Latest news with #LGBAlliance
Telegraph
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Gender-critical views banned from Pride celebration
Gender-critical views have been branded 'harmful' and banned from an LGBT Pride event. Organisers of Stroud Pride called for performers to take part in its annual celebration, but told would-be volunteers that it would not accept 'LGB views'. That phrase refers to members of the lesbian, gay and bisexual community who do not accept that transgender people are part of the same community, because their identity is not linked to sexuality. Stroud Pride, which has received National Lottery funding, said in an online post: 'We will be taking extra care to not allow performers who hold harmful views, such as LGB views that exclude trans people from Pride.' The announcement that people sceptical of transgender inclusion would not be welcomed provoked criticism from some online. The LGB Alliance, a campaign group critical of the expansion of transgender and 'queer' rights under the banner of gay rights, has claimed that Stroud Pride's exclusionary policy could be illegal. However, in a separate post on the event's Facebook page, organisers wrote: 'We do not wish for anyone with harmful views to be present at Pride. This includes views that believe that trans people are not part of the LGBTQ+ community.' The Stroud Pride website states that its mission is to celebrate 'diversity, inclusivity, and community spirit in the heart of Gloucestershire'. It adds: 'Our mission is to foster a vibrant and supportive environment where everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, feels valued and empowered.' The Pride event, which is set to take place in June, has been branded 'homophobic' for its deliberate exclusion of those with dissenting views. Politically contentious Kate Barker, chief executive of the LGB Alliance, said: 'This is yet another example of how the TQ+ infiltrates the LGB movement to promote its own goals. 'To exclude those with 'LGB views' from what we used to call Gay Pride is obscene, discriminatory - and illegal. We call on the National Lottery to conduct an urgent review into their funding of this openly homophobic event.' Following the legal victory of Maya Forstater, who lost her job after tweeting about the reality of biological sex in relation to the transgender issue, gender-critical views are now considered a protected belief which cannot be discriminated against. The inclusion of transgender people under the LGBT banner for Pride event has proven politically contentious. There have been call from some campaigners to ban the Labour Party from the London Pride event because of the party's stance on trans issues. More than 100 LGBT campaign groups signed a letter to Pride organisers calling for political parties to be banned because they were 'complicit in transphobia'.
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
BBC under fire after putting transgender man who lived 16 years as a girl on gay dating show I Kissed A Boy
The BBC has sparked furious backlash after putting a biological woman on its gay dating show I Kissed A Boy with critics branding the move 'homophobic in the extreme'. The reality show, fronted by pop star Dannii Minogue, features single men looking for love but with a twist. Contestants must kiss before getting to know one another. But controversy erupted after it was revealed that one of the participants, Lars, was born female and lived as a girl for 16 years despite now identifying as a 'gay man trapped in a woman's body'. The move has been blasted by campaign group LGB Alliance, who have written directly to BBC boss Tim Davie, demanding the show be pulled from air. In a scathing letter, the group claims the BBC's decision is 'horribly regressive' and pressures gay men into pretending they're attracted to a woman. 'Any rejection of her – a rejection that would be entirely in line with their natural homosexuality – will be seized upon by activists as evidence of their bigotry and transphobia. 'It is unconscionable to coerce young gay men in this way,' the letter reads. Lars, a 23-year-old hotel receptionist from Wolverhampton, is the first transgender contestant to take part in the show, which debuted in 2023 and now includes a spin-off for lesbians called I Kissed A Girl. The row adds to a growing list of BBC controversies surrounding its stance on sex and gender identity. Last year, the broadcaster faced backlash for including a transgender Colombian scientist on its annual list of 100 inspiring women despite being born male. Similarly in 2002 the now-notorious Sky1 show There's Something About Miriam tricked six men into competing for the affections of a young model without telling them that she was transgender - and she later took her own life. The show saw the men compete to win her affections and £10,000 but they did not find out about Miriam's gender identity until the finale - which led one contestant to smash up the luxury Ibiza villa in which the contestants were staying and even threaten to 'kill' the 21-year-old model. Kate Barker, chief executive of LGB Alliance, accused the BBC of pushing an anti-gay agenda under the guise of 'inclusion'. She told The Telegraph: 'By including a heterosexual woman in a gay dating show, the BBC is telling its audience loud and clear: it's not OK to be gay. The reality show, fronted by pop star Dannii Minogue, features single men looking for love but with a twist. Contestants must kiss before getting to know one another 'I Kissed A Boy will be watched by many young people who are just becoming aware of their same sex attraction. 'Many will take away the message that it's 'transphobic' to have sexual boundaries, or that it's bigoted not to be attracted to women. 'This is an incredibly regressive and homophobic programme, and yet another sign of how 'Be Kind' inflicts callous cruelty.' A BBC spokesman said: 'I Kissed a Boy is and always has been an inclusive dating show about finding love. All applicants are asked their dating preference, and they are matched accordingly. 'Producers took participants' preferences into account, and made sure that all contributors were aware and comfortable with the application, casting and matching process.'
