SNP members have voted in favour of a motion to improve access to gender affirming healthcare in Scotland.
The motion, which was proposed by the SNP’s LGBT wing Out for Independence, was passed with overwhelming support at the party conference on Sunday afternoon.
It looked to remove the need for a psychiatric diagnosis of gender dysphoria before someone can access gender affirming care, as well as calling for additional training to be given to healthcare practitioners to assist them with supporting trans patients.
READ MORE: I promise Scots will see indy as urgent and essential at next election – John Swinney
Emily Cheung, co-convener of Out for Independence, spoke in favour of the resolution.
“Gender dysphoria is a remnant of a time in psychiatry when trans people were seen as a disease, as a problem to be solved,” she said.
“Trans patients find this diagnosis and the process of seeking it as degrading.
“How can we, when the NHS is in crisis, how can we possibly continue to justify putting resources into a process that benefits no one?”
The full text of the motion is below:
Conference recognises that the ICD-11 has removed Gender Dysphoria from its list of mental health conditions, and the move away from pathologizing trans identity this represents.
Conference also recognises the extreme waiting times and significant distress that needing to seek this outdated diagnosis imposes on trans people trying to access Gender Affirming Care.
Conference calls for Gender Affirming Care to be brought in line with all other models of healthcare for adults, and operate off of an informed consent model without additional need for a psychiatric diagnosis.
Conference further calls for additional training and support to be given to GPs and other healthcare practitioners to assist them with supporting their trans patients.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel