Martin: Axed over ‘hairy-knuckled Laydees comment. Photo: @GillianMSP Twitter
Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has been forced to sack a newly appointed minister after it emerged she branded transgender students ‘hairy-knuckled, lipstick-wearing transitional Laydees’.
Gillian Martin, who was only appointed education minister in a cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday, was axed after alleged complaints over the comments she made in a blog, in 2007.
Martin: Transgender insults from 2007. Photo: @ScottishParliament
First Minister removed Martin from list of candidates
‘This content, however ill-advised it may be, does not reflect the views of the person that I know in Gillian Martin’, Sturgeon told Members of the Scottish Parliament.
‘However, the content does merit my further consideration, and so I will therefore not ask parliament to approve this appointment until I have had a chance to reflect further.’
Sturgeon: Forced to act over Martin’s comments.
Martin herself tweeted a section of a statement she issued today, apologising for the offensive comments.
‘In 2007 I wrote a blog that I deeply regret. It used language that was inappropriate and offensive. I expressed myself in a way that did not reflect my view then and certainly does not reflect my view now.
‘That is entirely my fault and I am sorry for it. That’s why, when this blog was last raised publicly two years ago, I apologized for it and I am more than happy to apologize unreservedly again for it today.’
Martin reportedly had complained of political correctness in colleges in the 2007 blog and went on to ask: ‘Will they install a third category of loo with a special transgender sign?
‘Are we going to see lovely photos in the foyer of hairy knuckled lipstick-wearing transitional transgender Laydees being embraced by the principal of undisclosed college or visiting politicians for the press?’
Martin, who is the MSP for Aberdeenshire East, describes herself on Twitter as being: ‘All about self determination and equality. And dogs.’
Martin’s removal comes on the same day the Scottish Parliament donned rainbow coloured ties during First Minister’s Questions.
MSPs show support for LGBTI inclusiveness.
The ties were part of a campaign for more inclusive education in schools on LGBT issues. It was led by the Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) campaign.
