Scotland’s national library has reversed a decision not to include a gender-critical anthology featuring more than 30 female writers including JK Rowling and a number of MPs in its centenary exhibition.
The Women Who Wouldn’t Wheesht charts the campaign against the Scottish government’s controversial gender recognition laws. It had been nominated by a number of members of the public to be part of the institution’s Dear Library exhibition.
In the wake of “polarising” debates over trans rights, and after concerns were raised by the library’s LGBT+ staff network, it said it had decided not to include the book in the exhibition although it did still have the text in its reading rooms.
After an outcry over that decision, however, the library has said it will now include it.
“Concerned about the effect of the polarising public discourse around the subject matter, the library made the curatorial decision not to include the book in this exhibition,” it said in a statement on Thursday. “The library has since been subject to scrutiny regarding the decision.”
The U-turn comes after talks on Wednesday between the national librarian, Amina Shah; the chair of the National Library of Scotland board, Drummond Bone; and the book’s editors, Susan Dalgety and Lucy Hunter Blackburn.
Shah and Bone apologised for not consulting the editors, the library said, adding that it had had further conversations with staff “and other exhibition stakeholders”.
Dalgety and Blackburn said: “On behalf of the women who contributed to the book, the people who nominated the book, and all our readers, we are delighted that The Women Who Wouldn’t Wheesht is now taking its rightful place in the Dear Library exhibition.
“We hope this is a turning point in public discourse in Scotland, particularly around sex and gender identity, but also other topics.
“We will not progress as a nation unless we are able to celebrate our pluralist society and discuss ideas and beliefs in a rational way.
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“Public institutions have a responsibility to show leadership in strengthening national debates and helping find constructive ways through areas of disagreement.”
The book is to be placed on the exhibition’s shelves by the end of the week. The library said it would work with its editors and other exhibition stakeholders to ensure its placement was “constructive and inclusive”.
Shah said: “We aspire to bring people together, and encourage respectful and constructive conversation. We will always be inclusive, and we will always welcome everyone to the library.”
