United Kingdom

JK Rowling has begun trending on Twitter in the aftermath of the protest as trans people in particular remember that in June 2020 JK Rowling posted the following tweet;

“I respect every trans person’s right to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them. I’d march with you if you were discriminated against on the basis of being trans. At the same time, my life has been shaped by being female. I do not believe it’s hateful to say so.”

The protest in London is at Downing Street, The protest in Belfast is at City Hall and The protest in Dublin is at British Embassy 29 Merrion Road. There is warning of high police presence at the Downing Street protest. I will update this list as any new information comes in.

Speaking to a Daily Mail report in Welwyn Garden City, Johnson said he was sad about the decision made by the LGBTQIA+ sector to boycott Government. He asserts his allyship, noting his involvement in passing the gay marriage bill and being enthused about flying pride flags over government buildings even in countries that don’t share ‘our values’. He did not comment on his infamously homophobic statements, such as “tank-topped bumboys”.

So far this language and the severity of the concept has helped to stave off attempts by transphobes to employ single-sex exemptions with a blanket approach. Meaning it can only be employed on a case-by-case basis and there must be a truly legitimate aim. However Kishwer Falkner’s EHRC has been making moves to support transphobic groups who would like to see the exemptions employed more liberally.

Women’s Aid, founded in 1996, are a sadly vital and much needed resource and refuge for women across the UK. Domestic and sexual violence are a scourge that primarily affects women with low income women in particular not having the resources or ability to escape as easily. So its extremely disheartening to see their recent statement deciding that women like me are just less deserving of sanctuary or escape.