Anti-trans activists hijack the front of the Pride in London parade. | Photo: Gay Star News
When a group of lesbian activists blocked the Pride in London parade yesterday (7 July) to protest against trans people, the internet responded overwhelmingly by calling them out.
But perhaps the most vocal support for the transgender community came from lesbians themselves, wanting the world to know that the actions of a small minority do not represent the community as a whole.
So people started taking to social media and using the hash tag: I Stand With Trans People.
Anti-trans lesbians storm the front of the Pride in London parade. | Photo: Gay Star News
Chardine Taylor Stone took to Twitter to explain the motive for the hash tag.
She tweeted: ‘I really need my cis-lesbian sisters to be vocal and take a stand on this! I am proud Black Lesbian socialist and those women and their anti-trans message do not speak for me! #IStandWithTransPeople’
‘I am a cis female lesbian, I support trans rights’
In a truly remarkable show of solidarity, the love and support began flooding social media feeds across the world.
One group of cisgender lesbians even compiled a short video repeating the statements: ‘I am a cis female lesbian and I support trans rights – trans women do not erase me. Keep the L with the T.’
London Pride was led by TERF group; They call to take the L out of LGBTQ+. Calling CIS LESBIAN’s CREATE + SHARE A 5 SEC VIDEO ‘I am a cis female lesbian, I support trans rights – trans women do not erase me. Keep the L with the T’ #LwiththeT #notadebate pic.twitter.com/m2PpHQ4OyB
— Ellie Stamp (@StampEllie) 7 July 2018
Owner of Diva Magazine, Linda Riley, tweeted: ‘Dear Lesbians who protested the @PrideInLondon March yesterday – I just want you to know you do NOT speak for this lesbian. You promote hate, I promote inclusivity #IStandWithTransPeople.’
One Twitter user wrote: ‘Disgusted at the anti-trans protesters hijacking pride. Cis-lesbian comrades please be vocal.’
Another tweeted: ‘Shambolic. Trans people are not a threat to lesbians… or anyone else.’
Say it again for the people at the back #IStandWithTransPeople pic.twitter.com/vNmAVW7UXR
— Blonde, James Blonde (@jameszblonde) 8 July 2018
Many called out the small group of lesbians as TERFs – Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminists.
One Twiiter user wrote: ‘Disgusted by @PrideInLondon allowing TERFs to hijack #pride parade today. As a cis lesbian, I want to shout from the rooftops that TERFs do no speak for or represent me in any way.
She added: ‘Their actions are a disgrace.’
Another tweeted: ‘I am disgusted by the actions of a small group of TERFs [at] @PrideInLondon today. As a cis lesbian they do not speak for me. #IStandWithTransPeople.
‘I’ve made a donation to @Mermaids_Gender who provide incredible support to the trans community,’ she also wrote.
Anti-trans protestor: ‘Only women can be lesbians’
Speaking to Gay Star News, Jan Williams from Object said: ‘Transgenderism is conversion therapy. Conversion therapy is wrong.’
She continued: ‘Only women can be lesbians. A man who has surgery can never be a lesbian.’
Lesbian activists storm and block the Pride in London parade route. | Photo: Jamie Tabberer
In response to the lesbian activists hijacking the parade, a spokesperson from Pride in London told Gay Star News: ‘We do not condone their approach and message and hope the actions of a very small number people does not overshadow the messages of the 30,000 people marching today.’
They also blamed the ‘hot weather and in the interest of the safety for everyone’ for the reason why the anti-trans group were allowed to march at the front of the parade.
