There are calls for Police Scotland to be subjected to a "political activism" review after a new staff resource called on officers to "evangelise" for gender identity. 

The Murray Blackburn Mackenzie policy group said the new LGBT+ Allies toolkit also encourages the force's employees to treat “some beliefs more equally than others.”

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The toolkit tells employees that ‘‘gender identity isn’t a decision or a choice” and defines this as “a person’s innate sense of their own gender… which may or may not correspond to the sex assigned at birth.”

Gender-critical feminists, such as Murray Blackburn Mackenzie say that biological sex is real and immutable and that any belief a person has in gender identity is an entirely separate matter. 

Following a landmark court case last year, this view is covered by the Equality Act 2010. 

The researchers obtained the document through Freedom of Information and discovered that no Equality Impact Assessment had been carried out. 

They say that as the scheme requires officers to commit to the idea of gender identity as an uncontested truth, Police Scotland is at risk of failing its obligation under the Public Sector Equality Duty to “foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.”

The toolkit urges those who sign up as Allies to “deliver a short presentation to your team on non-binary or trans identities” and to start meetings with an “Inclusion Moment” that can last between ten minutes and an hour. 

It says those who sign up should "evangelise their allyship."

It includes links to a video which says that biological sex is on a spectrum, and another which says misgendering them - referring to a sex which does not reflect their gender identity -  can have “severe unintended consequences” which can cause “real psychological trauma.”

It also encourages employees to consider a new supplier’s inclusive policies before any financial decision-making.

Definitions provided in the toolkit, include the claim that “homosexual” is a medical term and “considered stigmatizing.”

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In their blog, Murray Blackburn Mackenzie say that many Police Scotland employees "will not share a belief in gender identity, for feminist, religious, or other reasons." 

The group goes on to say that pledging commitment to a scheme that treats the "contested idea of gender identity as an unassailable truth and asking officers to ‘evangelise’ their allyship to a particular group based on this belief is wholly at odds with police impartiality.”

“That Police Scotland chose to resource this particular project, over the space of two years, in what is one of the most contested areas of policy and law, against a backdrop of severe budget pressure, raises serious questions about how the organisation understands its responsibilities towards impartially," they add.

The Home Office recently ordered a "political activism" review of all forces in England and Wales to see if "such activities may be impacting on the effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy of operational policing… by influencing policing policy, priorities and practice."

Murray Blackburn Mackenzie says there are "strong grounds for a similar review in Scotland, where there is a clear risk of undue influence from internal activism."

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Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Alan Speirs said: “The LGBT Allies toolkit is among a number of mechanisms and resources developed with our staff associations to help everyone play their part in improving the experiences of our officers and staff and the communities we serve.

“We have a duty to build trust with all communities to provide confidence to report information, safe in the knowledge they will be treated fairly and with respect.

"At the same time, all officers and staff must be assured they are welcome and valued in our Service.

“Driving an anti-discriminatory, anti-racist and anti-misogynistic agenda is therefore an operational, moral and legal necessity for Police Scotland.

"Our values of integrity, fairness, respect and upholding human rights demand it.”

A spokesperson for the Scottish Police Authority said: “Police Scotland’s values of integrity, fairness and respect are underpinned by a commitment to protect the human rights of all citizens.

"These are fully supported by the Board and the Authority receives regular assurance that Police Scotland is working hard to equip officers and staff to understand and respect different viewpoints and treat all citizens with sensitivity and respect. "

A spokesperson for HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland said their current inspection work was "focused on a number of areas including organisational culture."

They added: "Work is ongoing and, during it, we will consider aspects of how officers and staff are trained, led and managed. Our work looks at the wider efficiency and effectiveness of the service.”