On International Women’s Day, Elaine Smith MSP (Labour), caused outrage when she insisted the term "cisgender" was offensive and oppressive. Worse, in further comments, she then proceeded to claim that it minimises and erases the oppression women face from birth.

What MSP Smith fails to realise is that this innocuous term, cisgender, is a term used by medical professional since the 90s to define people who are not transgender. Just like people use the term "straight" or "hetero" to define people who are not gay/homosexual.

It is concerning that a member of parliament can hold such views and claim that such diversification can minimise or erase the oppression women face from birth, when in reality, the failure to recognise or use the proper terms as recognised by the medical community at large, minimises and erases the oppression that trans people must endure every single day in our society.

To further launch a point of order calling for the term to be banned at Holyrood, further shows the disregard that MSP Smith has for progression and equality, which is a concern when she is a substitute member of the Equalities and Human Rights Committee.

The language used by MSP Smith is inflammatory and can easily be compared to the TERF (Trans-Erasory Radical Feminist) movement, who by their actions to promote their visions of feminism, work to exclude trans people.

We request that Elaine Smith MSP issues a full apology for the scathing stance she has taken in this debate, and offers a full and heartfelt pledge to continue to battle for true equality for ALL of the people she represents.
We further request that The Labour Party issue a reasonable timetable for this apology to be made.