Swinney contradicts SNP gender policies to demand ‘enforcement’ of single-sex spaces

Mr Swinney spoke to Jane McLenachan, who urged him to give a “definite confirmation” that he would “protect women’s single-sex spaces”, on the pre-election radio show.

Ms McLenachan cited a “damning” employment tribunal ruling centred around the “trans inclusive” Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre, run by a biological male who identifies as female.

She also raised the case of an NHS worker in Fife who claimed she was forced to share a changing room with a biological man.

Mr Swinney said he understood the “significance and seriousness of these issues” and that provisions which allow for single-sex spaces to be maintained should be “enforced”.

“For the avoidance of doubt, my view is that this is the law so it should be enforced,” he said. “The protection that Jane is seeking is there, it has to be enforced and applied.

“If there are cases where that is not the case, then obviously organisations need to respond to that and set about how they’re going to go about doing that.”

Earlier, Mr Swinney said there were “various views” on how many genders there were but he thought there were only two.

Murdo Fraser, the Tory MSP, asked why if this was the case, the Scottish Government recently produced a detailed “action plan” for people who identify as non-binary, meaning they consider themselves neither male nor female.

Meanwhile, the charity LGBT Youth Scotland, which the Scottish Government funds and trains Scottish teachers, has produced a list of 17 genders including demi-boy, butch and genderqueer.

Scottish Government schools guidance states trans pupils should generally be able to use toilets or changing rooms “they feel most comfortable with”.

Policies in the devolved NHS and public buildings also say people should be able to use facilities that align with their gender identity.