Fiona Hyslop: .... Its being digital adds a new dynamic to the census. All remaining outputs should be published over the two years following the first set of estimates, including those on sexual orientation and transgender status and history. It is essential that we have quality data, so we must use the required time to achieve that. The bill is an important part of that. I am sure that everyone knows...
Fiona Hyslop: ...the census is to identify needs and to ensure that those needs can be met. We have had a number of good contributions about why we need more information, particularly about sexual orientation and transgender issues. A number of the contributors to the debate made that point, including Claire Baker and Jamie Greene and others. Work has been done directly with a wide range of stakeholders,...
Fiona Hyslop: ...a long history of welcoming diverse communities from across the world. We have a growing reputation for developing new and innovative ways to engage local, multicultural, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, faith and other communities in all the unique attractions that our country has to offer. Today’s debate has given us a welcome opportunity to discuss other aspects of our...
Fiona Hyslop: ...can demonstrate over 200 years. The purpose of the bill is to amend the Census Act 1920 in order to allow questions on sexual orientation and prescribed aspects of gender identity—those being of transgender status and history—to be answered on a voluntary basis. The power to ask those questions for answer on a compulsory basis already exists in the 1920 act, but refusing to answer a...
Fiona Hyslop: ...to deciding on the questions for the regulations. It is really important to underline the point that most people agree that the time is right to ask two specific questions on sexual orientation and transgender and that answering them should be voluntary. That is the purpose of the bill, but clearly it has stimulated interest in wider census matters. I am very proud to have portfolio...
Fiona Hyslop: ...wording is “sex (including gender identity)”. Associating gender identity with sex can lead to conflation of the two, and we are open to addressing that issue and, indeed, identifying where the transgender question could come into this. One important point that I should highlight is that, although it looks as if in England and Wales the ONS will continue with a binary sex question, it...
Fiona Hyslop: Scottish Government-funded research in 2014 found that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex visitors attach significant importance to the warm welcome they can expect from a destination, how they will be treated in their accommodation, and how safe they will be. Based on the research findings, the LGBTI component of VisitScotland’s consumer website was redesigned in 2015. In...
Fiona Hyslop: ...and more complex narratives emerging in the wake of greater visibility for stories from Scotland and participation by women, minority ethnic people, disabled people and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people across Scotland and across the UK. The BBC as an institution needs to have more diversity in its decision-making arrangements and it needs to draw on the diversity of talent and...
Fiona Hyslop: .... As a great artist, David Bowie sought to challenge and change perceptions and made great music, drama and visual arts. His influence in changing the worlds of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities was enormous. He was an icon of the modern world. One of the most immediate responses that captured that combined sense of loss and appreciation was the organist at Kelvingrove...