In a recent opinion piece, Alba Party leader Neale Hanvey has ignited a firestorm of controversy by drawing a comparison between self-identification for transgender individuals and the notorious Section 28. Hanvey’s column, published by The National, raised eyebrows and elicited strong reactions within the LGBTQ+ community.
Hanvey’s provocative assertion centered on the recently proposed conversion therapy ban, which he criticized for allegedly neglecting a supposed “true scandal” involving lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals being coerced into undergoing hormone therapy as a means to “trans away the gay.” He also suggested that planned legislation inadvertently promotes the idea that dysmorphic under-18s can easily resolve their identity issues through hormones and irreversible surgical intervention.
However, these claims are not grounded in fact. The conversion therapy bill, introduced by Labour MP backbenchers, unequivocally focuses on prohibiting abusive practices against LGBTQ+ individuals. Furthermore, under-18s in the UK are neither permitted to undergo gender-affirming surgery nor commence hormone-replacement therapy. Instead, transgender individuals under 18, primarily teenagers, can access physically reversible puberty blockers only after extensive evaluation by medical professionals.
Despite these clarifications, Hanvey persisted in drawing parallels between the conversion therapy ban and the dark era of Section 28, recalling the struggles of LGBTQ+ individuals during the 1980s.
Equality Network Director Denounces Hanvey
In response to Hanvey’s column, Tim Hopkins, the director of Equality Network, an LGBTQ+ rights group in Scotland, penned an open letter condemning Hanvey’s “disgraceful” opinions. Hopkins, who played a pivotal role in campaigning against Section 28 in the late ’80s, refuted Hanvey’s claims that the trans equality movement had betrayed the earlier LGBTQ+ movements.
Hopkins asserted that Hanvey’s allegations that LGB individuals were being “pressured” into identifying as trans were baseless and reminiscent of similar falsehoods propagated during the 1990s. He cited a recent poll showing that 97 percent of lesbians under 25 support trans equality, underscoring the solidarity within the LGBTQ+ community.
Hopkins concluded by criticizing Hanvey for using his position as an openly gay MP to oppose trans rights, pointing out the long history of activism that paved the way for his own success. He characterized Hanvey’s actions as “disgraceful” and called for unity within the LGBTQ+ community.
Hanvey Responds
Neale Hanvey, responding to the open letter, dismissed Tim Hopkins’ criticism, stating that Hopkins “thinks only his opinion matters.” Hanvey defended his activism and argued that those promoting what he termed “gender ideology” were undermining the sex-based rights of women and LGB people.
The controversy surrounding Hanvey’s statements continues to reverberate within the LGBTQ+ community, highlighting the ongoing debate over trans rights and the importance of dialogue and understanding within the broader movement for equality.