Olly Alexander, Charli XCX & More U.K. Musicians Pledge Solidarity to the Trans Community in Open Letter
Olly Alexander, Charli XCX, Self Esteem, Neneh Cherry, Rina Sawayama, Jessie Ware and more are among the leading musicians to have signed an open letter on behalf of the U.K. music industry to offer solidarity to the trans community.
On April 16, the U.K.'s Supreme Court ruled that the definition of a woman is based on biological sex, and that a person with a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) in the female gender 'does not come within the definition of a woman under the Equality Act 2010.' The U.K. prime minister Sir Keri Starmer has backed the ruling.
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The decision has been widely criticized, with protests and community action held by the trans community and its allies in the weeks since the ruling. In recent days, a number of authors and actors signed similar open letters decrying the decision and offering their support to the community. Dr Victoria McCloud, the U.K.'s first openly trans judge, is planning to appeal the decision to European Court of Human Rights.
The open letter, organized by artist Tom Rasmussen and publicist Tom Mehrtens with support from Alexander and his manager Martha Kinn, states that 'the UK music industry is a vibrant, diverse landscape that thrives on creativity and inclusivity' that has 'long celebrated a multitude of voices and identities, and the music industry here in the UK is one of our most trailblazing and culturally vital assets — one which trans, intersex and non-binary people are woven into in every aspect of the industry, past, present and future.'
Continuing the letter states that artists and and executives 'must now urgently work to ensure that our trans, non-binary, and intersex colleagues, collaborators, and audiences are protected from discrimination and harassment in all areas of the industry — whether in studios, at venues, in offices, or at festivals.'
At the time of publication, over 330 names had added their name to the letter, which describes this as a 'moment to amplify voices that need to be heard, to champion inclusivity and real justice, and to ensure that our industry remains a welcoming and trailblazing space for everyone.' The letter also calls on leading U.K. industry organizations — including major and independent labels, publishers, managers and trade bodies like PRS for Music, PPL, BPI and more — to 'join us in condemning the Supreme Court ruling.'
Signees also include Shygirl, Jimmy Somerville, Lava La Rue, JADE (Little Mix), Mura Masa, Mabel, Jake Shears, CMAT, Wolf Alice, MNEK, Paloma Faith and more, alongside a number of employees from across the sector.
The letter also links out to actionable steps from promoters and community group Queer House Party to support and protest the decision. Read the full letter and see all the signatories here.
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