Homophobic and transphobic incidents in St Andrews have been condemned as “disgraceful” by local politicians.
At the beginning of the month The Courier reported that an investigation has been launched after a teenager was punched and kicked on the ground by three people on the town’s City Road.
The assault, police have said, is being treated as a hate crime.
As reported by local student newspaper The Saint, a few days later, transphobic graffiti appeared outside a Boots store on Market Street. It read ‘trans women are men’.
It went on to say that more graffiti of a similar nature has been found elsewhere in the town.
It is not known if the two incidents are linked.
They have been condemned by the local MP and MSP, who say they do not reflect the views of the wider community or students.
Organisations such as the Trades Union Congress have reported that there has been a significant increase in the number of transphobic hate crimes recorded by police in the UK in recent years.
‘Disgraceful incidents’
North East Fife MP Wendy Chamberlain said: “The character of the town has always been a welcoming one and these disgraceful incidents in no way reflect the views of the vast majority of the local community, or the staff and students at the university.
“It’s unfortunate that a few unpleasant individuals can undermine all the good work that is being done to make people feel safe and welcome in our area.
“Homophobia and transphobia and hate crimes are a serious matter that too many people are forced to put up with on a daily basis and I would encourage anyone who witnesses these types of incidents, or knows the people involved, to report them to the police straight away.”
Education and more information is ‘the key to change’
North East Fife’s MSP Willie Rennie added: “The Lib Dems have always believed that trans right are human rights.
“I’m encouraged by how far we have come in recent years and by the support of people in the community for tackling homophobic and transphobic issues, but it is clear there is still a lot more that needs to be done to prevent this sort of thing from happening again.
“Wider education in schools and better access to public information is the key to delivering the sort of change that will ensure that, in future, people in the LGBTQ plus community do not face the same discrimination that many previous generations have had to endure.”
