Out for Independence

Fantastic meeting to kick off this year’s programme from SNP Socialists. All SNP members welcome. Register here tinyurl.com/4wdtvxtx

We at Out for Indy are sorry to hear about Jeane Freeman’s passing.

Jeane, Scotland’s first ever openly lesbian cabinet secretary, led the nation through the Covid pandemic and helped lay the groundwork for Social Security Scotland.

Our sympathies go out to her partner Susan and her loved ones.

Part of OFI's role is to hold our SNP government to account, and we will be making our views clear. Furthermore, we encourage you to contact the Scottish Government and make your own views known.

bsky.app/profile/scot...

🚨 Out for Independence strongly opposes this change to the Hate Crime and Public Order Act. The negative effects of the Supreme Court decision must be remedied, not embedded further in unrelated legislation in ways that will only cause new problems.

NEW: Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar came a cropper in an interview on transgender prisoners after pledging to ban them from female jails 'within days' if he becomes first minister

🔗 www.thenational.scot/news/25823839.anas-sarwar-left-red-faced-awkward-transgender-prisoners-interview/

Want to read something about the upcoming case before the Court of Session that isn't just political point-scoring? This article from Scottish Trans lays out the facts ⬇️

February is LGBT+ History Month, when we celebrate the long history of our community and take heart in the progress we've made.

On February 1st, 1981 - 45 years ago this month - homosexuality was decriminalised in Scotland.

We remember, and we will keep moving forward.

This vote is a positive step forward toward ending conversion practices not only in Scotland, but across Europe. We hope member states follow suit and enact their own legislation to protect LGBTQIA+ people and end these abusive practices.

This resolution calls for bans that are fully trans inclusive, cover all settings, and cover both attempts to change or suppress a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.

A text graphic with a purple and pink background that says 'Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Supports a Ban on Conversion Practices'

We are thrilled to see that the Parliament of the Council of Europe (PACE) has voted in favour of a resolution calling for member states to ban conversion practices.

Live here? Vote here - Your Voice, Your Vote, Your Scotland Democracy works best when everyone has a seat at the table! Join us if you want to know Who can vote in Scotland, Why and How.

‼️Did you know ‼️

☝️nearly one fifth (19%) of the eligible voting population in Scotland are not registered to vote?

Join us and learn why
👉 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗩𝗼𝘁𝗲 is 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱

📣 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲? 𝗩𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲

📆 12 feb
⏰ 19:00
📌 Zoom

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/live-here-...

Graphic reads: Holocaust memorial day, never forget. And shows a picture of a candle cupped by a pair of hands.

On Holocaust Memorial Day we pause to remember the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis, and the millions of other victims of Nazi persecution.

Together, we stand against the hatred of antisemitism.

A bird's-eye view of a former Auschwitz II-Birkenau camp showing a wide dirt pathway flanked by parallel rows of barbed-wire fences. Groups of visitors walk along the path, surrounded by the remnants of brick structures and barracks, now reduced to foundations. Green grass contrasts with the somber history of the site, as the path leads toward a guard tower in the distance.

Auschwitz was at the end of a process. We must remember that it did not start from gas chambers.

This hatred gradually developed: from ideas, words, stereotypes & prejudice through legal exclusion, dehumanization & escalating violence... to systematic and industrial murder.

Auschwitz took time.

We have a duty to protect human life and dignity, stamp out antisemitism and stand up to hatred and prejudice wherever they may be found. The precious human rights protections we built up in the wake of this unimaginable horror cannot be lightly cast aside.

"Never again" must mean never again.

A lone candle burning in the darkness

On #HolocaustMemorialDay, 81 years on from the liberation of Auschwitz, we remember the 6 million Jewish people murdered in the Holocaust, and the many LGBT+ people, disabled people, Roma people and political opponents persecuted and murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators.

For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
It’s comin yet for a’ that,
That man to man, the world o’er,
Shall brothers be for a’ that.

From my family to yours, Happy Burns Night. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Collection of logos of organisations that have signed our 'biological sex' letter

Organisations that have signed our “Biological Sex” and Its Variants are Transphobic Slurs open letter.

Any organisation that would like to sign the letter in support, please get in touch with us via DM or our website.

tacc.org.uk/biological-s...

Individuals can also sign via the link above.

'SNP gender ideology has stopped them fixing real issues like economy and transport' Billionaire Scottish bus firm brothers the Easdales explain why they've donated a six-figure sum to Scottish Labour

If you can believe it, Scottish Labour politicians once criticised the SNP for taking money from Stagecoach founder Brian Souter, over funding an anti-LGBT campaign.

Now here come the transphobic owners of McGills to fund Scottish Labour.

History rhymes, huh.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2577380...

