The Scottish Parliament has sparked criticism from gender-critical groups after removing the “gender” category from its website following the election of two trans MSPs.
During the 7 May local elections, Dr Q Manivannan, who uses they/them pronouns, and Iris Duane became Scotland’s first trans MSPs. Both were elected for the Scottish Green Party.
The Scottish Parliament website allows users to search current and former MSPs through a range of filters, including party and constituency.
Previously, the site also included a gender drop-down filter, with “male” and “female” as options.
After Manivannan was elected, a “non-binary” option was added to the drop-down list.
That change, along with Duane, a trans woman, being listed in the female category, drew criticism from some gender-critical groups.
Gender filter removed
The gender filter was later removed from the website altogether, reportedly around 18 May.
However, that decision prompted further complaints from critics who argued that removing the option made it harder to view information about the gender balance of the Scottish Parliament.
A Scottish Parliament spokesperson told Holyrood: “As part of the Inclusive Parliament Review, our systems and processes are currently under review. The online filter function on our website is a legacy system and we have taken steps to remove it. The review will also consider what personal information on members we need to publish and in what format.”
Gender-critical critics have argued that the removal of the filter means female MSPs are not being counted or made visible.
However, the website still lists current and previous MSPs, including female MSPs.
The controversy comes as Scotland’s Parliament marks a historic moment for trans representation, with Manivannan and Duane becoming the first openly trans MSPs elected to Holyrood.
