This week, we sit down with legendary LBGT+ activist Tim Hopkins, to explore how campaigners used the law to achieve equality for LGBT+ people in Scotland, from the 1980s to the present. Tim shares his insights and wisdom from over thirty years of campaigning - against the notorious Section 28 law in the 1980s, to organising the first Pride March in Scotland in the 1990s, to leading the Equality Network for 14+ years, and finishing with the modern day struggles of trans and non-binary people to achieve equal dignity under the law.

Additional resources for this episode are linked below:

Legislation

Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980, Section 80(1) Equality Act 2010 Gender Recognition Act 2004 Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill Historic Sexual Offences (Pardons and Disregards)(Scotland) Act 2018 Local Government Act 1988

Legal Cases

For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers [2025] UKSC 16 For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers [2023] CSIH 37 For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers [2022] CSIH 4

Ghaidan v Godin-Mendoza [2004] UKHL 30 Goodwin v United Kingdom (Application no. 28957/95) P v S and Cornwall County Council, Case C-13/94 [1996] Smith and Grady v United Kingdom (Application nos. 33985/96 and 33986/96) Sutherland v United Kingdom (Application no. 25186/94) Wilde, Greenhalgh, Parry v United Kingdon (Application no. 22382/93)

Media Clips Margaret Thatcher, Conservative Party Speech, 9 October 1987 Rishi Sunak, Speech, 5 October 2023

Other Resources

Equality Network LGBT Youth Scotland Scottish Trans Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) TransActual - Critiques of the Cass Review

Find out more at https://lawmanity.pinecast.co

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