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As a politician who represents a party that adopted equal marriage policy well over a decade ago, the report by the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey makes for satisfying reading. It shows that prejudice based on age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, ethnicity and religion is falling in Scotland, and gives a strong message to all political parties to continue working for equality.
It is a hopeful thought that future generations might be able to look back with disbelief about our history of discrimination, given Scotland's new broad consensus on the equalities agenda. However, it has taken us a long time to get here and the overall improvement in social attitudes masks stubborn pockets of prejudice that continue, especially in relation to LGBTI+ rights.
From decriminalization of male same-sex relationships in 1980, through to the equalization of the age of consent, the introduction of anti-discrimination law, the repeal of section 2A, legislation on gender recognition and adoption and fostering, moves towards equal family law and the introduction of civil partnerships and now equal marriage, we all too often heard the loud and implacable voice of dissent.
Through much of that period, public attitudes led while politicians were playing catch-up. From the '70s onward, as more and more individuals came out and media representations gradually improved, society was changing and stereotypes began to give way to a more realistic understanding of people's lives and identities.
But vociferous opposition to LGBTI+ equality and human rights still exists in our society. It manifests in the voices of people who have inherited the views of those who objected every step of the way, from decriminalization onwards. Judging from the correspondence I receive, some people simply seem baffled at the idea that same-sex relationships should be treated with any hint of respect or equality. Just as irrationally, the same people are generally unwilling to accept that transgender and nonbinary people even exist. Often the prejudice is couched in religious terms; however, claiming religious justification for prejudice does not make that prejudice any less objectionable. And it's worth remembering that most religious people do not in fact share such prejudice, even if religious hierarchies often do.
What is really encouraging about the report is that it shows that politicians in Scotland have the backing of the vast majority of the country to get rid of all kinds of prejudice. With 70 percent in favor, MSPs have a mandate to champion the Racial Equality Framework for Scotland , full equality before the law for LGBTI+ communities, a Strategy for Inclusion co-produced with disabled people and a Gender Equality Bill.
There might be some who would suggest that the fight to eliminate prejudice is now done and dusted. Quite the opposite; the battle continues, especially when one in four Scots say they have witnessed gender discrimination in their place of work and disabled people are significantly more likely to experience unfair treatment at work than non-disabled people. That's why we're working to break down barriers that prevent disabled people from realizing their rights and to produce a Strategy for Inclusion that works towards equal access to resources, fulfilling employment, public services, and participation in politics and public life.
Yes, Scotland is becoming a more inclusive place, but racial discrimination remains a key issue for many of the people born here, as well as for refugees and first generation migrants. We know that people from Scotland's minority ethnic communities are significantly more likely to live in poverty, and employment and political representation rates are unacceptably low compared with white ethnic groups. It's a national shame that one third of ethnic minority Scots have experienced discrimination and that more than half of incidents of racial discrimination in Scotland go unreported.
The message from the Greens is that the campaign continues. It will continue here, but the campaign must also expand beyond our own borders and look beyond our current situation to countries where the fight for equality and equal rights is not about pensions or inheritance, but is still about life and death. In some of those places, some strands of organized religion and their hierarchies continue to offer the single most consistent source of hostility to people's dignity, rights, equality, wellbeing and safety.
No-one in Scotland, or around the world, should face discrimination. We can be proud that we've taken many steps towards changing attitudes in Scotland, but we still have some way to go in eliminating discrimination itself.
Patrick Harvie is the co-convenor of the Scottish Greens.