I am really sorry to you and your family member. I’m pleased they have you supporting them. The anger and upset must be overwhelming and a lot to carry.
I just came across this (
https://www.avma.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Legal-action-Scotland.pdf) when googling something else. There might be some info there that is helpful, or you can contact them directly for advice.
My other thought was to look into what legal advice centres there are in your area. They are free, though usually specialise in areas such as family and employment law. However they might be able to refer you onto someone who can help.
My other ideas would be to contact orgs like The
les Project, which may not apply to your family member, or any other Scottish feminist org. FWS may simply be spread too thin atm, but if there are other Scottish feminist orgs who have been active on trans issues then they might have more capacity. Sex Matters maybe? Not sure what their remit is.
My last thought is the hosts of the Double Jeopardy podcast. Tim Owen KC and Ken Macdonald KC. You’ll have to hunt down their direct email addresses (I think they both work for Matrix chambers) as I don’t think the podcast itself has a website/email address, but they’ve done a few GC friendly episodes and had guests (usually other barristers) speaking on feminist issues that the trans rights movement interferes with.
Tim Owen works in public law - I don’t know if that’s what this is, but I’m sure he would at least be sympathetic to your situation and hear you out. His hands might be tied as to how much advice he can do pro bono (free) but these people are clever, commercial and litigation minded, he’ll know where to send you if he feels you have a case, and what you’ll need to do to secure any litigation funding (because no average Joe can afford to pay for these things out of pocket). But that’s getting into the weeds a bit.
My advice more generally is to encourage your family member to get into decent therapy. I understand her deep psychological need for reconstructive surgery, but pursuing that is going to be just as taxing on her mental and physical health (as well as yours) as transitioning was in the first place.
She needs help understanding and accepting everything that has happened to her. She’s caught in a cycle of constantly reacting to all these traumas - which is so completely justified and understandable, but ultimately may not be in her best interests. She may find peace in somehow getting reconstructive surgery, or it may come from accepting the body she now has and everything that has come to pass.
I am really truly and honestly not saying she shouldn’t seek legal action against those individuals and institutions who have harmed her, I just know that either way she will be the one to bear the brunt of all of this, and so it really is vital that she is acting from a place of strength. Not because she is still desperate to escape her body.
This must be something that feminist orgs can assist with - so many therapist are absolutely loony toons on all this stuff these days, but there are sane ones still out there (mine is, to give some hope). Old school and older psychodynamic based is probably your best bet - these are most likely to be associated with feminist orgs and will likely have low income fee options (again, mine does as I original found her through a charity that has since shut down).
That’s a lot of info but I help at least some of it is helpful!
www.justrightscotland.org.uk
www.advocates.org.uk
