CULCHETH, Warrington UK – The body of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey was discovered this past Saturday afternoon in the Linear Park in Culcheth, Cheshire England, a small community located between the port city of Liverpool and metropolitan Manchester. She had been repeatedly stabbed and was pronounced dead at the scene by police and emergency services paramedics who responded.

Ghey, who lived in Birchwood, Cheshire, and was a year 11 student at Birchwood Community High School had been bullied for her transgender identity according to comments left on social media posts by friends and fellow students.

Her friends alleged she had been bullied and gang beaten at at Birchwood Community High School for several years over the “simple reason of being trans.” In another post one claimed that school administrators, staff and faculty was aware of the bullying “refused to intervene.” 

Cheshire Constabulary detective chief superintendent Mike Evans told British media outlets: “At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that the circumstances surrounding Brianna’s death are hate related,” adding “Patrols have been stepped up in the local area and officers will remain in the Culcheth area to provide reassurance and address any concerns that residents may have.”

On Monday Chief Superintendent Evans said that police believe the death of Ghey was “targeted” and that two teenagers, a 15-year-old boy and girl, both local residents, have since been arrested on suspicion of murder and are currently in custody.

Evans told reporters that a full investigation into the death are underway and that his officers are “doing all that we can to establish the exact circumstances of what has happened.”

“At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that the circumstances surrounding Brianna’s death are hate-related,” he stated. 

As news coverage of the 16-year-old’s death increased, several British press outlets misgendered and deadnamed her which drew the ire and criticism of LGBTQ+ advocacy groups including the Trans Safety Network which posted on Twitter: “We are appalled to note that @thetimes have now updated their article on the killing of Brianna Ghey to remove all references to her being a girl and to add her deadname.”

We are appalled to note that @thetimes have now updated their article on the killing of Brianna Ghey to remove all references to her being a girl and to add her deadname.

Previous version:https://t.co/FYWQ4SMDyi

Current version:https://t.co/g4TNG8p7f3

— Trans Safety Network (@trans_safety) February 13, 2023

Ash Sarkar, a a senior editor at London based Novara Media and a leading feminist progressive voice in UK politics tweeted her anger at the misgendering:

A 16 year old girl has been murdered, taken from her friends and family when her life was only just beginning. I cannot fathom the callousness involved in making the editorial decision to violate her dignity in death.

Disgusting from @thetimes. https://t.co/NHB55kaaQK

— Ash Sarkar (@AyoCaesar) February 13, 2023

As a result of the outcry, The Times did revise its coverage, although other outlets including the BBC News and Sky News failed to mention that Ghey was trans in their initial reporting.

A Trans Safety Network spokesperson told Britain’s leading LGBTQ+ media outlet PinkNewsUK:

“Whatever the specific circumstances leading to Brianna Ghey’s death, we are currently living through a period of unprecedented moral repugnance towards trans people, largely channelled through a compliant media which shows less and less respect for trans peoples’ lives and humanity.

“We have seen how even in death, the press has chosen to compound this harm by publicly disrespecting Brianna’s identity until public outcry forced them to reconsider.

“It shouldn’t take a public show of grief to value the lives of trans children, and her life should have been valued enough to not have been taken in the first place,” the spokesperson added.

The local Member of Parliament, Charlotte Nichols, told PinkNewsUK that the local community is “reeling from the news” of Ghey’s death.

“Brianna’s family have been very clear in their statement who Brianna was: ‘a much-loved daughter, granddaughter and baby sister’. That should be the starting point for any coverage, and how we all talk about her,” Nichols told PinkNewsUK.

“Brianna was trans, and at this point it is not clear whether that was relevant to the circumstances surrounding her death, but there is absolutely no need whatsoever for anyone to publish her deadname when identifying her as trans in media coverage.”

“The least we can all do for Brianna is remember her for who she was, and not who she wasn’t, out of respect not only for Brianna but for her grieving family and friends,” she added.

“Brianna was a much loved daughter, granddaughter, and baby sister. She was a larger than life character who would leave a lasting impression on all that met her. Brianna was beautiful, witty and hilarious. Brianna was strong, fearless and one of a kind,” her parents said in a statement released over the weekend.

