JOHN Swinney has reaffirmed his support for trans rights as he reflected on "feelings of enormous uncertainty and anxiety" in the community.
Speaking at the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) annual congress in Dundee on Monday afternoon, Swinney said he was "determined" to "protect the rights of everyone in Scotland today".
It comes as the UK's Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) issued an update on Friday evening following the Supreme Court's gender ruling, which stated it is "compulsory for workplaces to offer single-sex toilets and changing facilities".
Speaking to trade union members in Dundee, the First Minister said: "The STUC has always been a crucial voice in promoting equality across Scottish society, in and out of the workplace.
"Let me take this opportunity to reaffirm my Government's commitment to LGBT+ rights and specifically the rights of trans men and trans women in our society.
"I know for trans people there will be feelings of enormous uncertainty and anxiety at this moment in time, but I'm determined to fulfil my obligation which I took on when I became First Minister, that I will act as First Minister to protect the rights of everyone in Scotland today."
Speaking to journalists after his address, Swinney appeared to suggest that public services in Scotland should not be implementing the interim update issued by the EHRC on Friday, but should wait for the full guidance set to be published in "the summer".
He said: "It's important that we take steps in accordance with the published guidance of the EHRC, and I understand that that won't be available until the summer."
The First Minister added: "I just want us to follow the law, and the law says that interim guidance will be created by the EHRC, developing that, putting it out to consultation and ministers signing it off.
"That's not happened yet. I think that should happen, and it's on that basis that decisions should be taken."
The EHRC's interim guidance has been branded "extremely problematic" by STUC general secretary Roz Foyer.
She told The National: "The law is the law, and we're now going to have to implement that law, but trade unionists are well used to making our own determinations on whether we think laws are any good or not.
"You can see that this is going to have implications right across our public institutions."
Foyer continued: "If you are saying that trans women can no longer use female facilities, or trans men can no longer use male facilities, are you saying that trans men should use female facilities and vice versa?
"We have to make sure that everyone is treated fairly and that we have a society where everyone is made to feel welcome."
Foyer also commented on Tory leader Kemi Badenoch's suggestion that trans people could use disabled toilets as a result of the Supreme Court ruling, saying: "There's an issue about what sort of messaging that sends out.
"I think we have to take a long look at this and really think about how to find a way forward that's not going to 'other' people or differentiate."
