Scotland Threatens To JAIL Parents Blocking Child Mutilation
The Scottish National Party (SNP) has proposed a series of laws that could land parents in jail for seven years for seeking to protect their children from mutilation that comes from “transitioning.”
Eerily similar to Canada’s “Conversion Therapy Ban”, the SNP’s proposal includes a ban on talk therapy which they demonize by labeling it as “conversion therapy.”
The laws state anyone causing physical or psychological harm whilst attempting to “change or suppress” another’s gender identity would face criminal charges, as reported by The Daily Telegraph. Any complaints lodged must include proof of intent or demonstrative harm.
The laws extend to those who merely have a “desire to help or protect the person.” Based upon Canada’s example, pastors or parents who bring their child to a pastor, could face punishment by the government as they would be attempting to help their confused child by unauthorized means, even if it was just through prayer.
Another major concern is over the rights of parents to freely discuss issues with their children within the four walls of their homes.
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A consultation of the laws is currently underway and will last until April 2, 2024. The consultation provides voters and all other concerned parties with a place to voice opinions, lodge complaints and review the 86-page proposal.
Who’s Speaking Out?
“We have grave concerns that these plans will criminalize loving parents, who could face years in jail simply for refusing to sign up to the gender ideology cult,” said Marion Calder, a director for the group For Women Scotland.
Equally concerning is how these laws “will also hand activists and social workers unprecedented powers to meddle in family life while having a chilling impact on therapists and counselors … If SNP and Greens insist on pushing this through, it is likely to go the same way as the toxic self-identification and named person laws and be blocked in the courts,” Calder added.
Christian Action, Research and Education (CARE) has described the laws as laying the groundwork for “subjective policing of speech.”
“At CARE for Scotland, we recognize that abusive or coercive ‘practices’,’ ‘treatments’ or ‘therapies’ aimed at changing a person’s identity are wrong and a source of deep hurt to those who experience them … These things are rightly condemned, can already be reported to the police for investigation, and would already constitute a crime under existing provisions.”
“Given these concerns, and the efficacy of existing, well-understood laws targeting harmful behavior, we question the need for the proposed ban,” CARE stated.
“The need for new legislation, and the wider impact of new laws must be carefully assessed,” the group said in their statement regarding the proposal, “Senior legal professionals and others are concerned that the proposals in question risk being overbroad in their application, undermining human rights. In particular, the right to a private and family life, freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and freedom of expression.”
Concerns have also been raised by Scotland’s Catholic Church who expressed a “worrying lack of clarity” and has stated its intentions to prepare for legal action.
Two years of jail time, with a maximum punishment of up to seven years or an “unlimited fine,” is what a potential offender could face. This is, again, weirdly similar to Canada’s law which would have parents or others breaking the law, thrown in jail for up to five years and/or face fines.
Former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon put forward another gender bill in 2023 that would have allowed children as young as 16 to change gender. Thankfully, it was quashed.
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