary – this time a man – wisnae content wi jist registerin his ain opposition tae Equal Mairriage in 2014. He happily pushed the “aye” button fur baith o the wreckin amendments o his SNP backbench colleague forby. Appyntit tae government as a minister unner Salmond in 2007, he wis elevatit tae Cabinet Secretary by Sturgeon in 2016.

It’s gey clear whit sort o views on gay richts are acceptable at the verra highest table o Sturgeon’s government. “Strong message” received an unnerstuid, First Minister.

The dreich an dowie reality is that wi’in the SNP, the pairty that Nicola Sturgeon leads, the dignity an richts o fowk like me are aye up fur debate, aye a “maitter o conscience”.

It’s easy tae wear a rainbow T-shirt an gie gallus speeches. Tae muckle applause, Nicola telt us that “Scotland values tolerance, Scotland values diversity, Scotland values respect for all, and, above all, Scotland values love.” Whit she didnae sey wis that Scotland also his a Cabinet, 1/6 o whom dinnae believe that gay fowk should hae the same richts as aabodie else.

Whan a political leader whae presides ower sic a pairty an government is hailed as a muckle Pride ally, A’m nae siccar that we’ve set the bar high enough.

In her speech at Pride, Nicola also spak o the bravery o a laddie whae wis battert in a violent homophobic attack. The SNP is aye quick tae mak the link atween anti-immigrant political rhetoric an racist violence. But it disnae seem tae apply the same logic tae hou memmers o pairlament treatin fowk like masel as saicont class citizens micht embolden some tae homophobic violence taewart us.

We aa ken that there will aye be fowk whae haud scunnersome views. But whither or no they mak it intae the Chaumer o oor national pairlament is up tae oor political leaders. Aabodie his the richt tae freedom o opinion, aye, but freedom o assocation is a richt forby. Fowk can haud whitivver opinions they want, but it’s up tae political pairties tae decide whit they staun fur an whae they walcome intae the fold.

The SNP, richtly, wouldnae accept a bodie whae believes that Scotland is better aff in the UK, or that black an white fowk shouldnae get mairrit. But it’s aye gey happy tae accept fowk o the view that gay adoption unnermines society an that mairriage atween twa men or twa wimmen is an abomination.

The Tory Pairty in Scotland is currently led by a gay wumman an it wis a UK Tory Government that owersaw the introduction o equal mairriage in England an Wales – ae year afore it wis brocht in in Scotland.

Yet Ruth Davidson isnae allooed tae forget her pairty’s shamefu history on section 28 an wis fair taen tae task anent its recent deal with the DUP. “Dykes Against Davidson” wis the prood proclamation on signs at Embra Pride lest year.

At the ae time, A doot onie heckle gaed up anent the SNP’s ain Arlene Fosters fae the adorin crowds at Glesga Pride at the weekend.

We maun speir oorsels whit wey it is that Nicola Sturgeon isnae haudit tae accoont fur the gey shooglie views on gay richts o memmers o her ain pairty – some o whom she e’en sees fit tae serve in her government.

It would seem that tae be “progressive” is tae be forgied a muckle clamjamfrie o sins – whilst tae be Tory is tae be aye an on guilty. This isnae guid enough.

There is a dumfoonerin discordance atween the First Minister’s wirds anent a Scotland o luve an equality an the views o memmers o her ain pairty an government. It’s time this wis cawed oot.

Fur me, a political leader wirthy o leadin Pride would be ane whae leads a pairty whaur aa representatives share their commitment tae uphaudin equal richts. Until then, A suppose Nicola Sturgeon will hae tae dae.