“The loss of her young life has left a massive hole in our family, and we know that the teachers and her friends who were involved in her life will feel the same.

“We would like to thank everyone for their kind words and support during this extremely difficult time. We would like to thank the police for their support, and witnesses for helping with the investigation.”

A GoFundMe to assist the family has already raised £58,101 raised of £4,216 goal or approximately $70,542 USD.

A verified fundraiser has been set up in memory of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey, after she was stabbed to deathhttps://t.co/Tju22qtZmy

— GoFundMeUK (@GoFundMeUK) February 13, 2023

LONDON – A series of sold-out drag queen storytelling events at The Tate, a national gallery of British Art in the City of Westminster went on as scheduled despite a raucous protest outside at its entrance Saturday.

A group of approximately 30 from the Patriotic Alternative, a British far-right, white nationalist and fascist group founded by avowed neo-Nazi Mark Collett, traded insults and sparred with pro-LGBTQ+ protestors led by the group Stand Up To Racism under the watchful eye of the Metropolitan Police.

The reading events were put on by Drag Queen Story Hour UK® and featured Aida H Dee “The Storytime Drag Queen,” who tweeted about the show noting that while five of the anti-LGBTQ+ protestors had made it into The Tate, none were able to disrupt the event.

5 haters made it into the @Tate. They caused a disruption. BUT not to @DragStoryHourUK!!! WOOP!!

They made a fuss elsewhere in the building, not where the show was!! SHOW 2 went swimmingly!!! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈 pic.twitter.com/rd6yrMWBtw

— Aida H Dee The Storytime Drag Queen (@AidaHDeeDrag) February 11, 2023

Dee, a children’s author, read from their books and on Instagram later posted pictures of the show and interactions with the children who attended.

News Clip from The Independent UK:

LONDON – The Tory government of UK Prime Minster Rishi Sunak will block any effort by the government of Wales to push forward plans to reform gender-recognition laws that would allow transgender Welsh to obtain a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) without a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria, a government spokesperson told Britain’s leading LGBTQ+ news outlet.

In a statement to PinkNewsUK, a spokesperson from the Equalities Office told the LGBTQ+ news outlet the Tory-led government wants to ensure that “LGBT people are treated equally” but would not budge on permitting devolved reform of the GRA (Gender Recognition Act) in Wales.

On Tuesday, the Llywodraeth Cymru (Welsh government) in Cardiff announced that it had launched its LGBTQ+ Action Plan for Wales. The Deputy Minister for Social Partnership, Hannah Blythyn, said that Wales’ plan aims to improve the rights of LGBTQ+ people such as banning all aspects of so-called conversion therapy practice She did acknowledge that but currently the Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament) cannot make its own gender recognition laws.

Today, we published our LGBTQ+ action plan🏳️‍🌈

As part of the #CooperationAgreement with @Plaid_Cymru, @WelshGovernment sets out to improve equality and inclusion for all LGBTQ+ people in Wales.

Find out more here👉https://t.co/OXCIeREeJu. pic.twitter.com/791nqqb9Wy

— Welsh Government Communities (@WG_Communities) February 7, 2023

The plans for improvement of the Gender Recognition Act to affect Trans Welsh that has the backing of the Senedd Cymru is based on similar legislation put forward and by the Scottish Parliament.

Four weeks ago the conservative government of UK in Westminster blocked the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill from being signed into law by King Charles III.

The Gender Recognition Reform bill introduced by the Scottish government to Holyrood (parliament) last Spring was passed in a final 86-39 vote days before this past Christmas. The sweeping reform bill modifies the Gender Recognition Act, signed into law in 2004, by allowing transgender Scots to gain legal recognition without the need for a medical diagnosis.

The measure further stipulates that age limit for legal recognition is lowered to 16.

There are those in and out of government in Britain and Wales claiming that reform would mean a safety issue for women and children.

“Ensuring that LGBT people are treated equally is a priority for this government. In recent months, we have committed to an inclusive ban on conversion practices, and we are taking steps to improve health care and eliminate new transmissions of HIV by 2030,” an Equalities Office spokesperson told PinkNews.

