Librarians banning books because they don't 'feel safe' - National Library of Scotland
Trans activists trying to ban feminist book for a SECOND time by claiming its return makes national library 'unsafe and hostile' for staff | Daily Mail Online
ETA
Trans activists trying to ban feminist book for a SECOND time by claiming its return makes national library 'unsafe and hostile' for staff | Daily Mail Online
ETA
Statement in Support of National Library of Scotland Staff
Please use this form to sign. You may sign as an individual or an organisation who is based in Scotland.
As members of Scotland’s academic, heritage, arts, literary and cultural sectors, we stand in solidarity with queer and trans staff at the National Library of Scotland, who in recent months have been subject to harassment and bigotry in their workplace. We condemn the series of decisions by the National Library’s board and senior leadership that have led to a hostile environment for queer, trans, and allied staff of and visitors to the Library.
As has been widely reported in national media, in September 2025, the Library chose to include a certain book in a major exhibition celebrating the Library’s centenary. That book, whose contributors include several high-profile figures in Scottish politics and culture, advocates against the civil and human rights of trans people, a small and vulnerable minority who experience systemic disadvantage in contemporary Scottish society. This decision has led directly to a hostile environment for queer and trans people working at and visiting the library. Anti-trans activists have been emboldened to harass Library visitors, leading to members of the public being unable to come to the Library for reasons of basic safety. Queer and trans staff, but also all staff who liaise with the public, have been left to respond to this challenging situation, leading to substantial stress. For both staff and visitors—especially, but not only, those who are queer, trans, or gender-nonconforming—the Library has in recent months become materially less safe.
Indeed, the Library have instead gone to great lengths to support those who advocate discrimination against trans people. When the Library commissioned an independent member of the Scottish Bar to conduct an investigation into the decision-making processes surrounding the centenary exhibition, the investigation held that the Library had not sufficiently centred anti-trans (or what their proponents describe as ‘gender critical’) beliefs in its planning for the exhibition. The report does not give the same level of credence to the views of queer and trans staff and visitors, or take into account queer and trans staff’s previously expressed concerns regarding the safety and wellbeing implications of featuring an anti-trans book in the exhibition.
The investigation pointed to the legal principle that, under the Equality Act 2010, individuals can be protected from being discriminated against for holding ‘gender critical’ views. Members of the public are of course entitled to hold and to express a wide range of views, however prejudicial. Furthermore, it falls within the mission of a copyright deposit library such as the National Library of Scotland to collect texts that readers might deem offensive. But that does not mean that a national institution has an obligation to amplify a viewpoint that advocates discrimination as part of a celebratory exhibition. Indeed, the Library has a legal obligation to avoid discrimination on the basis of the protected characteristic of ‘gender reassignment’. We are outraged that the Library’s response has led to the legitimation of discriminatory views as central to its centenary celebrations, to the detriment of the wellbeing of queer and trans staff and visitors who have experienced material harm as a result of the Library’s handling of the events. We fear that the Library has been subject to the same kind of anti-trans ideological capture that has in recent years affected other Scottish and UK national institutions. This compromises the Library’s ability to comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty, to fulfil its own claims to be an ‘open’, ‘trusted’, and ‘inclusive’ institution, and to serve as a national institution for all the people of Scotland.
As members of Scotland’s academic, heritage, arts, literary and cultural sectors, many of us have worked with, visited, and used the Library in the past, directed our students to do the same, and celebrated the Library’s place within Scotland’s cultural landscape for the past century. Knowing that the Library has declined to make a baseline commitment to ensuring the safety of staff and visitors makes it difficult for us to continue to do so in future. We call upon the Library urgently to change course, to make a strong public commitment to ensuring that all staff and visitors are able to access the Library without fear of harassment, bullying, bigotry, or threats to their safety, and to work actively to restore public trust in the Library as a national institution to which all are welcome.
