The National Lottery funded grant was given to anti-trans group; LGB Alliance, to make a documentary celebrating 70 years of gay history marking the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.
LGB Alliance announced they had been awarded the grant from Arts Council England’s #LetsCreate Jubilee Fund to make their film. The premiere is set for June 2022 but many in the LGBTQIA+ community have called the decision into question prompting a response from the grant-givers.
LGB Alliance also recently trended on Twitter because of an alleged assault at the #BanConversionTherapy protest. A man wearing a pink LGB Alliance was photographed being escorted away from the protest by police.
Previous to this LGB Alliance recently hit the news due to their conference last year. Video evidence fianlly emerged of an LGB Alliance supporter verbally attacking a transgender conference attendee including calling her a pervert. All while staff and organisers do nothing about it. Comedian Jen Ives, the woman in the video, said she feels vindicated after she was originally called a liar for talking about her experience of the conference.
The Good Law Project are currently seeking a review of the decision to give LGB Alliance charity status. A widely criticised move that even the Commission themselves appear to have known would cause a stir, given that they specifically issued a statement claiming they would uphold the rules of the commission. They have not commented on any subsequent LGB Alliance behaviour, such as what is listed above.
The London Community Foundation, who were involved in the decision to give this grant to LGB Alliance, have issued a statement on Twitter. In a two-part tweet they announced that the grant is currently suspended in line with their usual practice due to “becoming aware that the charitable status of the organisation is being questioned”.
Trans people and allies have been quick to point out that this statement doesn’t seem entirely accurate. As the Director of Grants & Impact for The London Community Foundation appears to be engaging positively with anti-trans activism.
Kelly Rusts’ social media account notes that she follows anti-trans activists such as LGB Alliance and engages positively with anti-trans topics. Such as liking a thread by Julie Bindel who posits making misogyny a hate crime would be bad because it would also protect trans women. Her name also appears on the Women’s Declaration which comes from a group who openly call for the elimination of transgenderism.
It is unclear what involvement Rust had with this decision in particular, I reached out for comment and will include that here if one ever comes.
I hope that this funding goes to a group who aren’t decidedly against anyone’s human rights instead.