Women’s Rally, October 2022
Thank you to all who travelled from far and wide to attend our Women’s Rally at the Scottish Parliament, and to the MSPs who took the time to listen to the speeches and talk with constituents. The sun shone, the speakers were fabulous, passionate and brought many a tear to the eye. We think the day was a marvellous success.
This page is to bring together the main links for videos and speeches from the demonstration, but please also look on Twitter (under the hashtag #WomensRally) for many more photos and comments.
Speakers:
- Elaine Miller – women’s health specialist and comedian, tweets as @GussieGrips
- Johann Lamont – former leader, Scottish Labour
- Rhona Hotchkiss – LGB Alliance and former governor, HMP Cornton Vale
- Lisa Mackenzie – policy analyst and co-founder of MurrayBlackburnMackenzie, text of speech is here
- Isabelle Kerr MBE – former manager, Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis Centre
- Alison Dowling – Scottish Labour councillor, Renfrewshire Council
- Kate Coleman – director, Keep Prisons Single Sex, text of speech is here
- Maya Forstater and Helen Joyce – Sex Matters
- Caroline McAllister – former deputy leader, West Dunbartonshire Council
Video by Forth Valley Feminists:
Video by the Scotsman:
And of course, the amazing contribution by JK Rowling, wearing the Nicola Sturgeon: Destroyer of Women’s Rights tshirt:
Covered on BBC news and The Nine:
and GB News:
Other media coverage:
- Holyrood: Johann Lamont warns MSPs they must ‘understand the laws of unintended consequences’
- Edinburgh Evening News: Nicola Sturgeon responds to JK Rowling t-shirt calling her ‘destroyer of women’s rights’ over trans bill – has an excellent video of the rally embedded in the article.
- The Times: MSPs vote to allow gender change without medical report
- The Times: JK Rowling T-shirt calls Nicola Sturgeon ‘destroyer of women’s rights’
- The Telegraph: JK Rowling calls Nicola Sturgeon a ‘destroyer of women’s rights’
- The Telegraph: Nicola Sturgeon: JK Rowling is not a real feminist like me
- The Telegraph: The tide is finally turning on the trans lobby
- The Scotsman: JK Rowling wears T-shirt calling Nicola Sturgeon ‘destroyer of women’s rights’
- Daily Mail: JK Rowling wears ‘Nicola Sturgeon, destroyer of women’s rights’ t-shirt as she lends support to campaigners rallying outside Holyrood against Scottish First Minister’s controversial Gender Recognition Reform Bill
- BBC News: JK Rowling backs protest over Scottish gender bill
- STV News: JK Rowling wears T-shirt calling Sturgeon ‘destroyer of women’s rights’
- The Sun: JK GETS SHIRTY JK Rowling blasts Nicola Sturgeon as laws making it easier to change gender were backed in Scotland
- Scottish Daily Express: JK Rowling takes aim at Nicola Sturgeon as feminists gather outside Holyrood
- The Metro: JK Rowling wears T-shirt branding Nicola Sturgeon ‘destroyer of women’s rights’ over gender recognition legislation
- The Metro: JK Rowling slammed by Nicola Sturgeon over trans legislation row: ‘She’s not a real feminist’
- and even the NY Post: JK Rowling slams Scottish leader as destroying ‘women’s rights’ with gender bill
Selection of photographs and comments from MSPs:
Ruth Maguire, SNP sent a message of support “Solidarity with you all and thank you to each and every one of you standing up for women’s rights xx”.
MSPs who came out to support us included: Pam Gosal, Rachael Hamilton, Roz McCall, Sue Webber, Sharon Dowey, Liam Kerr, Russell Findlay, Craig Hoy, Jeremy Balfour, Murdo Fraser, Brian Whittle and Edward Mountain from the Conservatives; John Mason from SNP and Jackie Baillie, Pauline McNeill, Michael Marra, Daniel Johnson, Colin Smyth, and Foysol Choudhury from Labour.
Support from Spain and Germany:
And a selection of other photos from the day:
