Latest news with #gendercritical
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Parliament is still stacked with gender ideologues
Let's be clear: by 'transphobes' Roca doesn't mean violent thugs who want to crucify cross dressers. He means you. He means the average British voter who believes that biological sex exists. The parents alarmed that teachers are telling their daughters they are 'born in the wrong body' if they like playing with trucks. The people campaigning to stop male sex offenders from being housed in female prisons. The detransitioners left scarred by medical experiments masquerading as care. He means the Supreme Court justices who recently reaffirmed that, under equality law, sex means biology, a decision he decried as 'depressing.' To Roca, all of them – all of us – are unhinged. But what's truly depressing is that Parliament is still stacked with unabashed gender goons like Roca, who confuse sneering for superiority and ideology for intellect. The Labour Party has become a refuge for some of the most absurd and extreme statements ever uttered into a microphone. Dawn Butler once bafflingly informed a Pink News audience that 'babies are born without a sex' and that ' 90 per cent of giraffes are gay.' Stella Creasy earnestly believes that being a feminist means affirming 'women with penises.' And Labour's health minister Ashley Dalton once tweeted that people should be able to identify as llamas if they wish. Then there's Jess Phillips, self-identifying 'gobby feminist' and safeguarding minister, who stayed mute as gender-critical MPs were hounded from public life, and who's said precisely nothing about the scandal engulfing the Tavistock Clinic. Where was her safeguarding when young women like Keira Bell were led down a path of irreversible medicalisation on the NHS? But what's most infuriating about Roca's smug sermon is his deluded belief that all that's needed is 'robust conversation' to 'bring people around' to his view that gender identity ought to outweigh the reality of biological sex. For a decade, gender lobbyists like Stonewall shut down debate, smeared dissenters as bigots, and undermined the democratic process by influencing public policy behind closed doors. When we wanted dialogue, they called it hate. Women trying to arrange discussions about now shelved proposals to reform the Gender Recognition Act faced bomb threats and intimidation from activists, and arrest and interrogation from Stonewall trained police forces. Thanks to their work, common sense has resurfaced, and it is sweeping through the nation. The public can see clearly who the real 'swivel-eyed' loons are: those who lock male rapists in women's prisons, who drug confused children, and earnestly believe you can be born in the wrong body.
Telegraph
6 days ago
- Telegraph
‘Men can't be women' graffiti investigated as hate crime
Police are treating graffiti stating that 'men can't be women' as a hate crime, The Telegraph understands. Gloucestershire Constabulary are investigating after slogans were daubed around Stroud ahead of the town's annual Pride march. Police said they were 'targeted towards transgender people' and the incident is being treated as a 'hate crime', but did not reveal what the slogans said. The Telegraph understands that the slogans included statements such as 'men can't be women'. Others included 'you can't change sex', 'being female is not a costume', and 'transwomen are men', according to sources. Such statements are made by gender-critical campaigners, who argue biological sex is immutable and that biological men should not have access to women's bathrooms. This sex-realist view has been backed up by the Supreme Court in April, which ruled transwomen are not legally women for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010, and most famously championed by JK Rowling. Stroud Pride has denounced these views, and The Telegraph previously revealed that the Pride event planned to ban performers with gender-critical opinions that organisers deemed 'harmful'. In apparent protest against Stroud Pride's position, slogans were painted around the town ahead of the event on June 28. On the morning of Pride, police said in an online statement that officers attended a park in Stroud following 'reports anti-transgender graffiti had been sprayed on tarmac walkways and paving stones'. The incident drew the attention of hate crime coordinator, PC Steph Lawrence, who said: 'Hate crimes will not be tolerated and we will do all we can to ensure that people within our county feel safe in their day-to-day lives.' He added that 'Gloucestershire is a tolerant county, which is rich in diversity'. Concealed with pink hearts The slogans were either cleaned off by Stroud Council or covered with painted 'pink love hearts'. Photographs show that the slogan 'you can't change sex' was altered to say 'you can change sex' and left in place, along with new graffiti that stated 'trans rights'. Tony Davey, the Mayor of Stroud, said the original gender-critical slogans were an attempt to sow 'hate and division' and to 'instil fear'. The treatment of these slogans as a 'hate crime' comes amid increasing concern about the policing of 'hate', and the implications for free speech. On Remembrance Sunday last year, Essex Police attend the home of Telegraph journalist Allison Pearson to investigate a potential hate crime. It emerged she had been reported over a year-old and deleted social media post that police feared was stirring up racial hatred. The case was dropped after four days. The incident added to the debate over the recording of non-crime hate incidents (NCHI) by police. These are defined as an incident that is not criminal, but which is perceived to be motivated by hostility or prejudice towards a person with a particular characteristic. Police are only supposed to record them where there is a serious risk of significant harm that could escalate into criminality, and not just because someone feels offended. Campaigners have warned that the recording of these hate incidents, which have been made for bizarre cases including a neighbour playing Bob Marley music, are having a chilling effect on free speech.
