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The Trans Youth Network is planning a demonstration and rally outside the Stonewall Awards on Thursday 6 November to protest against Stonewall’s nomination of Julie Bindel for Journalist of the Year.

Julie Bindel is a radical feminist who many regard as transphobic.

In 2004 Bindel wrote an article for The Guardian in which she criticised a male-to-female transsexual who wanted to train as a counsellor of female rape victims: “The arrogance is staggering: having not experienced life as a “woman” until middle age, Nixon assumed “she” would be suitable to counsel women who have chosen to access a service that offers support from women who have suffered similar experiences, not from a man in a dress!”

In the same article she also wrote “I don’t have a problem with men disposing of their genitals, but it does not make them women, in the same way that shoving a bit of vacuum hose down your 501s does not make you a man.” and “Think about a world inhabited just by transsexuals. It would look like the set of Grease.”

Bindel later apologised for some of the ‘misplaced and insensitive’ sarcasm in the article.

Despite the apology, Bindel continues to anger Trans groups by fighting against the acceptance of transsexuality as a diagnosis, and with her beliefs that sex change surgery is ‘unnecessary mutiliation’ for a psychological problem.

Earlier this year, the National Union of Students (NUS) LGBT voted that ‘no NUS LGBT Officer or Committee member will share a platform with Julie Bindel’.

The Trans Youth Network protest

The Trans Youth Network, part of the national Queer Youth Network, is planning to protest outside the Stonewall Awards ‘to raise awareness about the negative impact upon young trans people from Stonewall legitimising transphobic bigotry in the mass media’.

“[Bindel's nomination] is not just an insult to transgendered people but it is hypocrisy in the extreme,” said a spokesperson for the Trans Youth Network.

“Stonewall claims to represent a minority group which suffers from discrimination, but they are prepared to honour someone who is instrumental in repression of transgendered people with her bigoted transphobic journalism.

“It is important that we not only register a protest at this disturbing change of policy on the part of Stonewall, from simple exclusion of transgendered people to active promotion of transphobic bigotry, but that we leaflet those going in to this even to inform them of Stonewall’s apparent change of policy.”

In response, Stonewall state “Stonewall Award nominees are selected according to particular criteria including specific activities during the calendar year 2008. Nomination for an Award in any category does not suggest our endorsement of the wider political, personal or other view of any individual nominee in any category such as journalist, politician or publication.

“Stonewall is categorically opposed to transphobia and we firmly believe in all trans people’s right to be protected from discrimination. We believe that trans people have the right to self-identify and that trans people should be offered any appropriate medical treatment at their request.”

At time of writing, nearly 400 people have signed an online petition opposing Bidel’s nomination.

The Trans Youth Network demonstration is planned for Thursday, November 6, 2008 from 6pm, outside the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Posted in: Campaigns & Politics |