Telegraph
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
BBC under fire for putting trans contestant on gay dating show
The BBC has become embroiled in a transgender row after putting a biological woman on a gay dating show. Pop star Dannii Minogue hosts the reality programme I Kissed A Boy, in which prospective couples must share a kiss before getting to know one other. The BBC has included a transgender man in the lineup – Lars, who lived for 16 years as a girl and claims to be a 'gay man trapped in a woman's body'. LGB Alliance has written to Tim Davie, the BBC director-general, demanding that the programme be pulled, claiming it is 'homophobic in the extreme' and 'horribly regressive'. The campaign group, which supports lesbian, gay and bisexual people, has argued that the programme pressures male contestants to feign attraction to a woman. The letter argues: 'Any rejection of her – a rejection that would be entirely in line with their natural homosexuality – will be seized upon by activists as evidence of their bigotry and transphobia. 'It is unconscionable to coerce young gay men in this way.' Lars, a 23-year-old hotel receptionist from Wolverhampton, is the first transgender person on the programme, which first aired in 2023. The show has produced a spin-off for lesbian couples called I Kissed A Girl. The BBC has caused controversy with a string of decisions giving self-identified gender greater importance than biological sex. In 2024, the corporation included a transgender Colombian scientist in its annual list of 100 inspiring women. Kate Barker, chief executive of the LGB Alliance, has warned that trying to be inclusive can make others feel excluded. She told The Telegraph: 'By including a heterosexual woman in a gay dating show, the BBC is telling its audience loud and clear: it's not OK to be gay. 'I Kissed A Boy will be watched by many young people who are just becoming aware of their same sex attraction. 'Many will take away the message that it's 'transphobic' to have sexual boundaries, or that it's bigoted not to be attracted to women. This is an incredibly regressive and homophobic programme, and yet another sign of how 'Be Kind' inflicts callous cruelty.' A BBC spokesman said: 'I Kissed a Boy is and always has been an inclusive dating show about finding love. All applicants are asked their dating preference, and they are matched accordingly. 'Producers took participants' preferences into account, and made sure that all contributors were aware and comfortable with the application, casting and matching process.'
The Independent
16-04-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Celebrations as campaigners welcome court ruling on definition of a woman
A court ruling on biological sex has been hailed a victory confirming 'women are women and men are men', but some have called it 'incredibly worrying for the trans community'. Campaigners said the Supreme Court's judgment could have far-reaching consequences for sports and single-sex spaces such as changing rooms and hospital wards. In a long-awaited judgment delivered on Wednesday, the court confirmed the terms woman and sex in the 2010 Equality Act 'refer to a biological woman and biological sex'. This means transgender women with a gender recognition certificate (GRC) can be excluded from single-sex spaces if 'proportionate'. The Government said the unanimous decision by five judges brought 'clarity and confidence' for women and service providers. The LGB Alliance charity said the ruling was a 'victory for biology, for common sense, for reality' and that it made clear lesbian clubs can lawfully exclude trans women who have a GRC. The Sex Matters group, which had made arguments in the case, said the ruling means sports bodies now have 'no excuses' for continuing to allow transgender women to compete in female categories. In their judgment the justices said providers of single-sex spaces including changing rooms, homeless hostels and medical services would face 'practical difficulties' if the word 'sex' was interpreted as being wider than just biological sex in the 2010 legislation. The judges, in the case brought by campaign group For Women Scotland (FWS) against the Scottish Government, said: 'Read fairly and in context, the provisions relating to single-sex services can only be interpreted by reference to biological sex.' NHS officials have confirmed they will consider the ruling as they update guidance on same-sex hospital wards. Current NHS England guidance on the issue is laid out in a document from 2019 which says that 'trans people should be accommodated according to their presentation: the way they dress, and the name and pronouns they currently use'. The equalities watchdog said it will work 'at pace to incorporate the implications of this judgment' into its updated code of practice for service providers and public bodies – which is expected to be laid before Parliament before the summer recess. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which covers England, Scotland and Wales, said it will also review 'as a matter of urgency' guidance it issued in 2022 on single-sex spaces and 'alert users to where guidance has been withdrawn or needs to be updated'. Meanwhile a spokesperson for the Equality Commission in Northern Ireland said while the ruling was not directly concerned with equality law in that part of the UK, 'our initial view is that the judgment is likely to be deemed by our industrial tribunals and courts to be highly persuasive and, consequently, it is likely to be followed in cases where similar issues arise'. There were emotional scenes outside the court in London, as campaigners supportive of the legal challenge reacted with jubilation – some even raising a toast to the outcome. Author JK Rowling, who has been outspoken on gender issues, paid tribute to the 'extraordinary, tenacious' campaigners behind the legal challenge, writing on social media platform X that their efforts had 'protected the rights of women and girls across the UK'. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch described the ruling as a 'victory', adding: 'Women are women and men are men: you cannot change your biological sex.' The judges said transgender people are still protected from discrimination, and 'would be able to invoke the provisions on direct discrimination and harassment, and indirect discrimination' if needed. The justices also said that trans people are protected from discrimination on the grounds of gender reassignment. But LGBT charity Stonewall, while recognising this in the ruling, said there is 'deep concern' around the consequences of the judgment, which it said is 'incredibly worrying for the trans community'. Amnesty International UK described the ruling as 'disappointing' with 'potentially concerning consequences for trans people'. Scotland's First Minister John Swinney said the Scottish Government accepts the ruling, adding that 'protecting the rights of all' will inform its response. The matter first came to court in 2022 when FWS successfully challenged the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018 over its inclusion of trans women in its definition of women. The Court of Session ruled changing the definition of a woman in the Act was unlawful, as it dealt with matters falling outside the Scottish Parliament's legal competence. Following the challenge, the Scottish Government dropped the definition from the Act and issued revised statutory guidance – essentially, advice on how to comply with the law, prompting further legal challenges from FWS.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Celebrations as campaigners welcome court ruling on definition of a woman
A court ruling on biological sex has been hailed a victory confirming 'women are women and men are men', but some have called it 'incredibly worrying for the trans community'. Campaigners said the Supreme Court's judgment could have far-reaching consequences for sports and single-sex spaces such as changing rooms and hospital wards. In a long-awaited judgment delivered on Wednesday, the court confirmed the terms woman and sex in the 2010 Equality Act 'refer to a biological woman and biological sex'. This means transgender women with a gender recognition certificate (GRC) can be excluded from single-sex spaces if 'proportionate'. The Government said the unanimous decision by five judges brought 'clarity and confidence' for women and service providers. The LGB Alliance charity said the ruling was a 'victory for biology, for common sense, for reality' and that it made clear lesbian clubs can lawfully exclude trans women who have a GRC. The Sex Matters group, which had made arguments in the case, said the ruling means sports bodies now have 'no excuses' for continuing to allow transgender women to compete in female categories. In their judgment the justices said providers of single-sex spaces including changing rooms, homeless hostels and medical services would face 'practical difficulties' if the word 'sex' was interpreted as being wider than just biological sex in the 2010 legislation. The judges, in the case brought by campaign group For Women Scotland (FWS) against the Scottish Government, said: 'Read fairly and in context, the provisions relating to single-sex services can only be interpreted by reference to biological sex.' NHS officials have confirmed they will consider the ruling as they update guidance on same-sex hospital wards. Current NHS England guidance on the issue is laid out in a document from 2019 which says that 'trans people should be accommodated according to their presentation: the way they dress, and the name and pronouns they currently use'. There were emotional scenes outside the court in London, as campaigners supportive of the legal challenge reacted with jubilation – some even raising a toast to the outcome. It took three extraordinary, tenacious Scottish women with an army behind them to get this case heard by the Supreme Court and, in winning, they've protected the rights of women and girls across the UK. @ForWomenScot, I'm so proud to know you 🏴💜🏴💚🏴🤍🏴 — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) April 16, 2025 Author JK Rowling, who has been outspoken on gender issues, paid tribute to the 'extraordinary, tenacious' campaigners behind the legal challenge, writing on social media platform X that their efforts had 'protected the rights of women and girls across the UK'. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch described the ruling as a 'victory', adding: 'Women are women and men are men: you cannot change your biological sex.' The judges said transgender people are still protected from discrimination, and 'would be able to invoke the provisions on direct discrimination and harassment, and indirect discrimination' if needed. The justices also said that trans people are protected from discrimination on the grounds of gender reassignment. But LGBT charity Stonewall, while recognising this in the ruling, said there is 'deep concern' around the consequences of the judgment, which it said is 'incredibly worrying for the trans community'. Amnesty International UK described the ruling as 'disappointing' with 'potentially concerning consequences for trans people'. Scotland's First Minister John Swinney said the Scottish Government accepts the ruling, adding that 'protecting the rights of all' will inform its response. The matter first came to court in 2022 when FWS successfully challenged the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018 over its inclusion of trans women in its definition of women. The Court of Session ruled changing the definition of a woman in the Act was unlawful, as it dealt with matters falling outside the Scottish Parliament's legal competence. Following the challenge, the Scottish Government dropped the definition from the Act and issued revised statutory guidance – essentially, advice on how to comply with the law, prompting further legal challenges from FWS.
