The length of the parliamentary debate over proposed amendments to the Gender Recognition Reform Bill says much about how controversial a piece of legislation it is.
Elected members talked into the the wee small hours on Wednesday as they pored over every single line.
And yesterday their deliberations continued for so long that the final vote was pushed back to today.
What had been achieved in all those many hours of talking was, in truth, very little.
For those politicians implacably opposed to the Bill, that was the point as they looked to disrupt and delay.
But, given the support from the SNP and other parties the Gender Recognition Reform Bill’s passage was a fait accompli.
And that is when the true test of these reforms begins.
Will they assimilate into Scottish life without fuss and provide real safeguards to trans men and women?
Or will the myriad problems predicted from gender self identification become a reality?
Whatever transpires, it is a subject that will continue to divide opinion.
Debate is fine as long as the views are expressed in a civil way.
But there is a heat around the gender debate that is concerning and which has potential to stir up hatred and violence.
That must be avoided at all costs.
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