Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon faced backlash from protesters opposing the Scottish National Party’s (SNP) self-identification (self-ID) policy during an International Women’s Day event

in Edinburgh. Demonstrators accused her of "betraying" women by championing gender reforms and chanted "shame on you" as she attended the SNP’s celebration.

The protesters carried signs with slogans such as “women want our stuff back,” “woman = adult human female,” and “stop self-ID by the back door.” Their criticism centered on the Gender Recognition Reform Bill passed under Sturgeon’s leadership, which sought to simplify the process for transgender individuals to obtain legal recognition of their gender without requiring a medical diagnosis. The bill was later blocked by the UK government.

John Swinney, the current First Minister, was also present at the event but did not receive the same level of hostility. Unlike Sturgeon, he engaged with the demonstrators outside the venue before proceeding inside.

Protesters condemn Sturgeon’s gender policies

Susan Smith, a representative from For Women Scotland, criticized Sturgeon’s approach to gender reform. “Nicola Sturgeon betrayed so many women with her wholehearted embrace of self-ID,” Smith stated. “She refused to listen to critics, misrepresented women’s rights activists—including those in her own party—and exposed them to threats of violence.”

Smith also claimed that self-ID policies introduced during Sturgeon’s tenure in schools and hospitals have caused significant harm and are now being contested in court. “Chanting ‘shame on you’ is probably a mild expression of the disgust many women feel towards her,” she added.

Sturgeon responds to backlash

Despite the protests, Sturgeon shared a message on Instagram, reflecting on the event. “Lovely to spend International Women’s Day with some SNP women, talking about what feminism and female solidarity really mean,” she wrote.

The debate over gender reforms has recently resurfaced following a high-profile employment tribunal case involving nurse Sandie Peggie, who was suspended after refusing to share a changing room with Dr. Beth Upton, a transgender woman.

Sturgeon’s gender reform policies remain a contentious issue, with both supporters and critics continuing to voice strong opinions on their impact. Photo by Kenneth Halley, Wikimedia commons.