Scottish Trans have organised a rally at Holyrood on Thursday, urging MSPs to back the changes.

Trans equality organisations will hold an event outside Scottish Parliament this week urging to MSPs to vote for Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill. 

The rally, organised by Scottish Trans - the trans equality project of LGBTI equality and human rights charity the Equality Network - will see campaigners gather from 12:30pm on Thursday ahead of MSPs from across the chamber voting for the first time on the bill later that day.

There will be speeches starting at 12.45, including from MSPs from the SNP, Scottish Labour and Scottish Greens on why they support the reforms, as well as from trans people themselves.

To accompany speeches, two local artists, Latoy and Evay, will be creating a visual piece on the theme of recognition during the event, which attendees can creatively contribute to with their own reasons why they support the bill.

The bill fulfils 2021 manifesto commitments by the SNP, Labour, Greens and the LibDems. 

The Parliament’s Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee took a wide range of evidence on the bill in the spring and summer, and recommended that MSPs support the bill in the stage one vote.

Vic Valentine, manager of Scottish Trans said: “Trans people and our families, friends and allies are coming together at the Scottish Parliament to send a powerful and hopeful message to MSPs across the Holyrood chamber ahead of the debate and vote on the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill at stage one.

“A vote for this Bill is a vote to improve the lives of trans men and women across Scotland. The current law means that people have to go through an intrusive, complex and stressful process to update the sex on their birth certificate, and be recognised as who they really are. 

“We hope that all MSPs, just as the large majority of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee did after taking extensive evidence on the Bill, will decide that voting for this Bill and agreeing that the process should be made simpler and fairer is the right thing to do.”