“We share the concerns that others have set out with proposed reforms to the GRC application process, particularly around safety issues for women and children.

“As a result of this, there are no plans to reform the Gender Recognition Act in England or Wales.”

Having a GRC allows trans people to update their birth certificate, get married or form a civil partnership in their affirmed gender, update their marriage or civil partnership certificate, and have their affirmed gender on their death certificate.

BRIGHTON, UK – Alice Litman was a year 11 student when she told her family she wanted to live as a woman. Barely 4 years later at age 20 she took her own life. According to her parents Peter and Caroline Litman, she died partly because of the inaccessibility of gender-affirming healthcare in the UK. 

The BBC reported that an inquest is to be held into the death of Litman who took her own life while on an NHS waiting list for almost three years for gender-affirming healthcare. She had been referred to the NHS Gender Identity Development Service in August 2019, but was still waiting for an initial assessment when she took her own life at the age of 20.

BBC News reported that the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, where the gender-identity clinic is based, as saying it was “deeply saddened” by Litman’s death but it was “not appropriate to comment while the inquest is ongoing”.

The clinic’s website, which currently only shows data from the same month that Litman died, reveals the waiting list to be 11,407-people long.

Assistant coroner Sarah Clarke will examine issues relating to her death in the Coroner’s Inquest due to take place this upcoming September.

Peter and Caroline Litman hope lessons will be learned from their daughter’s death the couple told the BBC. They said in a statement: “We believe that Alice died partly because of the inaccessibility of gender-affirming healthcare in the UK.

“We want the inquest to examine this to ensure we can get justice for Alice, and change for all the trans people who are facing the same issues.”

“It’s not just Alice. It’s too late for her. There are lots of other young transgender people out there and they need our help.”

Last month PinkNewsUK journalist Patrick Kelleher reported LGBTQ+ people already face disproportionately worse healthcare outcomes in the UK – and that’s without an NHS in crisis.

The crisis is a dangerous threat to everybody who relies on free healthcare reports PinkNewsUK.

For LGBTQ+ people specifically, it’s compounded by existing barriers – the NHS has acknowledged that outcomes are disproportionately poor for the queer community.

In the government’s 2017 National LGBT Survey, 16 per cent of LGBTQ+ people said they had a negative experience when accessing public health services because of their sexual orientation, while 38 per cent had a bad experience on the basis of their gender identity. More than half (51 per cent) faced waits for mental health care, while years-long waiting lists for gender-affirming care are well-documented.

Cleo Madeleine, communications officer for trans charity Gendered Intelligence, told PinkNewsUK:

“LGBT+ people already have worse access to healthcare than the general population, with both physical and mental health outcomes falling across the board. Some of this stems from a lack of education on LGBT+ people or an excess of stigma around specific needs like sexual health and gender identity services.

“Elsewhere we find that LGBT+ people – as many as 25 per cent – avoid seeking necessary care because they fear reprisal, or because they have been denied healthcare because of their identity before.” 

LONDON – Michelle Donelan, Conservative MP for Chippenham, and Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport confirmed that the Tory-led government will publish a draft conversion therapy ban that will “protect everyone”, following nearly a year of outrage over the exclusion of trans people.

In a statement released Tuesday, Donelan wrote:

“We recognise the strength of feeling on the issue of harmful conversion practices and remain committed to protecting people from these practices and making sure they can live their lives free from the threat of harm or abuse.

We have had constructive engagement with the Honourable Member for Rutland and Melton on her amendment which seeks to prevent children from seeing harmful online content on conversion practices.

It is right that this issue is tackled through a dedicated and tailored legislative approach, which is why we are announcing today that the Government will publish a draft Bill which will set out a proposed approach to ban conversion practices, this will apply to England and Wales. The Bill will protect everyone, including those targeted on the basis of their sexuality, or being transgender.

The Government will publish the draft Bill shortly and will ask for pre-legislative scrutiny by a Joint Committee in this parliamentary session.

This is a complex area, and pre-legislative scrutiny exists to help ensure that any Bill introduced to parliament does not cause unintended consequences. It will also ensure that the Bill benefits from stakeholder expertise and input from parliamentarians.

