August 2025
Published on September 11, 2025 by Resisting Transphobia in Edinburgh
Developing RTiE with Intent
Around two years ago, when RTiE was just a couple of months old, we held a discussion about our Purpose and Scope. We revisited this last year, and we think it’s worth revisiting it again this summer. A lot of things have changed since RTiE was set up, and even in the last couple of months. The political climate in the UK has got more difficult. And, responding to that, RTiE has received more engagement as people seek out ways of fighting back. At the start of 2024, we set up our Instagram account - we now have a firm social media presence with several thousand followers. After the Supreme Court ruling in April we saw a flood of new members to our Discord server. There’s now around 350 people on the server, after pruning inactive accounts over the last month. There are 400 subscribers to our mailing list. We think this growth speaks to how important and powerful our work can be.
But growth can also be difficult. It’s now less likely that people working within RTiE will know each other personally. We are an umbrella under which people with very different life experiences, politics, and activism tactics may encounter one another. This can throw up conflict and highlight current and past failings. We need to develop strategies for responding constructively when this occurs.
The important conversations we’ve had recently about how racism and ableism show up in RTiE serve to highlight how important it is that we face our growth with intention. Past blind spots and failures must be acknowledged and rectified. With more people, I hope we also have more capacity to look forward and anticipate future challenges.
Parents and teachers: Please get in touch with us if your school is implementing transphobic bathroom policies!
We are gathering information on schools in Edinburgh that are forcing trans students to use the bathroom of their sex assigned at birth.
Please get in touch with us if your school is implementing these transphobic policies.
We at RTiE are aware of other groups raising the alarm on these transphobic policies, and that there are certain councillors and members of the government that are willing to consider our perspective.
The City of Edinburgh Council has published six definite deputations, the majority of which are on our side (everyone except FWS):
• Friends of Abbeyhill
• Scottish Trans
• NASUWT
• RTiE (us!)
• LGBT Youth Scotland
• FWS
Zine: Debunking Supreme Court Myths
Our newest Zine, Debunking Supreme Court Myths, is now available on our website.
On Strengthening Women’s and Children’s Rights
…Will targeting transgender people strengthen women’s and children’s rights? No. Are trans people the threat? No.
This opinion piece focuses on how women and children are being failed, all while transphobic policy is being touted as a benefit to women’s and children’s rights.
You can read this piece on our website.
Around two years ago, when RTiE was just a couple of months old, we held a discussion about our Purpose and Scope. We revisited this last year, and we think it’s worth revisiting it again this summer. A lot of things have changed since RTiE was set up, and even in the last couple of months. The political climate in the UK has got more difficult. And, responding to that, RTiE has received more engagement as people seek out ways of fighting back. At the start of 2024, we set up our Instagram account - we now have a firm social media presence with several thousand followers. After the Supreme Court ruling in April we saw a flood of new members to our Discord server. There’s now around 350 people on the server, after pruning inactive accounts over the last month. There are 400 subscribers to our mailing list. We think this growth speaks to how important and powerful our work can be.
But growth can also be difficult. It’s now less likely that people working within RTiE will know each other personally. We are an umbrella under which people with very different life experiences, politics, and activism tactics may encounter one another. This can throw up conflict and highlight current and past failings. We need to develop strategies for responding constructively when this occurs.
The important conversations we’ve had recently about how racism and ableism show up in RTiE serve to highlight how important it is that we face our growth with intention. Past blind spots and failures must be acknowledged and rectified. With more people, I hope we also have more capacity to look forward and anticipate future challenges.
Parents and teachers: Please get in touch with us if your school is implementing transphobic bathroom policies!
We are gathering information on schools in Edinburgh that are forcing trans students to use the bathroom of their sex assigned at birth.
Please get in touch with us if your school is implementing these transphobic policies.
We at RTiE are aware of other groups raising the alarm on these transphobic policies, and that there are certain councillors and members of the government that are willing to consider our perspective.
The City of Edinburgh Council has published six definite deputations, the majority of which are on our side (everyone except FWS):
• Friends of Abbeyhill
• Scottish Trans
• NASUWT
• RTiE (us!)
• LGBT Youth Scotland
• FWS
Zine: Debunking Supreme Court Myths
Our newest Zine, Debunking Supreme Court Myths, is now available on our website.
On Strengthening Women’s and Children’s Rights
…Will targeting transgender people strengthen women’s and children’s rights? No. Are trans people the threat? No.
This opinion piece focuses on how women and children are being failed, all while transphobic policy is being touted as a benefit to women’s and children’s rights.
You can read this piece on our website.