SEEN in Scotland

A member of SEEN based in Scotland provides some reflections on the setting up of a SEEN in Scotland Group, and meeting other members of SEEN based in Scotland for the first time.

Chilling, silencing, fear and hurt were common themes at the first meeting to establish a Scotland Group of members of SEEN, along with frustration that such emotions are provoked for holding what are in reality widely held and evidence-based beliefs – that biological sex is real, immutable and in many cases important. The group was also surprisingly diverse, containing a mixture of ages, both sexes, and a wide range of perspectives and routes which had drawn them first to this issue and then to get involved in SEEN.

And it was this backdrop which made the meeting a little odd – like a reluctantly clandestine and random group blind date. However, it is also what made the meeting feel so positive and productive. An active step to find a voice, connect with others, and make a difference. Our discussions focussed on ways that the culture of “no debate” is impacting colleagues both in a personal sense and on the performance of the civil service as a whole. From a personal perspective it is clear that the “bring your whole self to work” ethos does not apply if that includes having concerns around the impact of implementing policies based on belief in the concept of gender identity.

The group shared their experiences of feeling unable to talk about family issues at work or expressing honest concerns around mixed sex facilities which made them feel vulnerable. This was all compounded by a feeling that unions would not support them in upholding the lawful provision of single-sex facilities.

More widely, there was significant concern around the impact on quality of work and professional standards in the workplace, such as the ability to freely interrogate policy, taking a balanced approach to consultation on the collection and recording of data, and taking a truly evidence-based approach to decision making. While there are obvious examples of recent legislation in Scotland to which this applies, I was surprised to learn how far reaching the effect has been with implications for so many policy areas.

SEEN now has over 900 members across the UK and while our numbers remain small in Scotland they are growing. If you are a Scotland-based civil servant and you share these concerns I urge you to find your voice and get involved. By signing up you contribute anonymously through surveys and research. You can also choose to connect with others and get more involved in the Scotland Group.

We need a voice at the table and with more members our voice will be strengthened and our fear reduced.

If you are a member of SEEN and interested in finding more about the SEEN in Scotland Group, or if you would like to find out more about Chapters of SEEN in general, keep an eye out for email correspondence via the SEEN mailing list for contact details.

If you are a civil servant and would like to join SEEN please submit your membership request via our ‘join us’ page.

Cover photo with kind permission from a SEEN member. All rights reserved.