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Steph Paton

@stephpaton.bsky.social
2.5K followers 565 following 736 posts

Glasgow left journo writing about politics, LGBTQ+ liberation and environmentalism. Columnist for @ScotNational. They/Them 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 Views are mine etc.

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Reposted by Steph Paton
TransActual @transactualuk.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
TransActual partnered with @scottishtrans.bsky.social and @transsolidarity.bsky.social to bring messages from this month’s Mass Lobby for Trans Equality to the Labour conference in Liverpool, and to ask the party: what now for our standing on LGBTQ+ rights?
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Steph Paton @stephpaton.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Outside Labour conference in Liverpool this morning. Farewell to Britain's standing on LGBTQ+ rights. 🎈
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QueerAF @wearequeeraf.com · 23/09/2026
Unlike Section 28, these rules are spread across a myriad of documents, which will make it harder for LGBTQIA+ groups to fight to overturn their harmful impacts Read our full analysis 👇
Section 28 2.0 begins
Children in England are back at school, in a new era of strict rules on what teachers can say about LGBTQIA+ identities.
Schools have begun implementing guidance and curricula which require them to segregate Trans+ pupils, while teachers are banned from “encouraging” pupils from ‘questioning their gender’. Many view the new rules as directly parallel to Section 28, the now-revoked law that banned schools and local authorities from “promoting” gay identities until 2003.
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Steph Paton @stephpaton.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
In a reasonable world, that last sentence should have been the end of the story. But when it comes to the campaign against trans people, apparently, you can take any unevidenced claim and still say that it 'raises questions' about us.
A row has erupted over NHS policies which allow transgender women onto women-only wards.

A consultant psychiatrist at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) claims a patient, who identified as a trans woman, exposed themselves to female patients during their stay.

