Category: Reproductive Rights
What Scotland can learn from the Supreme Court ruling on Northern Ireland’s buffer zone law
With buffer zones legislation making its way through Holyrood, our Policy and Campaigns Officer Joe explores a recent court decision in Northern Ireland that could have significant implications for MSPs debating the new law in Scotland. This week, MSPs debated…
Humanist Society interview series: Gillian Mackay MSP on her buffer zones bill
This week sees the stage-one debate on buffer zones legislation in Scottish parliament. [NB. this vote passed by 123 votes to 1.] We caught up with Scottish Greens MSP Gillian Mackay, who proposed the bill, to talk about why safe…
Health committee backs buffer zones but remains divided on “silent prayer”
This week Holyrood’s Health, Social Care and Sport Committee published their stage-one report on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Bill. We are pleased the committee has backed buffer zones but concerned about a lack of clarity on the issue…
Huge anti-abortion protest marks final day of Lent, encouraged by Paisley Diocese
Around 100 anti-abortion protestors stood outside the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow on Sunday, holding placards and leaflets opposing abortion and offering ‘support’ to service users. In the days leading up to the event, the Paisley Diocese of the…
Bishop describes anti-abortion leaflets full of misinformation as “factually accurate”
Bishop John Keenan has described leaflets riddled with misinformation, of the kind offered to people entering abortion centres, as “factually accurate,” during a bizarre performance in front of Holyrood’s health committee. Bishop Keenan also said the leaflets cited “the NHS…
Remembering Frances Wright on International Women’s Day
As we celebrate the cultural and political achievements of women around the world, here’s an introduction to the remarkable life and complex legacy of Fanny Wright, Scottish pioneer of feminism, anti-slavery, and secular thought. Who was Frances Wright? The Dundee-born…
We comment on Humza Yousaf’s relationship with evangelical businessman Brian Souter
We were delighted to contribute our thoughts and findings on Brian Souter’s charitable interests for a piece in The Guardian on Humza Yousaf’s renewed relationship with the businessman. Severin Carrell’s article of 14 February reveals that Souter has given £650,000…
Humanist Society interview series: Alice Murray of Back Off Scotland on abortion clinic harassment
The season of Lent begins on 14 February this year. It’s a period of fasting and reflection for many of Scotland’s Christians. But for a minority it’s also a time to gather in large groups outside abortion clinics to harass…
The year ahead for humanism in Scotland
2024 looks set to be a busy and perhaps defining year for the humanist movement in Scotland. Here’s a rundown of the issues we’ll be working on and the gains we hope to make, from assisted dying to reproductive rights….
The year in good news
The new year is approaching. And the world feels like a dark and scary place in lots of ways. So, to warm the cockles during the festive season, here’s an incomplete rundown of some good news for humanists across 2023,…
We submit our views to buffer zones consultation
We have submitted our views to a consultation on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. If implemented, this bill will create a “buffer zone” of 200m around abortion services in Scotland. This will make the religiously motivated harassment…