The case of a rapist who, after declaring himself transgender, was sent to a women’s prison to serve his sentence is causing a lot of discussion.
The question of the difference between biological sex and social gender certainly did not arise yesterday with rainbow flags. The philosopher Simone de Beauvoir already spoke about it in 1949. However, here the safety of other women is at stake given the background of transgender.
The transgender/ web archive-Read it
It is the story of the 31-year-old Adam Graham, who raped a woman in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, in 2016, and another in Drumchapel, Glasgow, in 2019, offenses for which he was convicted. In addition to these two horrific crimes committed, the story is made even more chilling by this fact: lo rapist came out as transgender and started a process of gender reassignment, in fact now goes by the name of Isla Bryson. Upon learning of this j judges of the High Court of Gaslow have decided to send the rapist to the women’s prison of Cornton Vale in Stirling. However, it has been specified that the transgender woman will not be detained together with the other women. Bryson had first appeared in the dock in July 2019 as Adam Graham: the following year she had communicated to jurors that she had made the decision to change gender. Sandy Brindley, chief executive of Rape Crisis Scotland, believes it is the first time a trans woman has been convicted of raping women in Scotland. She said: “If someone has been convicted of a serious sexual offence, he should not be detained with the general female population.” Following the controversy that has arisen throughout the country, the head of the Scottish government has decided to revoke the women’s prison and, therefore, Bryson he’s going to a male-only detention facility.
You can change gender in three months
Before and after/web archive-Read it
In Scotland, thanks to a recently passed law, it’s easier to change gender compared to the past. The Edinburgh Parliament has in fact approved a system of “self-identification” for people who wish to change their gender from a legal point of view. The new rules lower to 16 years the age at which people can apply for a gender recognition certificate. The need for a medical diagnosis is also eliminated. The new rules make the procedure easier: it will be sufficient to have changed gender – not biological sex through surgery but only gender – for at least three months and, starting from 16 years of age, you will have the recognition of the new identity. Previously it took at least two years. Renowned writer JK Rowling has contested the Scottish Parliament’s “gender free” bill. According to the creator of Harry Potter and a part of the feminist world, in fact, there are no sufficient guarantees for protect women and girls from “predatory” men who may seek to change their gender to gain access to facilities frequented by women in order to then abuse them. Lately Pope francesco he returned to the theme of homosexuality with words that confirmed his positions on the matter.