Signatures (in alphabetical order) as of 21 November 2025:
Chris Afuakwah
Ash Alexander, volunteer, Lavender Menace Queer Book Archive
Gab Ascanio Otero, Glasgow Small Trans Library
Claire Askew, writer
Byron Bates
Mim Black, freelance publicist
Megan Booth, Senior Content Editor
Simon Bowie
Maud Anne Bracke, Professor of European History, University of Glasgow
Elliot Bracken, independent researcher
Jules Brick
Finn Brook
Jess Brough, Founder/Director, Fringe of Colour
Laurie Brown
Maria Calinescu
Felicity Callard, Professor in Human Geography, University of Glasgow
Anthony V. Capildeo, author
Dr Alfredo Carpineti, Chair, Pride in STEM
Samantha Cedarmark
Lynda Clark
Dave Coates, Duty Manager, Fruitmarket
Dr Cole Collins, lecturer
Sorcha Dallas, curator and custodian
Kevin Davidson
Gloria Dawson, researcher and writer
Sasha de Buyl, doctoral researcher, University of Glasgow
Lyra fool
Michael Donnay
Alex Donnelly, library assistant
Fionn Duffy Scott, Category Is Books Bookshop
Ever Dundas, author
Indigo Dunphy-Smith
Greta Elliott, Student Adviser, University of Edinburgh
Markus Emmott, master’s student, University of Edinburgh
Dr Kirstie Ken English, Lecturer in Sociology, University of Glasgow
Milo Eyre-Morgan, Glasgow Small Trans Library
Abbé Farrell
Jude FireSong, aka Fabulous Phoenix Boy, poet and artist; QUILL Scotland and Scottish Artist Union
Amanda Forde, Secretary, OurStory Scotland
Mara Fojas, Transparentsees
Clare Forrest, heritage professional
Brandy Frazier
Carle Gent, artist and academic
Harry Josephine Giles, writer
Kat Gilluley
Jane Goldman, Reader, University of Glasgow
Dr Mariel Goulart, Research Assistant, University of Glasgow
Christine Grandy, Associate Professor, Modern British History, University of Lincoln
Tristan Gray, organiser, QUILL Scotland, and author
Paolo Grifa, Amnesty International Activism Representative
SJ Groenewegen BEM, author
Dr Gina Gwenffrewi, Lecturer in English and Trans & Queer Studies, University of Edinburgh
Kevin Guyan, University of Edinburgh
Jocasta Hardie
James T. Harding
Elle Haswell, Edinburgh Art Festival
Dr Jo Hauge, artist and researcher
Sarah Heitler
Kaelin Hendry
Iain Hepburn, journalist and editor
Dr Harvey Humphrey, Lecturer in Social Research Methods, University of Glasgow
Cassidy Hunt
Meg Hyland, PhD candidate, University of Edinburgh, Celtic and Scottish Studies
Kali Israel, historian of modern Scotland (US-based)
Alex Jacquemont-Krupp
Tom Jeffreys, writer
Natalie Johnston
Rebecca Jones, librarian
Leo Kaminski, University of Glasgow
Alice Keen, Edinburgh Art Festival
Sam Keogh, artist
Jennie Kermode, author and journalist
Rona Landragon
Avery Selena Learoyd
Mason Leaver-Yap
Eleanor Livingstone, writer
Elliot Long
Claire Low
Rachel Lowther, artist
River MacAskill, writer
Katherine Mackinnon
Peter Manson
S Marsden
Carrie Marshall, writer
Dr Annalisa Martin
Lindsay Martindale, Co-chair, Amnesty International Edinburgh Central Group
So Mayer
Stefanie McCartney, Feminist Book Club Glasgow
Erin McElhinney
Neil McGuire
Emma McIntyre
Cara McKee, library worker, poet and Scottish Greens candidate
Robbie McLean, researcher
Keava McMillan, Lecturer in Gender History, University of Glasgow
Steven McWilliam
Lilith Montgomery
Cheryl Morgan, Hon LLD (Exeter), publisher and public historian
Mo Moulton, University of Birmingham
Craig Mulholland, artist
Ellie Muniandy
Elliot Napier, doctoral researcher, University of Glasgow; formerly Edinburgh City Libraries
Dr Holly Neill, University of Glasgow
Dr Christina Neuwirth
Hannah Nicholson, writer and library assistant
Sigrid Nielsen, Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive
XE OAKS, Glasgow Small Trans Library
Lisa Otto
Sam Paterson
Kate Paul
Dr Ruth Pearce, Senior Lecturer in Community Development, University of Glasgow
Moss Pepe