The Independent
07-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Detective who said trans event was like being in ‘lion's den' loses tribunal
A gender-critical Metropolitan Police detective who said she felt like 'Daniel in the lion's den' at an internal trans rights event has lost her employment tribunal case against the force. Detective Constable Melanie Newman claimed to have suffered 'isolation and dread' after a talk by a trans rights activist who said her 'haters' had 'twisted and warped' views. DC Newman said she wanted to challenge what was said but feared being 'labelled part of the cult'. After complaining about the event, she began legal action against the force, claiming to have suffered discrimination and harassment because of her beliefs. But the tribunal dismissed her claims, ruling that the Met was entitled to host the event. After winning the case, the Met said it demonstrated the 'difficulty organisations face in striking the balance' when it comes to trans rights issues. A South London employment tribunal heard the 'Trans Day of Visibility' event was organised for March 2023, and that all staff were invited to join. It took place in the force's headquarters at New Scotland Yard, with some attendees – including DC Newman – joining remotely. The former journalist joined the force in March 2022 and had been working for the Croydon criminal investigations department since January 2023. DC Newman, who believes biological sex is 'immutable', told the tribunal that guest speaker Eva Echo 'portrayed an extreme, one-sided and conspiratorial view of a complex debate'. The activist, who sits on the Crown Prosecution Service's hate crime panel, has accused author JK Rowling of being on a crusade to 'erase trans people', the tribunal was told. In her witness statement to the tribunal, DC Newman said: 'Eva Echo said that her political opponents on this issue were members of a cult, were 'obsessed' with 'twisted, warped' views, that their concerns were a 'manufactured moral panic' and that trans people were 'an easy target for their hate'.' DC Newman also told the tribunal that the activist said officers should contact their MPs and 'if you're unfortunate enough to have a Tory as an MP you can hound them'. She added: 'At various points during Eva Echo's talk I wanted to challenge what was said but was scared that I would then be labelled part of the 'cult' and that there would be repercussions.' Attendees 'hissed' when a speaker mentioned Posie Parker, a prominent gender-critical activist, the tribunal heard. DC Newman continued: 'I felt like an incognito Daniel in the lion's den. 'I was upset, however my overwhelming feeling was of isolation and dread at the knowledge that it was down to me — a trainee detective on probation, with no standing or support network in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) — to do something about what had happened. 'Out of 54,000 people in the MPS I felt there was no-one else I could speak to about this.' After DC Newman's complaints, the Met carried out a review of the event and established a 'gender critical network' for its staff. The harassment claim was dismissed because the tribunal found the event's purpose was not to 'harass those with gender critical beliefs'. Employment Judge Christina Morton added: 'We were unable to find in this contemporaneous documentation any evidence of discrimination towards gender critical beliefs operating on the minds of any of those who made these decisions.' After the ruling, a Met spokesperson said: 'The Met works with a range of community representatives who are expected to meet our standards of conduct and mutual respect. 'As an organisation we must balance a range of different views, including those from all sides of this debate which are protected in law. 'This case demonstrates how deeply polarising these issues are and highlights the difficulty organisations face in striking that balance.'