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) said it had investigated the allegations and had no record of this ever happening.
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Steph Paton @stephpaton.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
'Remaining silent in the face of great injustice is a political choice. It is not “apolitical” to undermine the pro-Palestine movement by refusing to call a genocide a genocide. Nor is it apolitical to allow a billionaire to dictate who can tour with you.' www.thenational.scot/politics/265...
thenational.scot
Ed Sheeran failed to realise world is now alert to the genocide in Gaza
ED Sheeran is a man out of time. Three years ago, when the status quo was hanging by a fingernail, Macklemore’s forced exit from Sheeran’s North…
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Laura Webster @lauraewebster.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
🔴Tories, Reform, Scottish Government basically totally aligned here. All oppose a moratorium but are saying pleasantries about better planning guidance and community engagement 🔴 Labour want a pause on data centre decisions, none until there's new national planning guidance
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Steph Paton @stephpaton.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
It's only an 'impossible situation' if you think racist billionaires should be free to censor artists who oppose genocide...
Lisa Nandy says Ed Sheeran was in an impossible situation over Macklemore
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TransActual @transactualuk.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Mae pobl traws yng Nghymru wedi cael eu gadael mewn ansicrwydd yn dilyn penderfyniad gan GIG Cymru i atal mynediad at lawdriniaethau cadarnhau rhywedd heb rybudd. transactual.org.uk/blog/2026/09...
Ysgrifennwch at y Prif Gomisiynydd yn GIG Cymru heddiw, a mynnu bod mynediad at lawdriniaeth yn cael ei ailsefydlu ar unwaith.
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Steph Paton @stephpaton.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Write to the Chief Commissioner at NHS Wales and demand urgent action be taken to reinstate gender affirming surgery immediately. transactual.org.uk/blog/2026/09...
Write to the Chief Commissioner at NHS Wales today, and demand that access to surgery is reinstated immediately.
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TransActual @transactualuk.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Trans people in Wales have been left in limbo following a decision by NHS Wales to pause access to gender affirming surgeries without warning. Write to the Chief Commissioner at NHS Wales today, and demand that access to surgery is reinstated immediately. transactual.org.uk/blog/2026/09...
Write to the Chief Commissioner at NHS Wales today, and demand that access to surgery is reinstated immediately.
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Mark Hebden @unionlib.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Scotland: We want to leave the UK BBC: Huh? Wales: We want to leave the UK BBC: What? Northern Ireland: We want to leave the UK BBC: Lolz Some shithole in Oxfordshire: We want to leave the UK because racism BBC: REPORT THE HELL OUT OF THIS #Piddington
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Steph Paton @stephpaton.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
You can't be neutral on genocide.
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Scottish Trans @scottishtrans.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
As of May 2026, Police Scotland now ask every person who reports or witnesses a crime for data about their “sex” and their “trans status”. These questions are voluntary - you are not legally required to disclose your sex or your trans status to the police when reporting or witnessing a crime.
Graphic with a pink to blue gradient background. It says "When reporting or witnessing a crime, you’ll  be asked for:
- your “sex” (defined as your sex as assigned at birth)
- your “trans status” (whether you are trans or not)
You are not legally required to disclose either." The Scottish Trans logo is at the bottom.
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Steph Paton @stephpaton.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Small turnout for the nazi rally in Glasgow today.
A group of people flying flags at a distance, while three cops stand in the foreground.
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sasha @2damntrans.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
This is exactly the outcome that the “gender-critical” movement, which is directing the EHRC, wanted. A situation in which trans people cannot exist in the workplace - or anywhere else in public - at all.
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Marlow Stern @marlownyc.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
‘The Matrix’ creator Lilly Wachowski on J.K. Rowling and the new ‘Harry Potter’ series: “She is funding trans genocide. J.K. Rowling funds trans genocide, full stop. So, if you support ‘Harry Potter,’ you’re supporting trans genocide.” variety.com/2026/tv/feat...
variety.com
Lilly Wachowski on Her New Studio Anarchists United, the Black Power Origins of ‘The Matrix’ and How ‘Harry Potter’ Fans Are ‘Supporting Trans Genocide’
‘The Matrix’ filmmaker Lilly Wachowski opens up about her new studio for marginalized voices Anarchists United, J.K. Rowling and Elon Musk.
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Trans+ Solidarity Alliance @transsolidarity.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Thank you to everyone who took part in the lobby yesterday ❤️ Hundreds of participants, loads of MPs and staff, dozens of volunteers, so many meaningful conversations - and endless love and solidarity. If you can support our work, it makes a real difference: www.transsolidarityalliance.com/donate
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Steph Paton @stephpaton.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
It was embarrassing enough for the Proclaimers to have supported the Alba party...
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Steph Paton @stephpaton.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
"Whatever enduring image Reform UK had hoped to leave in the wake of their recent party conference in Birmingham, I doubt it looks much like the one they got." www.thenational.scot/politics/265...
thenational.scot
Reform UK appear to condone violence against ‘enemies’
