Archive · 12 Aug 2026
Scottish Green MSP Q Manivannan apologises over rape 'spectrum' remarks
A person who works in the Scottish parliament said something that upset many people.
Before they were elected, they talked on a podcast about serious crimes.
They described the word for these crimes as a 'spectrum.'
Groups that help people who have survived these crimes disagreed, saying every experience is equally serious.
An expert from the United Nations also disagreed with describing it that way.
Many other politicians said the words were wrong or misjudged.
The parliament member said the online clip was edited unfairly and left out part of what they said.
They said sorry for the hurt the words caused.
They also shared that they themselves had survived something like this.
They offered to meet with groups that help survivors.
Scottish Green MSP Q Manivannan apologised after a year-old podcast recording resurfaced online showing them describing rape as existing on 'a spectrum.'
Manivannan said the clips were 'selectively edited' to misrepresent them and that comments confirming every rape is 'equally serious and harmful' were left out.
The Scottish Rape Crisis Alliance rejected the framing, insisting 'there is no hierarchy of rape' and 'We are not demonising rape. We are naming it.'
United Nations Special Rapporteur Reem Alsalem said rape should never be described as a spectrum, while Scottish Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives voiced criticism.
The Scottish Conservatives called for Manivannan to be suspended by the Greens; Manivannan, a non-binary survivor of sexual violence, apologised and offered to meet survivor and advocacy groups.
- Who
- Scottish Green MSP Q Manivannan, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns.
- What
- Manivannan apologised for hurt caused by remarks describing rape as existing on 'a spectrum,' made on The Subjective Space podcast before they entered parliament.
- When
- The apology statement was issued on Monday (10); the comments were made about a year ago and the recording resurfaced online at the weekend.
- Where
- Scotland, where Manivannan serves as a list MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East.
- Why
- The remarks caused considerable upset and drew criticism from the Scottish Rape Crisis Alliance, a United Nations Special Rapporteur and several political parties.
Manivannan's defence
Critics and survivor groups
Describing rape as a spectrum
Manivannan's defence
Manivannan said rape is 'a spectrum' of things constituting one word, with none 'any less or worse,' and rejected the 'demonisation of rape.'
Critics and survivor groups
The Scottish Rape Crisis Alliance said 'there is no hierarchy of rape' and that such framing makes survivors question if their experience was 'serious enough'; UN Special Rapporteur Reem Alsalem said rape should never be described as a spectrum.
Editing of the podcast clips
Manivannan's defence
Manivannan said they were 'horrified' the clips were 'selectively edited in order to mislead people,' with comments confirming every rape is equally serious left out.
Critics and survivor groups
Critics responded to the remarks as recorded, with the Scottish Conservatives calling it 'deeply alarming' for an elected representative to suggest rape existed on 'a spectrum of offences.'
Consequences for the MSP
Manivannan's defence
Manivannan apologised for the upset caused, noted they are a survivor of sexual violence, and offered to meet survivor and advocacy groups directly.
Critics and survivor groups
The Scottish Conservatives called for Manivannan to be suspended by the Greens, while Scottish Labour, the Liberal Democrats and other voices called the remarks wrong or misjudged.
- MSP
- Q Manivannan, Scottish Green, Edinburgh and Lothians East (list MSP elected in May)
- Comments made on
- The Subjective Space podcast, before entering parliament, discussing rehabilitation of criminals
- Core criticism
- Scottish Rape Crisis Alliance: 'there is no hierarchy of rape'; Reem Alsalem: rape should never be described as a spectrum
- Manivannan's defence
- Clips 'selectively edited in order to mislead people'; words about every rape being 'equally serious and harmful' were left out
- Political reaction
- Scottish Labour, Liberal Democrats and Conservatives criticised the remarks; Scottish Conservatives called for suspension by the Greens
- Other critics
- Children's minister Siobhan Brown called the language misjudged; Conservative equalities spokeswoman Meghan Gallacher called it 'deeply alarming'
- Manivannan's background
- Non-binary, survivor of sexual violence, former writer and academic based in Edinburgh