Mai-Anh Vu Peterson, writer
Alycia Pirmohamed, author
Sissi Pizzo
Rachel Plummer, children’s author
Yvette Pyke, Glasgow Small Trans Library
Melanie Ramdarshan, Professor, University of Glasgow
Anupama Ranawana, academic researcher, Kirkcaldy-based
Jo Reid, filmmaker
Kit Renard, Trans Masculine Scotland, Rainbow Dudes, and OU Pride
Juliet Richards
Levi Richards, Marketing Manager, Edinburgh Art Festival
Hartley Robinson, Glasgow Small Trans Library
Dr Samuel Rutherford, Lecturer in LGBTQ+ History, University of Glasgow
Seamus Ryan
Jules Scheele, illustrator, Omipalone Press
Neil Scott, teacher
Dr Merlyn Seller, Lecturer in Design and Screen Cultures, University of Edinburgh
Kat Sinclair
Maria Sledmere
Tom Smith, Senior Lecturer, University of St Andrews
Dr Stewart Smith, writer and researcher
Helen Stevenson
Robyn Stewart, Senior Library Assistant, University of Glasgow
Eleanor Taylor, Curator, Edinburgh Art Festival
Kit Thompson
Nel T.L.
Mohamed Tonsy, writer and ceramicist
Annie Tothill
Mare Tralla, artist
Billy Urquhart, psychotherapist and Trainer, Gendered Intelligence
Ryan Vance, writer and editor
Ryan Van Winkle
Mariella Verkerk
Angel Walker, Co-director, Rumpus Room
Kaite Welsh, author
Joel White, Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh
Rebecca Williamson, University of Glasgow
Catherine Wilson Garry, writer
Katy Wilson-Scott
Lucille Wright
and 13 signatories who did not wish to be listed publicly
Please use this form to sign. You may sign as an individual or an organisation who is based in Scotland.
As members of Scotland’s academic, heritage, arts, literary and cultural sectors, we stand in solidarity with queer and trans staff at the National Library of Scotland, who in recent months have been subject to harassment and bigotry in their workplace. We condemn the series of decisions by the National Library’s board and senior leadership that have led to a hostile environment for queer, trans, and allied staff of and visitors to the Library.
As has been widely reported in national media, in September 2025, the Library chose to include a certain book in a major exhibition celebrating the Library’s centenary. That book, whose contributors include several high-profile figures in Scottish politics and culture, advocates against the civil and human rights of trans people, a small and vulnerable minority who experience systemic disadvantage in contemporary Scottish society. This decision has led directly to a hostile environment for queer and trans people working at and visiting the library. Anti-trans activists have been emboldened to harass Library visitors, leading to members of the public being unable to come to the Library for reasons of basic safety. Queer and trans staff, but also all staff who liaise with the public, have been left to respond to this challenging situation, leading to substantial stress. For both staff and visitors—especially, but not only, those who are queer, trans, or gender-nonconforming—the Library has in recent months become materially less safe.
Indeed, the Library have instead gone to great lengths to support those who advocate discrimination against trans people. When the Library commissioned an independent member of the Scottish Bar to conduct an investigation into the decision-making processes surrounding the centenary exhibition, the investigation held that the Library had not sufficiently centred anti-trans (or what their proponents describe as ‘gender critical’) beliefs in its planning for the exhibition. The report does not give the same level of credence to the views of queer and trans staff and visitors, or take into account queer and trans staff’s previously expressed concerns regarding the safety and wellbeing implications of featuring an anti-trans book in the exhibition.
