Scottish Government Tweets on Transphobes, part of Hate Crime campaign: FOI release

FOI reference: FOI/18/03724  
Date received: 15 December 2018
Date responded: 16 January 2019

 

 

The Scottish Government Twitter account carried until recently the banner:
'Dear transphobes, we have a phobia of your hatred, Yours, Scotland'

1. Who was responsible for posting this message.

2. Which minister or officer was responsible for sanctioning the content of this message.

3. What research, survey results or other means was used to substantiate the claim that this message represents the views of 'Scotland'.

4. The message equates the epithet 'transphobes' with 'hatred'. Does the Scottish Government affirm by this that phobia equates with hatred and if so, on what basis.

5. What is the Scottish Government's definition of 'transphobe'.

 

 

The answer to your question is:

1. The hate crime campaign was a Scottish Government campaign, launched in partnership with Police Scotland.

2. The Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Communities and the Cabinet Secretary for Justice launched the hate crime campaign on 26 September 2018.

3. The campaign was developed using insight from quantative and qualitative research conducted among the Scottish population by an independant research agency. This research indicated that the message ‘Yours Scotland’ was successful in evoking a sense of collective responsibility in tackling hate crime in Scotland.

4. The campaign was a series of letters addressed to perpetrators of hate crime and describing the experience of victims, stating that ‘your hate has no home here’. They are signed ‘Yours, Scotland’ in order to encourage those who read it to report hate crime if they witness it – therefore helping to create ‘One Scotland’ where hate crime and prejudice is not tolerated. The Scottish Government wishes to empower people to achieve their potential irrespective of race, faith, sexual orientation, transgender identity or disability.

5. There is no official Scottish Government definition, however it can be understood as prejudice against transgender people.

 

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses