“Before this situation, I was concerned that a lot of people who pushed for independence as their main priority had largely turned a blind eye to a lot of the problems within Scotland, and viewed independence as a panacea,” said Esme Houston, an Aberdeen-based queer activist.
But with the UK government acting to block Scotland’s Gender Recognition Reform Act, which would make it easier for trans people to correct the gender on their birth certificates and other official paperwork, she feels differently.
“Now, I understand that independence is the only way to achieve [progressive] goals in the face of a highly conservative UK government,” she explained.