The investigation pointed to the legal principle that, under the Equality Act 2010, individuals can be protected from being discriminated against for holding ‘gender critical’ views. Members of the public are of course entitled to hold and to express a wide range of views, however prejudicial. Furthermore, it falls within the mission of a copyright deposit library such as the National Library of Scotland to collect texts that readers might deem offensive. But that does not mean that a national institution has an obligation to amplify a viewpoint that advocates discrimination as part of a celebratory exhibition. Indeed, the Library has a legal obligation to avoid discrimination on the basis of the protected characteristic of ‘gender reassignment’. We are outraged that the Library’s response has led to the legitimation of discriminatory views as central to its centenary celebrations, to the detriment of the wellbeing of queer and trans staff and visitors who have experienced material harm as a result of the Library’s handling of the events. We fear that the Library has been subject to the same kind of anti-trans ideological capture that has in recent years affected other Scottish and UK national institutions. This compromises the Library’s ability to comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty, to fulfil its own claims to be an ‘open’, ‘trusted’, and ‘inclusive’ institution, and to serve as a national institution for all the people of Scotland.
As members of Scotland’s academic, heritage, arts, literary and cultural sectors, many of us have worked with, visited, and used the Library in the past, directed our students to do the same, and celebrated the Library’s place within Scotland’s cultural landscape for the past century. Knowing that the Library has declined to make a baseline commitment to ensuring the safety of staff and visitors makes it difficult for us to continue to do so in future. We call upon the Library urgently to change course, to make a strong public commitment to ensuring that all staff and visitors are able to access the Library without fear of harassment, bullying, bigotry, or threats to their safety, and to work actively to restore public trust in the Library as a national institution to which all are welcome.
Signatures (in alphabetical order) as of 21 November 2025:
Chris Afuakwah
Ash Alexander, volunteer, Lavender Menace Queer Book Archive
Gab Ascanio Otero, Glasgow Small Trans Library
Claire Askew, writer
Byron Bates
Mim Black, freelance publicist
Megan Booth, Senior Content Editor
Simon Bowie
Maud Anne Bracke, Professor of European History, University of Glasgow
Elliot Bracken, independent researcher
Jules Brick
Finn Brook
Jess Brough, Founder/Director, Fringe of Colour
Laurie Brown
Maria Calinescu
Felicity Callard, Professor in Human Geography, University of Glasgow
Anthony V. Capildeo, author
Dr Alfredo Carpineti, Chair, Pride in STEM
Samantha Cedarmark
Lynda Clark
Dave Coates, Duty Manager, Fruitmarket
Dr Cole Collins, lecturer
Sorcha Dallas, curator and custodian
Kevin Davidson
Gloria Dawson, researcher and writer
Sasha de Buyl, doctoral researcher, University of Glasgow
Lyra fool
Michael Donnay
Alex Donnelly, library assistant
Fionn Duffy Scott, Category Is Books Bookshop
Ever Dundas, author
Indigo Dunphy-Smith
Greta Elliott, Student Adviser, University of Edinburgh
Markus Emmott, master’s student, University of Edinburgh
Dr Kirstie Ken English, Lecturer in Sociology, University of Glasgow
Milo Eyre-Morgan, Glasgow Small Trans Library
Abbé Farrell
Jude FireSong, aka Fabulous Phoenix Boy, poet and artist; QUILL Scotland and Scottish Artist Union
Amanda Forde, Secretary, OurStory Scotland
Mara Fojas, Transparentsees
Clare Forrest, heritage professional
