The Trans Agenda #28
[29 April 2024]
Welcome to The Trans Agenda, a newsletter that will arrive in your inbox Monday if you are subscribed. You can also read it on Substack and on Trans Writes.
Publications known for taking an anti-trans stance are and will be referenced and linked. Often, these are the most comprehensive sources for these stories because of their obsession with trans people. I give a summary for those stories so you can make the choice if you want to click the link or seek out more information elsewhere.
As always, if you have any suggestions, I’m open to feedback and you can contact me using the links on this page near the bottom.
The Trans Agenda
NEWS & POLITICS
Ministers want NHS to ban trans women from women’s wards [Mail on Sunday] [Telegraph]
- Ministers have proposed banning trans women from female-only wards in the NHS, with new policies also allowing patients to request doctors based on biological sex for intimate care. Freedom of Information requests show that there has not been a single complaint about trans women on women’s wards, but this obviously is not mentioned by the Mail on Sunday, nor is how all of these suggestions would violate the Equality Act.
They also want the term ‘chestfeeding’ banned from use.
Of course, they haven’t addressed how these policies would inevitably mean trans men will be placed in women’s wards. They would have you believe that they are OK with a bald, beardy trans man (whose genitals they can’t see) just not a trans woman (whose genitals they can’t see). Stupid, stupid people.
The usual suspects are also claiming this will happen, as if it is policy, when it is nothing more than a consultation. More trans wood for the Culture Wars election fire and nothing else.
UK’s first LGBTQ+ armed forces memorial [The Guardian]
- The UK will build its first-ever memorial dedicated to LGBTQ+ armed forces personnel, acknowledging their service and the challenges they faced due to their identity. I wonder how long it will be up for before The Telegraph are campaigning to have it removed…
Trans teacher inspires inclusion in UK primary school [PinkNews]
- A trans teacher in a UK primary school is making significant strides towards fostering an inclusive educational environment.
Laverne Cox champions trans history at Stonewall Museum [PinkNews]
- Laverne Cox discusses her role in enriching transgender narratives through her involvement with the Stonewall Museum‘s initiatives.
Keep an eye out for –
- House of Lords 2 May, 11am – “Assessment of NHS England London stating that “anyone with ovaries can get ovarian cancer” in a social media post rather than referring to “women””, proposed by a Labour peer. Link details and more in THIS WEEK IN PARLIAMENT below.
MEDIA & PAPERS
‘Anti-trans narratives’ see Unherd put on advertising blacklist [Press Gazette]
- Unherd has been blacklisted by the Global Disinformation Index (GDI) for publishing articles that contain anti-trans narratives. This inclusion on the Dynamic Exclusion List has led to a significant reduction in advertising revenue. Unherd’s CEO criticises GDI’s actions as a threat to free speech, questioning the non-profit’s funding and motives.
Joe Lycett teases collaboration with Lorraine Kelly [PinkNews]
- Comedian Joe Lycett hints at a potential collaborative project with TV host Lorraine Kelly, who reiterated her support for the trans community.
Elliot Page discusses coming out with ‘Umbrella Academy’ showrunner [Advocate]
- Elliot Page shares his experience of coming out as trans, highlighting the supportive response from ‘The Umbrella Academy‘ showrunner and the impact on his role in the series.
Hilary Swank reflects on ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ role [HuffPost]
- Hilary Swank believes her role in “Boys Don’t Cry” would better suit a trans actor if made today.
Laurence Fox told to pay £180,000 to two people for ‘paedophile’ libel
- Actor and right-wing activist Laurence Fox was ordered by a high court judge in London to pay £90,000 each in damages to two individuals he referred to as “paedophiles” on social media. Fox lost his libel battle in January.
Andrew Neil says GB News can never be profitable on current path [Press Gazette]
- Andrew Neil testified in front of a House of Lords committee that GB News will not be profitable on its current path, citing poor production values and a lack of a viable market niche. Neil, expressing surprise at Ofcom’s leniency, criticised the channel’s direction towards controversial broadcasting, which he deemed harmful. That’s Andrew Neil of The Spectator, Daily Mail and others.