UNISON stands by the trans+ community and their policies remain the same after this ET: www.unison.org.uk/news/article...

Out for Independence have signed this open letter and encourage others to do so.

The BBC and other media outlets using made-up, unscientific terminology to refer to trans people in their coverage only serves to harm public understanding and feed prejudice.

SNP members call on party to stand up for trans rights in powerful statement The LGBTQ+ wing of the Scottish National Party (SNP) has called on party leaders to stand up for trans rights in a powerful new statement.

LGBTQ+ SNP members call on party to stand up for trans rights: ‘Trans people are not demons’
https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/12/29/scottish-national-party-snp-trans-lgbtq/?utm_content=1767037200&utm_medium=social&utm_source=bluesky

The SNP must be at the forefront of the fight to restore everyone’s rights to live fully and freely – for people who are trans and not alike, party members write ✍️

www.thenational.scot/politi...

A headline from the National: "SNP must resist UK Government's push against trans rights"

Thank you to @scotnational.bsky.social for publishing our column on why the SNP must stay at the forefront of the resistance to Westminster's push against trans rights, and how we know ordinary SNP members are already with us.

www.thenational.scot/politics/257...

This is actually really, really good.

I've seen a few people understandably respond to this with complaints about poor treatment they have received from doctors. But as the doctor's union, the BMA is an ideal group to argue for better from the profession and from the NHS.

"We are in a mess. The length and breadth of Britain, employers and services have no idea what the law says about how trans people should be treated. Trans people are experiencing increased harassment and abuse when we try to do such basic things as use the loo in a café or go out shopping."

An image of a clip of the newspaper article referred and linked to in the text of the post. It includes some larger text that reads "Trans people are harmed by single-sex spaces uncertainty"

Our Manager Vic writes in the Scotsman today about the impact of all of the many court cases that have happened this year on the real lives of trans people: archive.ph/UoLR1

An Out for Independence statement, set against the backdrop of the Saltire. The statement reads: "Join us at Out for Independence in celebrating the 11th anniversary of marriage equality in Scotland - a monumental part of LGBTQ+ history and a reminder that our community will always win against ignorance and lies."

11 years ago today, the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 came into effect, bringing marriage equality to Scotland at last.

Love wins. Now and forever.

Graphic with a pink to purple gradient. It says "Joint Statement on the consultation for changes to the 1967 Schools and Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations". The Scottish Trans and LGBT Youth Scotland logos are at the bottom.

Graphic with a pink to purple gradient. It says "Every single child and young person must be able to use safe, appropriate toilets when they go to school. This is the least they can expect and is absolutely vital to supporting their health, wellbeing, safety and overall education.". The Scottish Trans and LGBT Youth Scotland logos are at the bottom.

Today, the Scottish Government has announced that it is consulting on changes to the 1967 Schools & Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations until March 24th 2026. consult.gov.scot/learning-dir...

Read our joint statement w/ LGBTYS - www.scottishtrans.org/scottish-tra...

The events at Bondi beach are an appalling act against the Jewish community at a precious moment in the Jewish calendar.

Such acts are despicable at any time, but ever more so at this moment. I express my sympathy and solidarity to the Jewish community at this time.

An Out for Independence statement reading: "Impact of updated EHRC Code of Practice on Services, Public Functions and Associations on trans, non-binary and intersex people Council notes that, in light of April’s Supreme Court ruling that sex is defined as ‘biological sex’ for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010, the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) released an updated Code of Practice on Services, Public Functions and Associations to the UK Government. On 20 November 2025, it was reported that the updated Code laid before the UK Government could see trans, non-binary and intersex people discriminated against based on just appearance. As these concerning media leaks and rumours have been allowed to spread by the UK Government and the EHRC, Council believes any code of practice that would severely impact people's right to privacy would be unacceptable, and acknowledges that, as highlighted by the Scottish Human Rights Commission, these discriminatory proposals have already had a severe impact on trans, non-binary and intersex people’s day-to-day lives. Council believes that every trans, non-binary and intersex person deserves protection from discrimination, as guaranteed under the EA 2010, and the right to privacy, as guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights. Council further believes that the EHRC’s guidance threatens these and disproportionately discriminates against trans, non-binary and intersex people. Council is of the opinion that the UK Government should open the updated Code of Practice up to debate within the House of Commons, allowing elected representatives the chance to voice concerns. Council also believes the UK Government and Parliament should reject any guidance or laws which will disproportionately impact the rights and liberties of trans, non-binary and intersex citizens."

Out for Independence is happy to report that our motion regarding the threat posed by the EHRC Code of Practice was passed by acclaim at the SNP's National Council on 13th December.

The SNP will remain committed to the rights of trans, non-binary and intersex Scots.