The legislation must not, through a lack of clarity, harm the growing number of children and young adults experiencing gender related distress, through inadvertently criminalising or chilling legitimate conversations parents or clinicians may have with their children.”

PinkNewsUK reported that Donelan announcing the draft – which will arrive “shortly” – appears to confirm reports that equalities minister Kemi Badenoch will not oversee the ban. Badenoch has faced much criticism from the LGBTQ+ community over her trans-hostile statements.

It comes after then-prime minister Boris Johnson dropped plans for a legislative ban in March 2022, only to U-turn by moving ahead with a ban that would protect LGB people only.

The Conservative government first promised a conversion therapy ban in 2018 under Theresa May’s leadership.

The latest announcement was met with a cautious response owing to the government’s continued flip-flopping on the ban, and in light of its latest attack on LGBTQ+ rights – its move to block Scotland’s gender recognition reform.

In an interview with PinkNewsUK Nancy Kelley, chief executive of Stonewall expressed optimism but was guarded in her reaction to the news.

“Almost five years since the UK government first promised to ban conversion practices in 2018, we have faced delay after delay,” Kelly said. “The UK government must publish the bill and an imminent timetable as soon as possible.”

“The UK government’s own National LGBT Survey shows that 13 per cent of trans people, and seven per cent of all LGBTQIA+ people have undergone or been offered so-called conversion therapy. Our communities simply cannot face any further delays,” she added.

EDINBURGH – In tersely worded public statements to the media and on Twitter, Scotland’s First Minster Nicola Sturgeon castigated the conservative government of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for announcing Monday that Westminster would block the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill from being signed into law by King Charles III.

The Gender Recognition Reform bill introduced by the Scottish government to Holyrood (parliament) last Spring was passed in a final 86-39 vote days before this past Christmas. The sweeping reform bill modifies the Gender Recognition Act, signed into law in 2004, by allowing transgender Scots to gain legal recognition without the need for a medical diagnosis.

The measure further stipulates that age limit for legal recognition is lowered to 16.

The UK Secretary of State for Scotland, Alister Jack, released a statement indicating that with the backing of Number 10 Downing Street, he will use a Section 35 order under the Scotland Act to block the King’s signature which is referred to as Royal assent.

Under Section 35 of the Scotland Act, UK ministers can stop a bill getting royal assent. Jack can do so if he is of the opinion that a Holyrood bill would modify laws reserved to Westminster and have an “adverse effect” on how those laws apply.

“I have decided to make an order under section 35 of the Scotland Act 1998, preventing the Scottish Parliament’s Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill from proceeding to Royal Assent,” Jack said in a statement released Monday afternoon.

“After thorough and careful consideration of all the relevant advice and the policy implications, I am concerned that this legislation would have an adverse impact on the operation of Great Britain-wide equalities legislation. 

“Transgender people who are going through the process to change their legal sex deserve our respect, support and understanding. My decision today is about the legislation’s consequences for the operation of GB-wide equalities protections and other reserved matters. 

“I have not taken this decision lightly. The Bill would have a significant impact on, amongst other things, GB-wide equalities matters in Scotland, England and Wales. I have concluded, therefore, that this is the necessary and correct course of action. 

“If the Scottish Government chooses to bring an amended Bill back for reconsideration in the Scottish Parliament, I hope we can work together to find a constructive way forward that both respects devolution and the operation of UK Parliament legislation. 

“I have written today to the First Minister and the Scottish Parliament’s Presiding Officer informing them of my decision,”  he said.

The First Minister has defended her government’s action on the GRA Reform legislation and speaking before the vote said that [she] “will never apologise for trying to spread equality.”

“Removing the need for medical diagnosis for a trans person who wants to legally change their gender is one of the purposes of this legislation because that is one of the most traumatic and dehumanising parts of the current system,” Sturgeon said.

Addressing the opposition and Tory arguments that the GRA Reform bill harms women and girls the First Minister said:

“As a woman, I know what it’s like to live with the fear at times of potential violence from men.