GB News moneyman quits board ahead of Telegraph bid [Guardian]
- GB News investor Sir Paul Marshall is stepping down from the board of the broadcaster after three years. Marshall is expected to be a frontrunner in the race to buy the Telegraph when the auction process reopens, after the government in effect scuppered its planned £600m sale to a United Arab Emirates-backed consortium, Redbird IMI and former CNN man, Jeff Zucker. It is likely Zucker that they have problems with, rather than the oil money, as they fear he could drag The Telegraph back from the edges of the far right
Liz Truss book outsold by air fryer cookbook [Guardian]
- Liz Truss’s book about her 49 days as prime minister and how we have ‘Ten Years to Save the West’ sold 2,228 copies during its first week on sale despite the lettuce botherer being promoted in every major newspaper and on every major channel. Truss is believed to have received around £1,500 as an advance from her publisher, which shows you how much faith they had in the book from the start. The Ultimate Air Fryer Cookbook and More Confessions of a Fortysomething F**k-Up both outsold it.
Somehow, this was still enough to make it to third on the Sunday Times best sellers list.
Journalists to walk out over Meloni ‘censorship’ [Times]
- Journalists at Italy’s public broadcaster RAI have announced a 24-hour strike next month in protest at the politicisation of the media under Giorgia Meloni’s government.
Evolution of trans inclusivity on dating apps [LGBTQ Nation]
- Over the years, dating apps have made strides in becoming more inclusive for the transgender community, adjusting features and terms to better accommodate and respect trans users.
THE PAPERS
Friday 26 2024 [Total: 1. Publications 4, positive 0, negative 1, written by trans people 0]
The Guardian [0]
The Times [0]
Daily Mail [0]
Telegraph [1: negative 1, written by trans people 0]
Saturday 27 2024 [Total: 0 Publications 3]
The Guardian [0]
The Times [0]
Daily Mail [0]
Telegraph [?]
- Saturday’s Telegraph is never available on Press Reader and I’m still trying to work out why.
Sunday 28 2024 [Total: 5. Publications 4, positive 0, negative 5, written by trans people 0]
The Observer [0]
- Sonia Sodha did not use her column to write about trans people this week.
The Sunday Times [0]
Mail on Sunday [1: negative 1, written by trans people 0]
Sunday Telegraph [4: negative 4, written by trans people 0]
Monday 29 2024 [Total: 1. Publications 4, positive 0, negative 1, written by trans people 0]
The Guardian [0]
The Times [1: negative 1, written by trans people 0]
Daily Mail [0]
Telegraph [0]
THIS WEEK IN PARLIAMENT
Monday 29 April
House of Commons
- 2.30pm – Oral questions – Education [more details here]
House of Lords
- Short debate – Addressing the root causes of child poverty in the UK [more details here]
Tuesday 30 April
Committees
- 9.30 am (private), 10am (public) – Children’s social care – Oral evidence – Safeguarding vulnerable disabled children: MPs to question experts and Ofsted [more details here]
Wednesday 1 May
House of Commons
- 12pm – Prime Minister’s Question Time
Westminster Hall
- 2.30pm – Debate – Youth homelessness [more details here]
- 4.30pm – Debate – World ME Day [more details here]
House of Lords
- 3pm – Oral questions – Plans to reform of the House of Lords [more details here]
- Oral questions – Supporting the study of the arts and humanities in higher education [more details here]
Committees
- 2.45pm – Private Human Rights (Joint Committee) – Oral evidence session
Thursday 2 May
House of Commons
- Adjournment – Findings of the inquest into the Kingsmill massacre [more details here]
House of Lords
- 11am – Assessment of NHS England London stating that “anyone with ovaries can get ovarian cancer” in a social media post rather than referring to “women”, raised by a Labour peer [more details here]
Friday 3 May
- Parliament is not sitting
AROUND THE WORLD
Iraq introduces severe penalties for same-sex relations [The Guardian]
- Iraq has passed a law making same-sex relations punishable by up to 15 years in jail, marking a severe step back in LGBTQ+ rights within the country.
George Schappell, conjoined twin who sang Country Music,d Dies [Wide Open Country, The Tech Interactive]
- George Schappell, a trans man known for his country music career and being one of the world’s oldest conjoined twins with his sister Lori, has died at 62.
Maine to protect trans rights in new sanctuary bill [Advocate]
- Maine introduces a bill to become a sanctuary state for trans people and those seeking abortions, emphasising protection against restrictive laws in other states.
