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Stephen Harte

@sjharte.bsky.social

Edinburgh based lawyer, liberal, Eurovision, 🇪🇺Rejoiner, 🏳️‍🌈 he/him #LGBwithTheT #TransAlly joint 🇬🇧🇮🇪 citizen

813 Posts426 Follower290 Folgt
Edinburgh Liberal Democrats@edinburghlibdem.bsky.social · yesterday

"The Lib Dems are really strong on making sure Edinburgh stays a welcoming, inclusive city for everyone, even in the face of a darkening political climate.” www.heraldscotland.com/news/2645418...

South Sub tram-trains 'perfect project' to spur city growth, says Lib Dem candidate

Artie Khovanov, a PhD student at Edinburgh University, is standing for the party in the Southside/Newington by-election on September 3.

heraldscotland.com

Scottish Liberal Democrats@scotlibdems.org.uk · 4d ago

The Cairngorms wildfire exposed serious deficiencies in the Scottish Government’s action plan and it is important those are resolved before the next fire breaks out. We need a robust and effective plan because we simply can’t afford another round of this summer’s devastation.

Strathspey and Badenoch Herald. John Swinney asked to take part in cross-party summit on Cairngorms wildfire. Scottish Liberal Democrat MSPs have written to First Minister John Swinney to ask if he will participate in a cross-party summit to learn from the ‘flawed response’ to the Cairngorms wildfire.
Stephen Harte@sjharte.bsky.social · 5d ago

I thought this post would explain why the legislation should be down at Holyrood and not as part of a UK wide approach (as UK government favours). Sadly, it doesn’t go much further than saying what we all know - that conversion practices are harmful and this bad.

Equality Network@lgbtiscotland.bsky.social · 5d ago

Three reasons why Scotland needs its own Conversion Practices Bill. In part two of "Why are we waiting for a Scottish Conversion Practices Bill", policy manager Christopher explains why Scotland needs to act and end conversion practices for good.

Hermetic Opus@hermeticopus.bsky.social · 5d ago

Transphobia and racism aren't sub-optimal choices, or points against the holder. They are evils. And I don't think that many Labour MPs and talking heads realise how many people see their evil for what it is.

Duncan Hothersall@dhothersall.bsky.social · 5d ago

This thread is a damning indictment of how many of Scottish Labour's parliamentarians have lost whatever moral compass they once had. It is a damning indictment of the party's near-total capitulation to the sort of politics encouraged and inflamed by gender critical organisations and individuals.

Jordan@jordanpfot.bsky.social · 7d ago

The reaction to these Q Manivannan comments (clipped by someone calling for them to be deported btw) from MSPs is extremely troubling.

Amber@risettemd.bsky.social · 6d ago

Please stop paying for anything Harry Potter. This is where your money is going. At this point, you're not an ally, you're an abuser and we're your victim.

JK Rowling says the lawsuits will keep coming - to prevent trans women from using the right restroom.
sja@sam-ja.bsky.social · last wk.

i'd recommend people read the response from an LGBTQ+ cancer charity to last year's EHRC proposed guidance - been thinking a lot about this particular section ever since i first read it (full response here outpatients.org.uk/2025/06/26/e...)

Screenshot of article reading: "The suggestion that transgender people should only be accommodated in side rooms is unfeasible. As anyone in healthcare knows, available side rooms are a rare commodity. If their use was mandated for all transgender patients it would largely be unenforceable. It is necessary to consider the broad variety of people who require side rooms and their availability across the NHS. As per NHS Estates documents, increased floor area, capital cost, management, and staffing issues also need to be considered. If a redrafted single-sex accommodation policy aligns with the EHRC’s Code of Practice, we feel that it could leave transgender people without reliable accommodation options, putting their clinical outcomes at risk."Quote from article '“Let us take the example of Joelle, a trans woman who died of an eminently treatable cancer after waiting for eight days on a general ward, because clinicians could not agree whether she should be placed on a men’s ward or a women’s ward. The delay in treatment cost her her life.” -Dr Roz Savage, MP'
Elizabeth Taylor@elizabethtaylor47.bsky.social · last wk.