“I’m a feminist and I will do everything that I can to protect women’s rights for as long as live, but I also think it’s an important part of my responsibility to make life a little bit easier for stigmatised minorities in our country, to make their lives a bit better and remove some of the trauma they live with on a day-to-day basis and I think it is important to do that for the tiny minority of trans people in our society and I will never apologise for trying to spread equality, not reduce it, in our country.”

In London, UK equalities minister Kemi Badenoch has made it clear she is against reforms. Badenoch suggested the Scottish bill could have a detrimental impact on the rest of the UK because it would not be possible for the legislation to be “fully contained” within Scotland.

She addressed those concerns in a letter she sent to Sturgeon that was leaked to the Times last month.

Sturgeon said that she thinks it would be an “outrage” if the Tory-led government blocks the Scottish gender recognition bill, and will “embolden them” to block more bills, creating a “very slippery slope.”

“The Scottish government will defend the legislation and stand up for Scotland’s parliament,” she said adding, “If this Westminster veto succeeds, it will be the first of many.”

Summary of my views on UK gov attempt to veto @ScotParl decisions – covers both the attempt to block this particular piece of legislation (passed by a substantial majority, inc MSPs from all parties) and the very significant wider issue of principle . https://t.co/1V5w55D5Sd

— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) January 16, 2023

Sturgeon’s reference to the “slippery slope” details the rancor between Downing Street and Edinburgh over a proposed second referendum for Scottish independence. The referendum held in 2014 had failed by 55% to 45%, but things have changed since then, mostly because of Brexit. The Tory led UK government has repeatedly said it will not allow second referendum and this past November ruled the Scottish government cannot unilaterally hold a second independence referendum.

Maggie Chapman MSP, equalities spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, told PinkNews that the Tory government could “destroy devolution” if it tried to stop Scotland’s gender reform bill. She also warned that intervention could trigger a bitter legal battle.

“If they actually go through with their threat to either block the bill from receiving royal assent or block the implementation of it… I think that signals that this becomes about something much more than the issue of self-declaration – this becomes a constitutional crisis, I think,” Chapman told PinkNews.

Chapman also said she is “100 per cent certain” that the Scottish government would challenge the decision in court, resulting in a legal war that could set precedent for other cases.

Pink News also reported that Jayne Ozanne, a former equalities advisor to the Tory government, said she “couldn’t believe” the prime minister had signed off on Section 35 being invoked “to undermine trans people’s rights”.

“This is a very dark day,” she said.

“The international community will be appalled. The LGBTQ+ community, alongside our friends and allies, will be furious and the British people will look on amazed.

“All will rightly wonder why [Sunak] has chosen to focus on one of the most marginalised and misunderstood groups in our society at a time of crisis in both our NHS and public services.

“I believe it is the beginning of the end for the United Kingdom, and few will forgive him for it.”

KINGS HEATH, Birmingham, UK – Joe Harry Lycett, a celebrity British comedian and television presenter, challenged British football [soccer] star David Beckham on Sunday to walk away from Beckham’s £10 million deal to be ambassador for Qatar during the FIFA World Cup.

In 2021, multiple news outlets reported Beckham had signed a ten-year deal with Qatar to be a face for soccer there. Qatar criminalizes same-sex “sexual conduct” and has persecuted transgender people in that country.

In October, Human Rights Watch documented arbitrary arrests and ill-treatment in detention of LGBT Qataris by the Preventive Security Department. As a requirement for their release, security forces mandated that transgender women detainees attend conversion therapy sessions at a government-sponsored “behavioral healthcare” center. Despite sustained pressure, Qatari authorities have refused to repeal laws criminalizing same-sex relations.

World Cup Ambassador Khalid Salman last week described homosexuality as “damage in the mind.”

Salman, a former Qatari soccer player, made the comment during an interview with a reporter from ZDF, a German television station, in Doha, the Qatari capital.

The former Qatari soccer player in response to the reporter’s question about the criminalization of consensual same-sex sexual relations in his country described homosexuality as “haram” or “forbidden” under Sharia law. A member of the World Cup organizing committee abruptly stopped the interview after Salman made his comments. 

Beckham, the former captain of England’s national soccer team, has been heavily criticized for his decision to accept the paid ambassador position for Qatar at the FIFA World Cup 2022 from numerous LGBTQ+ rights groups.