Texas AG ends attempt to obtain information on trans children [LGBTQ Nation]
- Texas Attorney General drops efforts to gather details on transgender minors from a Seattle hospital.
Tennessee enacts first-of-its-kind anti-trans law [LGBTQ Nation]
- Tennessee has passed a law that directly targets transgender children by restricting their access to gender-affirming care.
Colorado law challenges trans student privacy [LGBTQ Nation]
- In Colorado, a law has been proposed that would require schools to notify parents if their child identifies as transgender. This legislation is backed by anti-LGBTQ+ groups and raises serious privacy and safety concerns for trans students.
Arrest in the murder of a trans woman in Miami Beach [LGBTQ Nation]
- A “habitual violent offender” has been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of a transgender woman in Miami Beach [Trans Agenda #27]. The crime involved a gruesome attack with a metal pipe.
Family speaks out after trans woman’s murder in Miami [HuffPost UK]
- The family of the transgender woman killed in Miami have spoke out. She was associated with the Miami City Ballet, and her death has sparked calls for greater protection for trans people.
US Supreme Court to review Idaho’s transgender youth treatment ban [HuffPost]
- The Supreme Court will review Idaho’s ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth, a pivotal case affecting transgender rights and healthcare.
US court strikes down West Virginia’s transgender sports ban [Live Law]
- A US court rules that West Virginia’s ban on trans girls participating in female sports violates anti-discrimination laws.
Hong Kong trans man wins 7-year ID card battle [SCMP]
- After a lengthy legal struggle, Hong Kong trans man Henry Edward Tse secures the right to a new ID card reflecting his gender identity.
Transgender surfer barred from women’s longboard contest [Beach Grit.]
- A trans surfer faces exclusion from the women’s division at a major longboard contest as the anti-trans crew continue to add to their long list of ‘things women can’t do as well as men’.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Tate trafficking trial can proceed, court rules [Guardian]
- Andrew Tate’s trial on human trafficking charges can proceed, a Romanian court ruled on Thursday, 10 months after he was indicted.
Misconduct proven against former officer [Metropolitan Police]
- Former Metropolitan Police officer proven guilty of misconduct involving inappropriate relationships and compromising police operations. The disciplinary panel dismissed the officer before the hearing concluded.
COMING UP
Monday 29 April
- Two 12-year-old boys appear in court charged with murder
- Inquest into death of girl found dead at boarding school
- Delayed parliamentary elections in Togo
- Released – ONS statistics on persistent poverty in the UK and EU Ireland Q1 GDP
Tuesday 30 April
- FDA expected to launch legal challenge against Rwanda Bill
- New post-Brexit border controls introduced
- Hearing in Josef Fritzl bid to transfer to regular prison
- Tony nominations announced
- Released – Air quality in the UK statistics
- Released – Quarterly homelessness figures
Wednesday 1 May – May Day
- Scottish First Minister, Humza Yousaf, will face a vote of no confidence today or tomorrow. Yousaf needs one vote to save himself and it is being claimed Ash Regan is that vote. She’s demanding anti-trans policies in return for her support, Yousaf has reportedly said she won’t get them. Regan, a known anti-trans activist, quit the SNP when she lost the leadership campaign to Yousaf. She joined Alba.
- Future prosecutions halted under the Legacy Act
- Sentencing of Met officer guilty of multiple rapes
- Florida six-week abortion ban comes into force
Thursday 2 May
- English local and mayoral elections
Friday 3 May
- English local and mayoral election results will start to filter out
- Sentencing for Just Stop Oil protestor who scaled M25 gantry
- Deadline for TikTok to provide information in EU proceedings
- Released – Reporters Without Borders publishes Press Freedom Index
- Released – FAO Food Price Index
- 45 years ago: Margaret Thatcher election victory
Saturday 4 May
- Star Wars Day – May the 4th be with you!
- World Naked Gardening Day
- English local and mayoral election results will continue to be announced
Sunday 5 May
- Panama general elections
- International Day of the Midwife
- World Laughter Day
- Hedgehog Awareness Week (to May 11)
[compiled with help from Press Gazette]
TRANSWRITES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED
- The 32 things The Cass Review recommends and why they are concerning, by Gemma Stone.
- NHS & puberty blockers: Former GIDS patients reflect on long wait times, invasive assessments, by Sasha Baker.
- The Cass Review: A government-sanctioned attack on trans lives, by Lee Hurley.
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