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Detective who said trans event was like being in ‘lion's den' loses tribunal
A gender-critical Metropolitan Police detective who said she felt like 'Daniel in the lion's den' at an internal trans rights event has lost her employment tribunal case against the force. Detective Constable Melanie Newman claimed to have suffered 'isolation and dread' after a talk by a trans rights activist who said her 'haters' had 'twisted and warped' views. DC Newman said she wanted to challenge what was said but feared being 'labelled part of the cult'. After complaining about the event, she began legal action against the force, claiming to have suffered discrimination and harassment because of her beliefs. But the tribunal dismissed her claims, ruling that the Met was entitled to host the event. After winning the case, the Met said it demonstrated the 'difficulty organisations face in striking the balance' when it comes to trans rights issues. A South London employment tribunal heard the 'Trans Day of Visibility' event was organised for March 2023, and that all staff were invited to join. It took place in the force's headquarters at New Scotland Yard, with some attendees – including DC Newman – joining remotely. The former journalist joined the force in March 2022 and had been working for the Croydon criminal investigations department since January 2023. DC Newman, who believes biological sex is 'immutable', told the tribunal that guest speaker Eva Echo 'portrayed an extreme, one-sided and conspiratorial view of a complex debate'. The activist, who sits on the Crown Prosecution Service's hate crime panel, has accused author JK Rowling of being on a crusade to 'erase trans people', the tribunal was told. In her witness statement to the tribunal, DC Newman said: 'Eva Echo said that her political opponents on this issue were members of a cult, were 'obsessed' with 'twisted, warped' views, that their concerns were a 'manufactured moral panic' and that trans people were 'an easy target for their hate'.' DC Newman also told the tribunal that the activist said officers should contact their MPs and 'if you're unfortunate enough to have a Tory as an MP you can hound them'. She added: 'At various points during Eva Echo's talk I wanted to challenge what was said but was scared that I would then be labelled part of the 'cult' and that there would be repercussions.' Attendees 'hissed' when a speaker mentioned Posie Parker, a prominent gender-critical activist, the tribunal heard. DC Newman continued: 'I felt like an incognito Daniel in the lion's den. 'I was upset, however my overwhelming feeling was of isolation and dread at the knowledge that it was down to me — a trainee detective on probation, with no standing or support network in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) — to do something about what had happened. 'Out of 54,000 people in the MPS I felt there was no-one else I could speak to about this.' After DC Newman's complaints, the Met carried out a review of the event and established a 'gender critical network' for its staff. The harassment claim was dismissed because the tribunal found the event's purpose was not to 'harass those with gender critical beliefs'. Employment Judge Christina Morton added: 'We were unable to find in this contemporaneous documentation any evidence of discrimination towards gender critical beliefs operating on the minds of any of those who made these decisions.' After the ruling, a Met spokesperson said: 'The Met works with a range of community representatives who are expected to meet our standards of conduct and mutual respect. 'As an organisation we must balance a range of different views, including those from all sides of this debate which are protected in law. 'This case demonstrates how deeply polarising these issues are and highlights the difficulty organisations face in striking that balance.'