Yvette Cooper confirming that NHS guidance is coming forth shortly banning trans people from single sex wards. She waffles about ‘alternative provision’ but let’s be realistic here, this will massively massively disadvantage trans people’s care. Fuck Andy Burnham

Katelyn Burns@katelynburns.com · last wk.

Every single Republican and gender critical person, including JK Rowling, supports this happening to you. They brag about building a future in which this type of humilating incident is common.

Jo Yurcaba@joyurcaba.bsky.social · last yr.

Minnesota teen says server forced her to prove her gender in restaurant bathroom The 18-year-old high school student alleged the server would not let her exit the Buffalo Wild Wings restroom until she unzipped her hoodie and showed she had breasts. For @nbcnews.com: www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-...

Alex Says Stuff@alexsaysstuff.bsky.social · 2w ago

For fuck's sake. The "protected belief" phenomenon has really got out of hand, judges are increasingly just throwing it out there for any weirdo who wants to harass people at work. Reminder that this provision was intended to protect *religious* beliefs.

Post nicht verfügbar.
Jennie Kermode@jenniekermode.bsky.social · 2w ago

The Netherlands is making a bid for Pride to be formally recognised by UNESCO as cultural heritage, which would give it enhanced status under international law, making it less likely to be banned or retricted. Will you sign a pledge to support this? campaigns.allout.org/pride 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

UNESCO: Recognize Pride as cultural heritage

Pride could join UNESCO's list of the world's living cultural heritage – but none of the 800+ traditions on it are LGBT+ yet. Add your name to change that.

campaigns.allout.org

Nancy Kelley@nancymk.bsky.social · 2w ago

🧵3 month assessment on the Australian social media ban is in: very little change, and no change in practical outcomes for children and young people - no mental health or family relationship improvements, no differences in leisure time, same degree of harmful access, like loosing sleep to scrolling 🚨

Ben Schwarz@benschwarz.bsky.social · 2w ago

Australia’s eSafety commissioner buried a report (released Friday afternoon) that shows the under 16 social media ban didn’t tangibly reduce teen social media use, and also resulted in parents tuning out of kids usage. We traded our privacy for no reason. theconversation.com/more-than-80...

🦇🤘 Miscreant Jennie 🔶️🏳️‍🌈@rigg.lgbt · 2w ago

Updating Neimoller's mea culpa: First they came for the transes, and i said nothing because "ew, trannies, amirite?" Then they came for the disabled, but those scroungers are just a drain on society anyway. Then they came for the neurodivergents, but fuck those lazy bastards, they had it coming.

Scott Bryan@scottygb.bsky.social · 2w ago

Channel 4 has announced documentary “The Great ADHD Myth?” It “seeks to determine whether ADHD is a genuine neurodevelopmental disorder, or a social construct.”

Stephen Harte@sjharte.bsky.social · 3w ago

If you are in Edinburgh for the Fringe next month you could choose to see passionately transphobic (she doesn’t get to define transphobia!) former MP Joanna Cherry be interviewed. As a more pleasant alternative way to spend an afternoon, many dentists throughout the city offer root canal treatment.

Duncan Hothersall@dhothersall.bsky.social · 3w ago

At least Polanski understood this and rapidly apologised. Those of his supporters who have instead reacted by defending the sentiment in the cartoon aren't "standing up to fascism" like they think they are - they are screwing up political communications, which is how you LOSE to fascism.

Jess O'Thomson@jessothomson.co.uk · 3w ago

Bridget Phillipson – who is currently bringing guidance into force which will exclude trans people from toilets, and trans women from all women's services – has been appointed by Andy Burnham as Chair of the Labour Party.

Bridget Phillipson MP@bphillipsonmp.bsky.social · 3w ago

Honoured to become Chair of the Labour Party. I joined our party as a teenager and saw first hand the difference a Labour government makes. I'll work with members to build the election-winning machine that sees off Reform for good and secures a second Labour term.

Chris Ward@chrisward.de · 3w ago

Given the chancellor couldn't even bring himself to mention queer/LGBTQ+ in his statement (merely "Menschen"), there's a real whiff of Orlando here. This attack happened because queer people were targeted. For being queer. If you refuse to mention that, you're part of the problem.