Lycett released a video Sunday, (November 13) on his Twitter account:

“I consider you, along with Kim Woodburn and Monty Don, to be a gay icon,” he said.

“You were the first premiership footballer to do shoots with gay magazines like Attitude, to speak openly about your gay fans, and you married a Spice Girl which is the gayest thing a human being can do,” Lycett said.

https://t.co/FqoC3hSFM8 🌈 pic.twitter.com/EPLVNwmnvV

— Joe Lycett (@joelycett) November 13, 2022

Lycett continued: “You have always talked about the power of football as a force for good. Which suggests to me you have never seen West Brom.

“But, generally, I agree. So with that in mind I’m giving you a choice.

“If you end your relationship with Qatar I will donate ten grand of my own money (that’s a grand for every million you’re reportedly getting) to charities that support queer people in football.

“However, if you do not I will throw the money into a shredder at midday next Sunday, just before the opening ceremony of the World Cup and stream it live on a website I’ve registered called BendersLikeBeckham.com. Not just the money, but also your status as gay icon will be shredded.

“Also you’ll be forcing me to commit what might be a crime. Although even then, I reckon I’ll get off more lightly than I would if I got caught whacking off a lad in Doha.”

The comedian also set-up a website BendersLikeBeckham.com, which features only his video, as well as a countdown timer showing how long Beckham has to make his choice.

Beckham has yet to respond to the tweet or inquiries from British LGBTQ press outlets PinkNewsUK, Attitude, and other media outlets.

Additional reporting by Michael K. Lavers

LONDON – Leading British LGBTQ+ media outlet PinkNewsUK released a short video on Twitter that contained clips of UK Prime Minster Rishi Sunak’s inner cabinet ministers and top advisors negatively discussing LGBTQ+ equity and rights using homophobic and transphobic descriptions.

SNP Parliamentarian John Nicholson, who represents Ochil & South Perthshire, Scotland noted that “With a few honourable exceptions, the #Sunak top team is packed with bigots. Have a listen to this shower….”

With a few honourable exceptions, the #Sunak top team is packed with bigots. Have a listen to this shower…. https://t.co/hOn9B526PG

— JOHN NICOLSON M.P. (@MrJohnNicolson) October 30, 2022

One week ago Sunak named actively transphobic MP Kemi Badenoch as minister for women and equalities.

Badenoch had previously served under former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss in the Government Equalities Office (GEO) during the premiership of former p.m. Boris Johnson, when Truss held the position of minister for women and equalities.

The Ministry is responsible for the protection and promotion of the rights of the vulnerable populations in Britain including the LGBTQ+ community, addresses gender inequalities, labour and employment as well as community mobilization and empowerment.

PinkNewsUK reported that Badenoch had felt empowered by Truss to push back against trans rights during her time in the GEO. “I could not have done anything without being empowered by my senior minister, Liz Truss, to challenge advice, meet whoever was relevant and do my job as I saw fit,” she wrote in The Sunday Times on 31 July. 

PinkNewsUK also reported:

In its 2019 manifesto, the Conservative Party vowed to “vigorously combat harassment and violence” against LGBTQ+ people. It also promised to “support marginalised communities in the developing world, hosting the UK government’s first ever international LGBT conference”. 

At the time, Anderson said that “trust and belief” in the government’s “overall commitments to LGBT+ rights” was damaged after Boris Johnson dropped long-promised plans to ban conversion therapy in the UK. Johnson later backtracked and decided to bring forward legislation to ban conversion therapy – but such protections would exclude the trans community. 

The Tory government’s LGBTQ+ conference was cancelled in April after over 120 LGBTQ+ rights and HIV advocacy groups pulled out due to {then UK prime minister] Johnson’s refusal to protect trans people from conversion practices. 

LONDON – Within hours of his meeting with King Charles III and named UK’s latest Tory Prime Minister,  Rishi Sunak announced he was going to move quickly to fill key posts. Tuesday Sunak named Dominic Raab as deputy prime minister, James Cleverely as foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt who will stay on as chancellor, and actively anti-Trans MP Kemi Badenoch as minister for women and equalities.