WHATEVER enduring image Reform UK had hoped to leave in the wake of their recent party conference in Birmingham, I doubt it looks much like the one…
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Ryan Vance @ryanvance.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Re: last retweet. As a result of taking part in a creative freelancer development program, I've met many people I'd expect to hate AI have confessed to being open to using it, or are already using it. But it has materially ruined my life, probably theirs too. I can't see it as a tool, only a threat.
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QueerAF @wearequeeraf.com · 05/09/2026
Questions are being raised over the evidence behind NHS Wales's decision to cancel surgeries for Welsh Gender Service patients, who tell QueerAF of their 'absolute devastation' www.wearequeeraf.com/devastated-u...
wearequeeraf.com
“Devastated”: Up to 800 Trans+ patients affected by Welsh Gender Service surgery cancellations
Questions are being raised over the evidence behind NHS Wales's decision to cancel surgeries for Welsh Gender Service patients, who tell QueerAF of their 'absolute devastation'
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onlycans @onlycans.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
just stop oil protesters got five years in jail for *planning* to do this to the M25.
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Steph Paton @stephpaton.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
It's just Section 28's ban on 'promoting homosexuality' with a bit of fresh paint.
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QueerAF @wearequeeraf.com · 28/08/2026
PinkNews faced a choice: serve the community or chase mass-produced, uncontroversial content. Its decision to cave to the algorithm has left it in reputational and financial tatters.
wearequeeraf.com
Metric anxiety is fueling a dangerous decline in quality queer journalism
Why so many articles about queer people focus on celebs, rely on pics of hypermasculine guys and use rage-bait misinformation
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James Walker @jameslwalker.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
EXCLUSIVE: Inside the huge AI data centre lobbying campaign sweeping through Holyrood. 8 companies, 2 industry bodies, over 30 meetings involving MSPs, ministers and the First Minister 👇 www.thenational.scot/news/2649139...
thenational.scot
Inside the huge AI data centre lobbying campaign sweeping through Holyrood
AI data centre developers and the wider industry have engaged in a sustained lobbying blitz of the Scottish Parliament, The National can reveal ...
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Steph Paton @stephpaton.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
It's Oban Pride!
Photo of someone in a colourful dress flying an Oban Pride flag
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TACC @tacc.org.uk · 18/08/2026
"GENEVA – UN human rights experts* today warned that the UK’s revised Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions, and Associations, in force as of 5 August, may place transgender and gender-diverse persons at heightened risk of discrimination and exclusion." www.ohchr.org/en/press-rel...
ohchr.org
UK: Revised Code of Practice risks institutionalising discrimination against transgender and gender-diverse persons, warn UN experts
GENEVA – UN human rights experts* today warned that the UK’s revised Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions, and Associations, in force as of 5 August, may place transgender and gender-divers...
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Steph Paton @stephpaton.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
If ever there was proof that the Scottish press is fundamentally fucked, its that McKenna and the Herald will pick up press awards every year while publishing ignorant shit like this.
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jess m. ☕🍂 @jametc.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
I cannot stress enough: the AI bubble has already popped it is just being kept on life support by corporations trying to squeeze even a dollar more out of their shit investment, and tech bros doing the same before abandoning their shit company startups. keep hating on AI, you're winning
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Robin Ince @robinince.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
So often what are called “culture wars” are one set of people saying “please can we live without perpetual persecution” and another saying “no, f*** you” but the press considering the latter group have “legitimate concerns” and must be perpetually platformed
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Jess O'Thomson @jessothomson.co.uk · 17/08/2026
Protest sign saying: Racism within mainstream media is responsible for Jason Arday's death
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QueerAF @wearequeeraf.com · 17/08/2026
Darlington Nurses - the group whose legal case undermined Trans+ rights - met with EHRC chair in a meeting they described as focusing on "the treatment of professionals holding Christian and gender-critical beliefs"
Darlington Nurses X: We and our lawyers have met with Chair of the @EHRC Mary-Ann Stephenson to raise our concerns relating to the implementation of the Supreme Court's ruling, NHS Trust policies, and the treatment of professionals holding Christian and gender-critical beliefs.
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Robin Ince @robinince.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
This is part one of a blog post about gaslighting - in this case how the anti trans movement aims to break you , but it applies in many other situations and finding increasing number of people who have experienced some version of this www.patreon.com/RobinInce/po...
patreon.com
The Gaslight Years - part one | Robin Ince
“I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to dea
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TransActual @transactualuk.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Can you help us reach more people than ever before? Respond to our Trans Lives Survey today, and share on your social media, so we can get a full picture of the experiences and views of trans people in the UK. Take the survey here: form.typeform.com/to/BRppksJ3 #TransLives #TransSurvey #Trans
A pink and blue graphic with a black and white cartoon of some people on the bottom. 

