UK

Naomi Wolf, American feminist author, during the 2019 Hay Festival on May 25, 2019 in Hay-on-Wye, Wales. (David Levenson/Getty) US feminist Naomi Wolf has condemned the “moral panic” over trans rights in the UK, and described anti-trans comments by JK Rowling as “painful”. Naomi Wolf is a feminist author, journalist and former political advisor on
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Anti-trans pressure group For Women Scotland. (For Women Scotland/ Instagram) A judge at Scotland’s highest civil court has fixed dates for proceedings concerning whether a government plan to expand the legal definition of women to include trans women is “lawful”. Scottish supreme court judge Lady Wise arranged for a two-day judicial review to take place
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Olivia Colman, Jameela Jamil and Paloma Faith were among those who signed an open letter of solidarity with trans women. (Getty/Steve Granitz/WireImage/Gareth Cattermole/Amanda Edwards) Olivia Colman, Jameela Jamil and Paloma Faith have condemned “violence and hostility” against trans women on International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls (25 November). The stars
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Jessica Butcher, freshly appointed EHRC commissioner. (Screen capture via YouTube) The British government appointed last week an official with a troubling track record of attacking fundamental human rights to its independent official watchdog group that monitors and seeks to “protect” LGBT+ rights, among others. According to The Obsever, Jessica Butcher, a digital investor, was installed
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Connor Scothern. (West Midlands Police) A British teenager jailed for belonging to a far-right, neo-Nazi terrorist group that plotted to wage a “holy war” against Black people, Jews and the LGBT+ community and Jewish people had his sentence halved Friday (November 20). Connor Scothern, a 19-year-old from Nottingham, was convicted alongside three others – including
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Travis Alabanza’s new play, Overflow, is a ‘hilarious and devastating tour of women’s bathrooms’. (Leviticus Hinds) Travis Alabanza, the writer, performer and theatre-maker, has a new play coming out: Overflow will show in London next month. Here, they interview their lead actress, Reece Lyons. Over lockdown, I could not believe that – despite a literal
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Angela Rayner spoke out in favour of self identification for trans people at LGBT+ Labour’s AGM (Ian Forsyth/Getty) Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner has doubled down on her support for trans people and their right to self-identification in an impassioned speech. Rayner showed her support for trans people in a recorded video message broadcast at
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LGBT+ rights campaigners complain of a “culture of disbelief” in the Home Office’s treatment of LGBT+ asylum seekers. (Peter Macdiarmid/Getty) LGBT+ asylum seekers are often subjected to bias and derogatory remarks from interpreters, a report has warned. The report from the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, published on Wednesday (November 11), flagged concerns
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A male couple have been found guilty of murdering and dismembering a lesbian in their flat filled with horror merchandise. Boyfriends Nathan Maynard-Ellis and David Leesley, 30 and 25, have been convicted of the 2019 killing of Julia Rawson in Dudley, West Midlands. The two men, who had already admitted perverting the course of justice
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Shane Groves was jailed for two years for the homophobic attack (Image: Nottinghamshire Police) A man has been jailed for biting his brother’s nose off when he tried to put a stop to his violent, homophobic behaviour at a birthday party. Shane Groves from Sutton-in-Ashfield was celebrating his 27th birthday at a private members’ club
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BBC boss Tim Davie admitted for the first time that communication ‘could have been clearer’ on the Pride policy (Leon Neal/Getty Images) BBC director general Tim Davie has insisted the corporation “absolutely” supports its LGBT+ staff members, as he attempts to assuage anger over a new policy gagging news staff on “controversial” subjects. Despite initial
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G-A-Y bar in Soho, London. (JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty) Jeremy Joseph, the owner of G-A-Y nightclubs in London and Manchester, has vowed to keep fighting after the courts refused to hear his legal challenge against the coronavirus curfew. Joseph launched a legal challenge against the UK government’s 10pm curfew for pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants
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Inside Happy Maki Brighton, where 10 employees quit over owner Anna MacDonald’s “transphobic” and “biphobic” beliefs. (Google Maps) Staff at vegan sushi bar Happy Maki in Brighton have walked out after it emerged the owner said transgender people are “influenced by spirits”. At least 10 workers have quit en masse – half the workforce of
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Baroness Nicholson. (UK Parliament, cropped. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/) Anti-trans Tory peer Baroness Nicholson claims it’s “very dangerous” that the BBC explained what pronouns are to children. On International Pronouns Day, BBC Bitesize – the public-service broadcaster’s free online study support resource for UK pupils – tweeted a cartoon of three teenagers in a changing room, each with
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Hayling Island Bowls Club, where trans woman Stella Moore has played for nine months. (Hayling Island Bowls) A women’s bowling club has removed advice on its website saying that “transsexual” women shouldn’t “vamp up” after backlash to its “archaic” policy on transgender inclusion. The first part of the Portsmouth & District Women’s Bowling Association policy,
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Peter Farquhar was found dead in his home in October 2015 (Thames Valley Police/Facebook) A gay retired teacher who was abused and murdered by a churchwarden was “vulnerable to exploitation” because of the church’s anti-gay policies, an independent investigation found. Peter Farquhar, 69, was subjected to physical and mental abuse by Benjamin Field, who strangled
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Ann Widdecombe has previously backed gay cure therapy. (Steve Taylor / Echoes Wire / Barcroft Media via Getty Images) Ann Widdecombe, the British former lawmaker known for her high-decibel anti-LGBT+ views, drew criticism Sunday (18 October) for saying “families” wouldn’t be interested in watching a same-sex couple dance on Strictly Come Dancing. Nicola Adams, the
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Nicola Adams (L) and her Strictly Come Dancing partner, Katya Jones. (Strictly Come Dancing/BBC) Nicola Adams made Strictly Come Dancing history Saturday night (17 October) after being partnered with seasoned pro dancer Katya Jones, becoming the ballroom show’s first same-sex contestants. It was a sight 16 years in the making, but now looking forward, both Adams
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Elton John has joined a chorus of queer religious leaders in calling for British churches to tackle the “ticking timebomb” of spiritual abuse levelled against LGBT+ people. The singer threw his support to a Saturday (17 October) conference that will see around 400 church leaders across various denominations discuss how places of worship can be made
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Legendary TV presenter Phillip Schofield. (ITV) Phillip Schofield has admitted that his mental health is a “work in progress” after coming out as gay this year, and said he still “sometimes has doubts” about his decision. This Morning presenter Schofield, a father to two daughters, came out in February this year in a lengthy Instagram
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Untitled drawing, c.1946-1959, Duncan Grant (1885-1978), The Charleston Trust © The Estate of Duncan Grant, licensed by DACS 2020.⁣⁣ More than 400 “lost” paintings depicting gay sex by the British painter Duncan Grant have been discovered under a bed years after they first went missing. Grant was a painter and designer and was famously a
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Charlie Cressey opened up about the moment he was targeted with homophobic abuse while volunteering (Envato Elements) A gay volunteer has opened up about the horrific moment he tried to help an “intoxicated” man, but was met with a torrent of homophobic abuse. Charlie Cressey, from Hove, spoke about his experience as part of Sussex
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Police are investigating conservative commentator Darren Grimes on suspicion of stirring up racial hatred over a horrific “racist” interview with historian David Starkey. Starkey was widely condemned in June when, in an interview with Grimes, he claimed that slavery was not a genocide because “so many damn Blacks” survived. He subsequently resigned or was fired
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Calls are growing for Labour to withdraw the whip from Rosie Duffield over her comments about trans people. (Facebook/Rosie Duffield) Labour activists are calling for the whip to be withdrawn from Rosie Duffield after the MP liked a tweet referring to transgender people as “cross dressers” amid a months-long row about transphobia. Duffield, 49, liked
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The attacks have caused significant property damage, as well as psychological stress (Envato Elements) A gay primary school teacher says he and his husband have been left “emotionally drained” by a series of sustained attacks on their home with a BB gun. Antonio Silvestri, 49, and his partner David Bennett, 47, have been targeted by
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