Badenoch had previously served under former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss in the Government Equalities Office (GEO) during the premiership of former p.m. Boris Johnson, when Truss held the position of minister for women and equalities.

The Ministry is responsible for the protection and promotion of the rights of the vulnerable populations in Britain including the LGBTQ+ community, addresses gender inequalities, labour and employment as well as community mobilization and empowerment.

PinkNewsUK reported that Badenoch had felt empowered by Truss to push back against trans rights during her time in the GEO. “I could not have done anything without being empowered by my senior minister, Liz Truss, to challenge advice, meet whoever was relevant and do my job as I saw fit,” she wrote in The Sunday Times on 31 July. 

Badenoch secretly met with both anti-trans activist Keira Bell and anti-trans lobby group LGB Alliance in her first stint at the GEO. It was reported that the anti-Trans non-profit LGB Alliance had reached out to her to argue against banning conversion therapy, a practice considered “torture” by the United Nations, PinkNewsUK noted.

Civil servants reportedly said at the time it was “inappropriate” of Badenoch, whose job it is to promote “transgender equality“, to speak with people who wants to limit the rights of young trans people. The Tory MP “overruled” them and spoke to anti-trans activists nevertheless.

PinkNewsUK also reported that in remarks leaked in 2021, but made in 2018, just a year after Badenoch became an MP, she reportedly described trans women as “men using women’s bathrooms” and asked: “We’ve got gay marriage and civil partnerships, so what are transsexuals looks for?”

LONDON – Following the resignation of Liz Truss, her 44 days in office — the shortest tenure of any British prime minister in history last Thursday, the conservative party met Monday and named has Rishi Sunak as the new Tory party leader.

Sunak is expected to travel to Buckingham Palace Tuesday to be appointed prime minister and asked to form a government by King Charles III. Sunak’s rise to head of the party came after after the only other candidate, Penny Mordaunt, dropped out of the race. Former prime minister Boris Johnson had hinted at a potential challenge to return but abruptly announced Sunday that he was not in the running to get his old job back.

pic.twitter.com/w76rEvJdyQ

— Penny Mordaunt (@PennyMordaunt) October 24, 2022

The 42-year-old Sunak is one of the wealthiest people in Britain, his wealth exceeds the fortune of the British Monarchy itself. The Washington Post noted that the former banker, and his wife, Indian tech heiress Akshata Murty, have an estimated fortune of about 730 million pounds ($827 million), according to the Sunday Times Rich List. On the 2022 list, the monarch was estimated to have about 370 million pounds ($419 million) by comparison.

Leading British LGBTQ+ daily publication PinkNewsUK notes that for Britain’s LGBTQ+ community there are divisions over Sunak’s taking over. Jayne Ozanne, the former government LGBTQ+ advisor and anti-conversion therapy campaigner, was among those to congratulate Sunak PinkNewsUK reported.

Ozanne told PinkNews: “In congratulating Mr Sunak on his appointment as prime minister, I would urge him to prioritise the needs of those who are feeling the most vulnerable and scared at this time of extreme uncertainty.

“This includes members of the LGBT+ community, many of whom live in constant fear given the toxic nature of the debate over trans rights, exemplified by soaring hate crime statistics.

“He has an opportunity to address these concerns directly by giving a clear commitment to a full ban on ‘conversion therapy’ and abolishing the barbaric Rwanda asylum policy.

“Moreover, I hope he will look to reset the clock in relation to the Tory party’s disastrous relationship with the LGBT+ community over the past few years.”

Others in the UK LGBTQ+ community were less enthusiastic the news site reported.

Longtime human rights and LGBTQ+ rights activist Peter Tatchell told PinkNewsUK:

“Rishi offered nothing to the LGBT+ community during his leadership campaign,” he said. “I am not hopeful about any progress on banning conversion therapy or reform of the Gender Recognition Act under his premiership.”

Tatchell called for an immediate election, adding: “Rishi has no mandate for anything. He was not elected by the British people. He was selected by a tiny group of just over 100 Tory MPs.

“There has to be a general election to ensure that our prime minister and his policies have a public mandate.

“Changing prime minister and government policies twice without an election is not democratic.”