About Us

Planned activity:

1) Support transgender inclusion within the new LGBT website www.scottishlgbt.org (Rec 3.1);


2) Guide a ESRC/SG funded PhD studentship on transgender research (Rec 26.5).

2 meetings regarding PhD by March 2010.


3) Meetings with government officials and MSPs where appropriate.

3 meetings by March 2010.


4) Participation in Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) UK Transgender Roundtables and EHRC Scotland LGBT Roundtables.

2 meetings by Sept 2009.

5) In partnership with the Equality Network’s Policy Analysis & Engagement Project, identify the most significant national policy proposals and submit timely responses to proposals, as appropriate.

Contribute transgender aspects for one Equality Network consultation response by March 2010.

Work Completed:

1) FULLY ACHIEVED:

Provided transgender good practice guidance content, transgender resources, and transgender community event info for new LGBT sector website. Recruited transgender volunteers to help with website.

Continued to support engagement of transgender volunteers with the LGBT website. Continued to contribute transgender content such as new resources and event info for inclusion within the LGBT website.

2) FULLY ACHIEVED:

Successful meeting held on 18^th May 2009 to provide assistance to the PhD student in linking up her PhD work to international research via World Professional Association for Transgender Health.

Second successful meeting held on 23^rd October 2009 to provide guidance to the PhD student in linking up her PhD work with other UK trans rights academic research and to the Council of Europe gender identity human rights recommendations.

3) FULLY ACHIEVED AND EXCEEDED:

Held 15 meetings as follows:

- Met with Dr Jacqueline Rae, Scottish Government Social Researcher on 6^th July 2009, 14^th July 2009, 20^th July 2009, 19^th Aug 2009 and 10^th Sept 2009 to develop Scottish Government research into transgender quality of life and associated literature review for key policy areas.

- Met with Alex Neil MSP, Minister for Housing and Communities, on 24^th Sept 2009 to update on trangender equality issues.

- Presented at Scottish Government’s LGBT Policy Seminar in Scotland House, Brussels on 28^th Sept 2009.

- Met with several Scottish Government civil servants about transgender quality of life research findings on 30^th September 2009.

- Met with Emma Reid, UK Gov Equalities Office (GEO), on 28^th Oct 2009 and 4^th Nov 2009 to discuss UK Equality Bill and also the UK Government’s response to the Council of Europe’s draft recommendation on sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination and human rights.

- Met with Yvonne Strachan, Scottish Gov Equality Unit, on 2^nd Dec 2009 as part of the Equality Unit’s consultation roundtable about the Equality Bill Public Sector Specific Duties.

- Met with Scottish Gov civil servants Hilary Third, Karen Grieves and Alistair Pringle as well as Nick Laid and Paul Barton from NHS Scotland on 25^th Jan 2010 to discuss strategic approach to improving NHS gender reassignment services in Scotland.

- Met with Scottish Gov researchers on 19^th Jan 2010 about inclusion of questions about discrimination against transgender people within the next Scottish Social Attitudes Survey.

- Met with Karen Grieves, Scottish Gov Equality Unit, on 25^th Jan 2010 about progress of transgender aspects of the Hearts & Minds Agenda Group Recommendations.

- Met with several civil servants and Minister Maria Eagle MP at UK Government Equalities Office on 15^th Mar 2010 to discuss ideas and priorities for future UK trans equality work.

4) FULLY ACHIEVED AND EXCEEDED:

Have participated in 13 EHRC Roundtables as follows:

- Participated in EHRC UK Transgender Roundtables on 2^nd June 2009 and 4^th Sept 2009.

- Participated in EHRC Scotland LGBT Roundtable on 29^th June 2009.

- Participated in EHRC Scotland LGBT & Disability Hate Crime Roundtable on 5^th Aug 2009.

- Participated in EHRC UK Transgender Roundtables on 20^th Oct 2009 and 4^th Dec 2009.

- Participated in EHRC Scotland LGBT & Disability Hate Crime Seminar on 3^rd Nov 2009.

