Indian-origin trans MSP Q Manivannan under fire after calling rape a ‘spectrum’ in viral podcast clip
Q Manivannan, who was elected to the Scottish Parliament in May, made the comments during an episode of The Subjective Space, a podcast hosted by Dr Sindhu Rajasekaran. The interview was recorded in February 2025, months before Manivannan entered Holyrood.In the clip circulating online, Manivannan discusses how society views rape and people who commit sexual offences. They argue that rape should not simply be understood through the image of a stereotypical “monster rapist” and question what circumstances could lead an individual to commit such a crime.Manivannan also said rape exists on a “spectrum” and argued that focusing only on extreme portrayals of offenders can limit deeper discussion about why such crimes happen.The remarks have since drawn criticism from politicians and social media users, with critics accusing the MSP of minimising the seriousness of rape.
Who is Q Manivannan?
Manivannan is an Indian-born Scottish Greens politician who identifies as a queer Tamil immigrant and uses they/them pronouns.They were elected on 7 May 2026 as an MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, becoming one of the Scottish Greens’ representatives at Holyrood. The Scottish Parliament lists Manivannan as a current MSP for the region.Before entering politics, Manivannan was a doctoral student in Scotland and has described their political work as focused on marginalised communities, social justice and environmental issues.Their election also attracted attention because Manivannan was living in Scotland on a student visa, which is due to expire later this year. They have said they are pursuing a new visa to remain in the UK.
What did Manivannan say in the podcast?
During the interview, Manivannan questioned the common idea that people who commit rape are fundamentally different from everyone else.They said the difficult question was understanding what conditions could cause “individuals like ourselves” to commit such an act.The comments were made while discussing the way rape and perpetrators are viewed by society. The podcast conversation was not recorded as part of Manivannan’s work as an MSP, as they had not yet been elected.
Politicians criticise comments
Scottish Labour MP Tracy Gilbert said she was “alarmed” by the remarks and rejected the suggestion that rape should be viewed as existing on a spectrum.She called on Manivannan to retract the comments and apologise, while also urging Scottish Greens leaders Gillian Mackay and Ross Greer to clarify that the remarks do not represent party policy.Reform UK MSP Senga Beresford also criticised the comments and called for Manivannan to be suspended while the party investigates.The controversy comes only months after Manivannan entered the Scottish Parliament following the Scottish Greens’ strongest-ever election result, when the party returned 15 MSPs.
