A trans-identified male has been selected to be on an all-women shortlist for a position with the Scottish National Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) Lothian, drawing criticism from women’s rights campaigners. Amber Roberts, who is still legally a male, has also been revealed to have posted fetish photos of himself to his public social media account.
On September 15, women’s rights organization For Women Scotland (FWS) published a letter that they had sent to the Chair of the SNP’s National Executive Committee and Humza Yousaf, the leader of the SNP. In it, FWS states that “Roberts is male and is not eligible for a place on an all-women shortlist.”
FWS points out that all-women shortlists within the political system are “designed to redress the historical under-representation of women in Parliament and other elected positions,” and that they are protected under the Equality Act of 2010.
The campaigners note that “including Roberts on an all-women shortlist is unlawful” as he has not even been granted a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) and is still legally male. In the United Kingdom, a GRC has historically been required in order to alter identification documents.
For Women Scotland also referred to a statement from the Equality and Human Rights Commission that “a trans woman who does not hold a GRC and is therefore legally male would be treated as male.”
Last December, the Gender Recognition Reform (GRR) bill was passed by Members of Scottish Parliament (MSPs) in a vote of 86 to 39, removing the need for a medical diagnosis of “gender dysphoria” in order to obtain a gender recognition certificate (GRC).
In response to FWS’ letter condemning his placement by the SNP on an all-women’s shortlist, trans activist outlet Pink News spoke with Roberts last week, who insisted it was “clear as day” that he was, in fact, female.
“I am female. It’s legally recognized – it’s just not on my birth certificate yet,” Roberts argued, while complaining to Pink News that FWS had “misgendered” him by using masculine pronouns.
Roberts insisted that there was no “nefarious” reason why he did not yet have a GRC, and revealed that he had already applied, and been rejected for, the document on three previous occasions. According to Roberts, the gender recognition panel stated there was a lack of evidence to grant his request.
As evidence of the assertion that he is female, Roberts said that he was able to have other identifying documents altered with relative ease.
“It’s purely bureaucratic. I’ve shown them a marriage certificate, my medical records, my driver’s license and my passport. All four of them say I’m female,” Roberts said.
“It is as clear as day that I am female,” he added.
However, this did not deter speculation as to the rationale behind his inability to secure a GRC, with one popular blogger, Wings Over Scotland, noting that only 1.8% of such applications are denied.
One concerned woman discovered an Instagram account belonging to Roberts which has since been unpublished after she shared disturbing images that had been posted there.
On the account’s profile, Roberts describes himself as a “masochist” and a “rubber doll.” He had also uploaded photos of himself in fetish gear typically associated with the BDSM community.
The images prompted the woman to ask, “What due diligence is the SNP doing on its prospective candidates? Without fail, there’s always a debauched back story… This Amber Rowan is a deviant man whom the SNP has on an all-women list. But we’re bigots because we resist,” she noted.
Some critics cast suspicions on Roberts’ vocal support for schools to be authorized to withhold information about children from their parents regarding their “gender identity,” as well as his support for the “transitioning” of children.
Last November on X, formerly Twitter, Roberts wrote: “Children should be able to tell certain things to their teachers without the fear of it getting back to their parents.”
He has also defended the “social” transitioning of young children, stating: “Social transition should be allowed for anyone under the age of 16 as it requires no medicalisation and allows children to explore their identity.”
In another post, he argued that children as young as 10 should be encouraged to “transition.”
This July, he maintained his stance on schools withholding information from parents, writing: “It is crucial for trans children to feel safe and supported in schools, without fearing being outed to their parents. We need to prioritize their well-being and protect them from potential harm. #ProtectTransKids.”
On his Facebook profile, where he is publicly campaigning for the role of Equalities Convener within the SNP, Roberts stated that he would like to “work closely with our Branch Equalities Officers, ensure that they are all kept up to date,” and “produce more Equality training modules for each branch.”
Roberts additionally expresses a desire to work with lawmakers to develop a “zero tolerance” policy for “hate speech.”
“I would like to work with the NEC Members and come up with a plan to introduce a Zero Tolerance policy on Hate Speech, which includes but is not limited to Racism, Homophobia and Transphobia,” he wrote.
The SNP, which is Scotland’s governing party, has had extensive controversies surrounding gender ideology over the past year, resulting in massive criticism from women’s rights groups.
As previously reported by Reduxx, the London Branch of the SNP hired a radical trans activist as an Equalities Officer in 2022.
Cameron Downing, then 23, had been quietly elected to serve in the position while working as Media and Communications Officer for the party’s official LGBTQ group — Out for Independence.
But soon after being elected to the role, disturbing posts emerged of Downing calling for physical violence against “TERFs,” an acronym which stands for “trans exclusionary radical feminist.” TERF is considered by many to be a derogatory term, and has often been used to justify violence against women who oppose gender ideology.
In one post uncovered by concerned Scottish women’s rights advocates, Downing stated he was “in the mood to beat the fuck out of some TERFs and transphobes.” In another, he proclaimed he “fucking hate[d]” women who advocate for single-sex spaces.
As the screenshots of the two posts picked up attention, Downing rapidly locked down his social media accounts, preventing them from being searched further.
Even some representatives within the SNP have found themselves mistreated by the party after speaking out against gender self-identification laws.
SNP Member of Parliament Joanna Cherry has been a vocal proponent of women’s sex-based rights and has expressed disapproval of many elements of gender ideology. Cherry has said that as a result of her beliefs, she was “cancelled” by her party, and that she has experienced harassment and abuse campaigns on social media for condemning self-identification laws.