Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 21:12, 12 October 2023

FiLiA is a British gender-critical feminist organization established in 2013. Described by critics as anti-transgender or transphobic, FiLiA asserts that a conflict exists between "transgenderism" and "sex-based rights". It hosts an annual conference, which claims to be the largest of its kind. One of its key figures is Heather Brunskell-Evans, the founder of Women's Declaration International (WDI). It is known for its opposition to transgender rights and is described by The Daily Dot as "openly transphobic" and "opposing the idea that you can even be trans".

The organisation has faced accusations of transphobia and protests against its events, including from local authorities. The Trans Safety Network described the FiLiA conference as characterised by "a disturbing trend of anti-trans extremism, conspiracy theory and harassment of trans and GNC people" and said that "much of the content on their website indicates a hostility to trans women conspiratorial beliefs," noting that the group has promoted George Soros conspiracy theories. FiLiA has claimed that the organisation was banned from Labour Party and Liberal Democrat conferences. FiLiA has also accused "Antifa" of being behind claims that "FiLiA are a hate group masquerading as a feminist charity." FiLiA has published a document that states that "we support Liz Truss in saying no to self ID" and "the word woman is taken."

In 2020 cosmetics company Lush apologised for donating money to FiLiA and other anti-trans groups, after the company had faced extensive criticism, e.g. from the leader of Young Labour, Jessica Barnard, who said it was "disgusting to see Lush funding transphobia."

In 2022, the National Education Union executive passed a motion that described FiLiA as a transphobic organisation. In 2022, FiLiA also organised a conference in Cardiff where, among other things, the alleged threat of "trans ideology" was discussed. The conference featured several speakers known for anti-trans views, including Maya Forstater, Helen Joyce, Julie Bindel, Rosie Duffield and Sheila Jeffreys. Ahead of the conference, organisations across Cardiff signed a statement of support for all women and girls, both transgender and cisgender. Many businesses in Cardiff responded by flying the trans flag to condemn the FiLiA event. During the 2022 conference, some FiLiA participants tried to enter local businesses to complain about trans flags or complain about the presence of trans people, while two FiLiA participants were arrested for harassing trans people. Labour Students described FiLiA as "an anti-trans lobbying group" and said Rosie Duffield's behaviour "has gone beyond the pale and we echo LGBT+ Labour's calls that she should lose the Labour whip" after she attended the FiLiA conference, calling upon the party to "adopt a definition of transphobia deal with instances of transphobia more efficiently".

In 2023 Platform, the venue in Glasgow where the event was scheduled to be held, gave FiLiA 12 hours' notice that their conference would not be allowed to be held at the venue, after concerns were raised that FiLiA is a transphobic group. Glasgow Trans Rally said the conference was "dangerously transphobic," "encourages an environment which materially endangers trans folk, especially trans women" and that "the way that FiLiA’s transphobia operates is insidious. They deliberately veil their transphobia behind ‘feminist’ rhetoric in a way that is calculated, tactical and deceitful." The venue's cancellation resulted in legal threats, following which the cancellation was withdrawn for legal reasons. Glasgow LGBT rights activists and feminists announced a public demonstration against FiLiA on 13 October.

References

1. ^ "Platform backs down after bid to cancel gender critical conference". The Herald. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
2. ^ "FiLiA conference 2022: Transphobia, harassment and arrests at conference in Cardiff". Trans Safety Network. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
3. ^ "FiLiA Responds to NEU Transphobia Accusations". Retrieved 24 October 2022.
4. ^ "Lush UK has been donating money to anti-trans organizations". The Daily Dot. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
5. ^ "Venue forced to U-turn on cancelling 'transphobic' event after legal action threat". The National. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
6. "Let's talk about 'trans rights'". FiLiA. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
7. "Police investigate threat to burn venue hosting FiLiA in Cardiff". ITV. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
8. ^ Thurlow, Claire (2022). "From TERF to gender critical: A telling genealogy?". Sexualities. doi:10.1177/13634607221107827.
9. "Trans Activism vs Feminism (and the Wider World): Heather Brunskell-Evans in Conversation with Julian Vigo". Retrieved 24 October 2022.
10. "Portsmouth council flies trans and other inclusive flags outside offices". Retrieved 24 October 2022.
11. "Response to Malicious Complaints to Portsmouth Council and the Guildhall". Retrieved 24 October 2022.
12. "Women uniting". FiLiA. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
13. "Lush apologises after donating thousands to anti-trans groups". Dazed. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
14. "The trans movement has a problem with women". Spiked. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
15. "Labour Students stands in full solidarity with the LGBT+ community". Labour Students. Archived from the original on 26 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
16. "Conference to go ahead as lawyers overturn decision to cancel: The FiLiA conference, with speaker Joanna Cherry MP, had been criticised for lobbying against gender recognition reform". Stv. Retrieved 12 October 2023.

• Organisations that oppose transgender rights in the United Kingdom
• Advocacy groups in the United Kingdom
• Feminism and transgender
• 2013 establishments in England