Brandy Frazier
Carle Gent, artist and academic
Harry Josephine Giles, writer
Kat Gilluley
Jane Goldman, Reader, University of Glasgow
Dr Mariel Goulart, Research Assistant, University of Glasgow
Christine Grandy, Associate Professor, Modern British History, University of Lincoln
Tristan Gray, organiser, QUILL Scotland, and author
Paolo Grifa, Amnesty International Activism Representative
SJ Groenewegen BEM, author
Dr Gina Gwenffrewi, Lecturer in English and Trans & Queer Studies, University of Edinburgh
Kevin Guyan, University of Edinburgh
Jocasta Hardie
James T. Harding
Elle Haswell, Edinburgh Art Festival
Dr Jo Hauge, artist and researcher
Sarah Heitler
Kaelin Hendry
Iain Hepburn, journalist and editor
Dr Harvey Humphrey, Lecturer in Social Research Methods, University of Glasgow
Cassidy Hunt
Meg Hyland, PhD candidate, University of Edinburgh, Celtic and Scottish Studies
Kali Israel, historian of modern Scotland (US-based)
Alex Jacquemont-Krupp
Tom Jeffreys, writer
Natalie Johnston
Rebecca Jones, librarian
Leo Kaminski, University of Glasgow
Alice Keen, Edinburgh Art Festival
Sam Keogh, artist
Jennie Kermode, author and journalist
Rona Landragon
Avery Selena Learoyd
Mason Leaver-Yap
Eleanor Livingstone, writer
Elliot Long
Claire Low
Rachel Lowther, artist
River MacAskill, writer
Katherine Mackinnon
Peter Manson
S Marsden
Carrie Marshall, writer
Dr Annalisa Martin
Lindsay Martindale, Co-chair, Amnesty International Edinburgh Central Group
So Mayer
Stefanie McCartney, Feminist Book Club Glasgow
Erin McElhinney
Neil McGuire
Emma McIntyre
Cara McKee, library worker, poet and Scottish Greens candidate
Robbie McLean, researcher
Keava McMillan, Lecturer in Gender History, University of Glasgow
Steven McWilliam
Lilith Montgomery
Cheryl Morgan, Hon LLD (Exeter), publisher and public historian
Mo Moulton, University of Birmingham
Craig Mulholland, artist
Ellie Muniandy
Elliot Napier, doctoral researcher, University of Glasgow; formerly Edinburgh City Libraries
Dr Holly Neill, University of Glasgow
Dr Christina Neuwirth
Hannah Nicholson, writer and library assistant
Sigrid Nielsen, Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive
XE OAKS, Glasgow Small Trans Library
Lisa Otto
Sam Paterson
Kate Paul
Dr Ruth Pearce, Senior Lecturer in Community Development, University of Glasgow
Moss Pepe
Mai-Anh Vu Peterson, writer
Alycia Pirmohamed, author
Sissi Pizzo
Rachel Plummer, children’s author
Yvette Pyke, Glasgow Small Trans Library
Melanie Ramdarshan, Professor, University of Glasgow
Anupama Ranawana, academic researcher, Kirkcaldy-based
Jo Reid, filmmaker
Kit Renard, Trans Masculine Scotland, Rainbow Dudes, and OU Pride
Juliet Richards
Levi Richards, Marketing Manager, Edinburgh Art Festival
Hartley Robinson, Glasgow Small Trans Library
Dr Samuel Rutherford, Lecturer in LGBTQ+ History, University of Glasgow
Seamus Ryan
Jules Scheele, illustrator, Omipalone Press
Neil Scott, teacher
Dr Merlyn Seller, Lecturer in Design and Screen Cultures, University of Edinburgh
Kat Sinclair
Maria Sledmere
Tom Smith, Senior Lecturer, University of St Andrews
Dr Stewart Smith, writer and researcher
Helen Stevenson
Robyn Stewart, Senior Library Assistant, University of Glasgow
Eleanor Taylor, Curator, Edinburgh Art Festival
Kit Thompson
Nel T.L.
Mohamed Tonsy, writer and ceramicist
Annie Tothill
Mare Tralla, artist
Billy Urquhart, psychotherapist and Trainer, Gendered Intelligence
Ryan Vance, writer and editor
Ryan Van Winkle
Mariella Verkerk
Angel Walker, Co-director, Rumpus Room
Kaite Welsh, author
Joel White, Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh
Rebecca Williamson, University of Glasgow
Catherine Wilson Garry, writer
Katy Wilson-Scott
Lucille Wright
and 13 signatories who did not wish to be listed publicly