- Participated in EHRC Scotland LGBT Roundtables on 3^rd Dec 2009 and 25^th Feb 2010.

- Participated in EHRC Scotland’s Roundtable on Significant Inequalities in Scotland Research on 13^th Jan 2010.

- Participated in EHRC Scotland’s Good Relations Measurement Framework Stakeholders Roundtable on 22^nd Jan 2010.

5) FULLY ACHIEVED AND EXCEEDED:

Contributed transgender aspects of the Equality Network consultation responses on the Equality Bill to the Westminster Equality Bill Scrutiny Committee in May 2009 and to the Westminster Joint Committee on Human Rights in June 2009.

Contributed transgender aspects of the Equality Network response to the Scottish Government Public Sector Specific Duties Consultation in Jan 2010.

6) Run leadership training for at least ten transgender people.

15 hours of training provided by March 2010.


7) Provide ongoing one-to-one mentoring (face-to-face, by phone and via email) for the STA Project’s transgender volunteers.

Average of 6 hours of mentoring provided per quarter. (April-June, July-Sept, Oct-Dec, Jan-Mar).

6) FULLY ACHIEVED:

Ran a total of 15 hours of transgender leadership training for a total of 16 transgender people. (6 hours on leading trans engagement with the media on Saturday 6^th March 2010 in Glasgow; 3 hours on leading trans engagement with the police on Saturday 20^th March 2010 in Glasgow; and 6 hours on leading trans engagement with the NHS on Saturday 27^th March 2010 in Edinburgh). The training course was branded as “ENGAGE” in publicity materials.

7) FULLY ACHIEVED AND EXCEEDED:

A total of 17 hours of mentoring was given face-to-face, by phone and via email in first quarter (April-June) to five STA volunteers on a range of topics, including strategies for seeking amendment to the Equality Bill, strategies for improving transgender media representations, committee roles and event planning for transgender peer support groups.

In second quarter (July-Sept) mentoring was provided as a 3 week full-time STA volunteer placement for one STA volunteer plus 7 total hours mentoring for 3 STA volunteers.

In the third quarter (Oct-Dec) a total of 12 hours face-to-face mentoring was provided to two STA volunteers on the topic of implementation of the new hate crime legislation within Scottish Police Forces and also the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS).

In the fourth quarter (Jan-Mar) a total of 14 hours face-to-face and email mentoring was provided to four STA volunteers on the topic of website design and content development of transgender online resource information.

8) In partnership with Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA), run a Transgender Community Outreach Visual Art Project from April 2009 to June 2009 followed by an Exhibition of the resulting Artwork from June 2009 to September 2009.

Throughout April 2009 to Sept 2009.

9) Run a public storytelling event for Transgender Day of Remembrance in November 2009.

Nov 2009.

8) FULLY ACHIEVED AND EXCEEDED:

In partnership with Glasgow’s Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA), successfully ran 12 weeks of art workshops for transgender people from 2^nd April 2009 to 18^th June 2009 culminating in a well-received ‘Rendering Gender’ exhibition of the resulting art-work in GoMA from 25^th June 2009 to 23^rd Aug 2009 with over 100,000 gallery visitors.

Following the success of the ‘Rendering Gender’ art workshops and exhibition, the Scottish Transgender Alliance was invited to work in partnership with GoMA on a further Community Outreach Visual Art Project from Oct 2009 to Feb 2010. This second project was entitled ‘A Spot of B)Other’ and focussed on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) deaf and disabled people’s experiences in Scotland. The Scottish Transgender Alliance assisted in the creation of a zine for ‘A Spot of B)Other’ which has now been successfully distributed across a wide range of LGBTI and disability community groups and public service providers across Scotland and also Europe.

9) FULLY ACHIEVED:

Two Transgender Day of Remembrance public storytelling events successfully run on 19^th Nov 2009 at GoMA. One at lunchtime and one in the early evening.

10) Run three meetings of a national Scottish Transgender Alliance (STA) Forum to facilitate shared learning, strategic consultation, dialogue and co-operation between individuals and organisations working to further transgender equality and support in Scotland.