Daily Mail
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Detective who complained about Met Police event where trans activist branded gender critical views 'twisted and warped' loses tribunal
A gender-critical detective has lost an employment tribunal against the Met Police after claiming she felt like 'Daniel in the lion's den' at a force event for trans rights. Detective Constable Melanie Newman accused the Met Police of being 'institutionally biased against people with gender critical views' after the talk by a trans rights activist who branded gender critical views 'twisted and warped'. DC Newman - who believes biological sex is 'immutable' - was left 'offended' by what Eva Echo said at the Met's 'Trans Day of Visibility' event which was attended by senior officers. Echo, a trans woman who was born male, also told the event at New Scotland Yard that gender critical people are 'obsessed', and show 'cult-like behaviour'. The activist has previously publicly accused Harry Potter Author JK Rowling of being on a mission to 'erase trans people'. DC Newman, a trainee at the time, said she was appalled that Echo's talk was applauded and felt like the Met Police was discriminating against gender critical people by giving Echo a platform. DC Newman did not attend the event in person, but via Microsoft Teams while getting ready for her shift. She took notes of what 'disturbed' her and lodged complaints with the Met, eventually trying to sue the force for religion or belief harassment and discrimination. But the London South Employment Tribunal has now dismissed her claims - ruling that it was not discriminatory of the Met to host the event or invite Echo as a speaker. The Tribunal said DC Newman should not have been 'surprised' at what she heard, given how 'divisive' gender issues are. It was heard that DC Newman, now in the child abuse team at Croydon, joined the Met as a trainee in March 2022 having previously been a journalist who wrote about gender issues. The 'Trans Day of Visibility' event was held at New Scotland Yard in March 2023. Around 100 officers attended the event in person but attendance was not compulsory and staff were invited to attend remotely if they were interested. It was heard the event was held to increase awareness around trans rights for Met Police officers following the Baroness Casey Review into the Met's culture and standards of behaviour, following the 2021 murder of Sarah Everard by a serving Met officer. The tribunal heard there was 'a perceived absence of any reference to issues relevant to the trans community in the report that followed the review' in 2023. In her talk, Echo said 'those who oppose or raise concerns about transwomen's access to female sports and spaces are motivated by hate with transwomen being an easy target'. She said people with gender critical views showed 'cult-like behaviour' of being 'obsessed' and of having 'twisted, warped views'. Echo called for officers to challenge anti-trans language and said 'These so-called saviours of women's rights - where were they when Roe v Wade was overturned?'. She also said 'If they say trans women are sexual predators - ask why do you think that? Where are the stats? You quickly find there are no stats.' DC Newman was 'disturbed' and said she felt like 'an incognito Daniel in the lion's den', a reference to the biblical story in which a religious man is sentenced to death for his belief in God. She told the tribunal: 'I struggled to square the (Met Police's)' demands that officers challenge comments in private WhatsApp conversations with the unchallenged public endorsement of hostility towards GC (gender critical) people I had witnessed. 'Given the applause and positive comments in the chat it seemed likely that the audience did not recognise what was said as discriminatory, perhaps because they were not aware of an alternative view or perhaps the speech accorded with their existing views. 'Either that, or they were acting with impunity. 'I was upset, however my overwhelming feeling was of isolation and dread at the knowledge that it was down to me — a trainee detective on probation, with no standing or support network in the (Met) — to do something about what had happened. 'Out of 54,000 people in the MPS I felt there was no-one else I could speak to about this.' DC Newman said she felt like she could not raise it with her line manager so complained through the Directorate of Professional Standards. She told them: 'I do not feel, from what I heard of it, that this meeting would help meet the needs of trans people in London. 'Eva Echo portrayed an extreme, one-sided and conspiratorial view of a complex debate. 'In the meeting she demonised people with the protected characteristic of gender critical beliefs without challenge, presenting them in her words as 'twisted' and hateful.' DC Newman said the Met was 'institutionally' bias against gender critical people. As a result of her complaints the Met carried out a review of the event which made eight recommendations, including one about engaging with gender critical staff. It led to the force establishing the Gender Critical Network. Employment Judge Christina Morton said DC Newman was not harassed or discriminated. Judge Morton said: 'The holders of gender critical beliefs were not in the minds of the organisers of the event, consciously or unconsciously. 'The event was not directed at them, they were not expressly invited to it and their attendance was neither sought nor discouraged. 'On that basis, the booking of Eva Echo to speak at the (event) did not amount to harassment...' The judge said the panel debated DC Newman's offence to the event 'at length'. The detective 'attended the event without compulsion or encouragement, out of a well-established prior interest in the subject', Judge Morton said. 'It was part of the (Met's) purpose in hosting the event to promote understanding of a particular set of beliefs. 'The process of gaining such an understanding may involve exposure to the strength of feeling evoked by the conflicting belief system, as it did in this case.' Judge Morton said there was 'no evidence' of discrimination towards gender critical people and it was not harassment to invite Echo.
