The mum of transgender double rapist Isla Bryson has weighed in on the supreme court debate over the definition of a woman and said only biology confirms a person’s sex.
Janet Bryson is backing the legal challenge against the Scottish Government which allows men who identify as women to take women-only positions on company boards.
Feminist group For Women Scotland challenged Scottish Government guidance saying the term includes male-born transgender women who have a gender recognition certificate (GRC) stating they are legally female.
Janet, whose son was born Adam Graham, but began to identify as a woman called Isla while awaiting trial for rape, has backed the women’s rights campaigners.
Janet, 65, a rape survivor said: “I believe you have to be born female to be female. No wigs, dresses or amount of makeup makes you female. You can say you’re a woman, but to be female, that is down to biology and how you are born.”
She refuted Bryson’s claims made in court that the rapist had wanted to be a girl from age four.
She said: “My son never expressed any wish that he wanted to be a girl, dressed in any other way or ever asked to be called by any other name than Adam growing up. Never once, at the age of four or at any other age.”
Bryson’s case caused outrage after being sent to female jail Cornton Vale before then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said they had been moved to all-male HMP Edinburgh.
The case fuelled outrage over the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill. It also contributed to the resignation of Sturgeon.
Last week, lawyer Ruth Crawford KC acting for the Scottish Government told the Supreme Court that a person with a gender recognition certificate (GRC) is “recognised in law” as having changed sex.
Mum-of-three Janet still has dozens of family pictures of Bryson, But she has been left traumatised by her son’s conviction because she had been the victim of a sex attack.
Janet, raped when she was 23, last saw her child eight years ago. She said: “I’ve not heard from Adam, I’ve not seen him. I don’t want to.”
Bryson, 32, was convicted in January 2023 of raping women in Clydebank and Drumchapel, while known as Graham.
In February last year, Bryson was jailed for eight years, with a further three on licence.
Susan Smith from For Women Scotland said: “Whatever happens now, politicians will be forced to stop dancing around the issue and face up to the real world consequences of allowing such a mess.”
Don’t miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond – Sign up to our daily newsletter here.