STA Forums: July 2009, Nov 2009 & Feb 2010.

11) Produce quarterly Scottish Transgender Alliance newsletter (distributed within Equality Network quarterly newsletter) providing policy info and promoting opportunities for transgender people to engage in equality policy consultations.

Newsletters published: May 2009, Aug 2009,

Oct 2009, Feb 2010.

12) Consult transgender people on equality issues and priorities, via surveys and focus groups, and update STA policy work accordingly.

One survey and two focus groups by March 2010.

10) FULLY ACHIEVED:

The STA Forum which had been planned to take place on 4^th July 2009 in Glasgow had to be rescheduled for safety as it was discovered an Orange Order March was due to take place that day. Therefore, STA Forum instead held on 1^st Sept 2009 in Glasgow on the topic of the topic of enforcement of goods, faciliities and services legal protections.

The second STA Forum of the 2009/2010 Financial Year was successfully held on 27^th Feb 2010 in Edinburgh on the topics of European networking for trans rights work and on using art to promote trans rights.

The third STA Forum was successfully held on 20^th March 2010 in Glasgow on the topic of hate crime.

11) FULLY ACHIEVED:

STA newsletter published in May 2009 showcasing writing from the STA’s TRANSforming Arts storytelling workshops.

STA newsletter published in Aug 2009 on topics of Equality Bill and new STA Transition Support Service funded by Big Lottery Fund.

STA newsletter published in Oct 2009 on topics of STA research into transgender quality of life and the international debate on whether transgender people should have to submit to a mental illness diagnosis in order to access gender reassignment medical assistance.

STA newsletter published in Feb 2010 on topic of new STA volunteering opportunities and introducing new STA Transition Support Worker, Jake Tatton, whose post is funded by the Big Lottery Fund.

12) FULLY ACHIEVED AND EXCEEDED:

Carried out a consultation survey to establish key transgender issues and priorities regarding the UK Equality Bill in May 2009;

Carried out a survey of transgender people’s experiences of attempting to use Fertility Services in July 2009:

Assisted Trans Media Watch to carry out a Trans Media Survey in Sept 2009.

Worked in partnership with the LGBT Domestic Abuse Project to research (using a survey and also one-to-one interviews) transgender people’s experiences of domestic abuse and access to related support services from July 2009 to Nov 2009.

Assisted with transgender aspects of design and promotion of the Equality Network’s LGBT Equal Marriage consultation survey in Oct 2009 and Nov 2009.

Assisted Stonewall Scotland to promote their LGBT Community Safety survey to transgender people in Scotland in Oct 2009 and Nov 2009.

Ran a survey exploring the range of transgender people who feel excluded from the current Equality Bill ‘gender reassignment’ legal definition in Dec 2009.

Ran a Gender Recognition Process focus group consultation event on 9^th May 2009;

Ran a Trans-Inclusive Policing 2-day residential consultation event in partnership with Northern Constabulary, the National Trans Police Association and SWANS on 8^th & 9^th Sept 2009.

13) Promote, maintain and update an online guide to transgender rights and equality good practice as part of the STA website.

Website updated quarterly.

14) Provide four transgender inclusion training sessions for public services per year.

By March 2010.

15) Provide tailored good practice guidance and policy development assistance to selected public services.

5 guidance meetings by March 2010.

One policy drafted by March 2010.

16) Work through the ACPOS LGBT Reference Group to increase transgender equality and inclusion within police custody care & hate crime procedures.

Quarterly meetings.

17) Work in partnership with Stonewall Scotland Good Practice Project to include transgender issues within public sector equality mainstreaming online tool being developed.

By March 2010.

18) Work in partnership with a wider gender equality organisation (for example, Engender, Scottish Women’s Aid, or Edinburgh Women’s Rape And Sexual Abuse Centre) to create an event which gives consideration to the service provision needs of transgender people experiencing gender-based violence or abuse.

By March 2010.

13) FULLY ACHIEVED:

New Equality Bill progress web-pages added in June 2009.