Text reads: TransActual is launching its biggest survey for the trans community yet!

TRANS LIVES SURVEY

2026

We want to hear about your experiences as a trans person living in the UK.

It's quick, anonymous, and will help us campaign for our community!
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Steph Paton @stephpaton.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
And for this, he was rewarded with a seat in the House of Lords. www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politic...
dailyrecord.co.uk
Scottish Labour membership 'slumped by over 30%' when Anas Sarwar was leader
EXCLUSIVE: Leadership contender Michael Marra put a figure on Scottish Labour's membership total at a trade union hustings.
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Steph Paton @stephpaton.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
After a rocky relationship with his predecessor Keir Starmer, it’s nice that the tango tyrant and Burnham have a shared interest to bond over – even if it is hastening the end of the world as we know it. www.thenational.scot/business/264...
thenational.scot
Why is Andy Burnham playing silly games with our collective future?
A WISE person on Twitter once said that the catastrophic effects of climate change would be something we watched on our phone screens, getting…
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Steph Paton @stephpaton.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Sex Matters has lost a challenge today against the National Police Chief's Council and British Transport Police. With another High Court judgment expected at 2PM on whether or not the PATHWAYS puberty blocker trial should go ahead, let's hope GC activists go two for two on publicly failing.
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Fergus Murray @oolong.co.uk · 29/07/2026
Unison, Aslef, Usdaw, and the Musicians’ Union have now announced that they're boycotting the Labour Women's Conference over the party's anti-trans stance. Should they keep paying Labour money at all, though?
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Steph Paton @stephpaton.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Labour's conversion abuse ban is no good at all - so why would the SNP extend it to Scotland? www.thenational.scot/politics/264...
thenational.scot
Steph Paton: Adopting flawed Labour conversion ‘therapy’ bill isn't good enough
A KEY tenet of successive SNP-led governments has, since 2014, been the promise to mitigate, where it can, the worst of Westminster.
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Steph Paton @stephpaton.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
It is the most noble of British traditions to give peerage or reward to those leaving their party in tatters behind them.
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LiLBazula 👻 🎃 @lilbazza.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Nothing more broke lib brained than "social progress is when you also let the gays run the killing industrial complex"
Antonia Bance MP @antoniabanc... 8m 

I'II put this another way: teenage Wes grew up in a country where a career in the armed forces was closed to him. Now e's Defence Secretary. These changes are incredibly recent

Sunder Katwal... @sundersay... h 

Wes Streeting is the first UK Secretary of State for Defence who is openly gay.
Gay people have been able to serve openlv in the UK Armed Forces since 2000.
Like PM Andy Burnham's Catholicism, something that would have been controversial is largely now a matter of biographical colour.
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Steph Paton @stephpaton.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Having seen Burnham's Cabinet picks, it does look like we're in for more of the same despite a tweak to the rhetoric.
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Elizabeth Taylor @elizabethtaylor47.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
So let me get this straight we have: - Mahmood in place to ‘finish the job’ re immigration - Phillipson continuing her toilet ban with no change - Miliband out of energy for more drilling - McFadden still in place for welfare ‘reform’
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The National @scotnational.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
EXCLUSIVE: Thomas Kerr, Reform UK's deputy leader in Scotland, has accepted an invitation to join a 'fascist street patrol' led by a far-right vigilante group
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Steph Paton @stephpaton.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
'Labour have long owed an apology to the public for defending Israel’s campaign of murder and terror against the Palestinian people since 2023. And despite widespread reporting to the contrary, I’m not convinced we’ve had one yet.' www.thenational.scot/politics/262...
thenational.scot
Andy Burnham’s 'sorry' on Labour support for Israel isn’t a real apology at all
LABOUR have long owed an apology to the public for defending Israel’s campaign of murder and terror against the Palestinian people since 2023. And…
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Declassified UK @declassifieduk.org · 13/07/2026
Our investigation caught Shivat Zion on camera offering to help UK citizens move to an illegal Israeli settlement. Shivat Zion were then photographed at an event in London. The government has still not imposed sanctions on the Israeli group. www.declassifieduk.org/uk-politicia...
declassifieduk.org
UK politicians call for sanctions on Israeli charity
Demands follow Declassified investigation, which revealed how Shivat Zion touted ‘awesome’ illegal settlements
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the beggars out of here getter @milesklee.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
RIP to the incomparable Sam Neill
How long has it been since you've seen the original "Jurassic Park"?

SAM NEILL The last time I watched it in its totality was sitting beside Princess Di at Leicester Square at the London opening.
On the other side of me was my son Tim - he was 11 and completely swept away by it, but about the time the T-Rex turns up, Tim started to fart. And the draft was drifting across me to royalty! I spent the whole film in a muck sweat, thinking, "Princess Di is being exposed to the horrors of a little boy's fart, but she's going to think it's me. I am going to be subliminally blamed for my son's crimes, and I don't think she'll talk to me afterwards." But she was well brought up and never mentioned it.
JEFF GOLDBLUM I love that story, Sam.
I've heard him tell that a couple of times, and it's just amazing the lengths that he will go to still blame the boy.
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