New Education good practice guidance web-pages added in August 2009.

Equality Bill progress web-pages updated in December 2009, January 2010 and March 2010.

About Us web-pages updated in Jan 2010 to take into account the new STA Transition Support Service funded by the Big Lottery Fund and the STA’s new involvement in a European Learning Partnership Project funded by the European Commission's Lifelong Learning Programme Grundtvig.

News and Events section updated monthly.

14) FULLY ACHIEVED AND EXCEEDED:

Provided 12 transgender inclusion training sessions as follows:

- Shakti Women’s Aid on 12^th May 2009;

- 2 for Lothian & Borders Police on 9^th and 10^th June 2009;

- Scottish Prison Service on 19^th June 2009.

- LGBT Youth Scotland on 14^th Oct 2009.

- Lothian Police LGBT Liaison Officers on 26^th Nov 2009.

- 2 for Scottish Government on 26^th Jan 2010 and 8^th Feb 2010.

- State Hospital (Carstairs) on 22^nd Feb 2010.

- NHS Scotland Gender Duty Conference on 23^rd Feb 2010.

- Scottish Trade Union Congress LGBT Conference on 26^th Feb 2010.

- East of Scotland Wellbeing in Sexual Health Conference on 17^th March 2009.

15) FULLY ACHIEVED AND EXCEEDED:

Held 11 guidance meetings (7 in Apr09-Sep09 and 4 in Oct09-Mar10) as follows:

- Scottish Prison Service on 19^th May 2009 and 25^th Sept 2009;

- Scottish Enterprise on 27^th May 2009;

- NHS Health Scotland Equalities Intelligence Project on 11^th Aug 2009;

- Lothian & Borders Fire Service 17^th Aug 2009;

- NHS24 on 19^th Aug 2009;

- NHS National Boards on 22^nd Sept 2009.

- DWP on 3^rd Dec 2009;

- NHS Health Scotland Equality & Planning Directorate on 18^th Jan 2010 and 18^th Feb 2010;

- Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service on 25^th Feb 2010;

- Scottish Prison Service on 31^st Mar 2010.

Completed extensive detailed drafting assistance work on the following two policies:

- Scottish Prison Service’s Policy on the Care, Management and Treatment of Transgender Prisoners;

- Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service guidance on implementation of the sexual orientation, transgender identity and disability hate crime statutory aggravations.

16) FULLY ACHIEVED:

Participated in ACPOS LGBT Reference Group meeting on 6^th August 2009 (previous quarterly meeting was in March 2009). Agreed to be vice-chair of the ACPOS LGBT Reference Group and attended sub-group meetings to take forward ACPOS LGBT Community Safety Conference planning and implementation of Transgender Custody Guidelines.

Assisted in the content and design of publicity materials, registration form and programme for the ACPOS LGBT Community Safety Conference which took place on 17^th Dec 2009. Participated in ACPOS LGBT Reference Group meeting on 4^th Feb 2010 (next meeting is 15^th April 2010).

In partnership with Northern Constabulary, created a 12minute ‘Trans-Inclusive Policing’ training DVD and distributed this to all Scottish Police Forces via the ACPOS LGBT Community Safety Conference.

17) ACHIEVING BUT STILL IN PROGRESS:

Met with Stonewall Scotland Good Practice Project on 19^th May 2009 and 25^th Sept 2009 to do initial planning of partnership work on equality mainstreaming. Stonewall Scotland delayed the actual work beginning until Feb 2010 so it is still in progress.


18) FULLY ACHIEVED:

Assisted in launch on 6^th July 2009 of Engender’s transgender equality feminist discussion paper as part of their ‘Women Thinking Equality’ report pack.

Held an International Women’s Day discussion evening event on 9^th March 2010 in partnership with Engender to bring together feminist volunteers and transgender volunteers to discuss how feminist and trans equality organisations can work together to reduce gender based violence and abuse.

Also worked in partnership with Engender to include a group of trans women within the groups being assisted by Engender’s Equality Counting Project to carry out participatory research into public service provision equality issues.