Over 1300 British writers – across fiction, non-fiction, poetry, theatre, film, radio, comedy and television – have signed an open letter expressing their solidarity with the trans community in response to the Supreme Court ruling defining ‘woman’ in terms of biology, and calling the UK Art and Culture sector to do the same.
The letter explains: “The UK has become an increasingly hostile place for trans and non-binary people, with a 186% increase in hate crimes against trans people in the last five years. We are deeply concerned that this ruling will embolden a bigoted but powerful minority in their harassment of trans and non-binary people and attempts to hound gender non-conforming people out of public spaces. This will have consequences not just for trans people but for anyone who deviates from gender norms, making society less safe for everyone.
“This Supreme Court ruling contributes to the erosion of the rights of marginalised LGBTQ+ communities globally. This has been seen recently in Uganda, Hungary and the US, to name only a few examples. Transparency International UK, which aims to fight corruption worldwide, warned two months ago about the impact of private donors’ influence in British politics, “with the US showing what could happen here if money in politics is left unchecked”.
“The recent nomination lists for the Olivier Awards, the Booker Prize, and the T.S. Eliot Prize demonstrate the power of stories that challenge bigotry and intolerance, with LGBTQ+ writers and artists making vital contributions to the broad landscape of arts and culture, public discourse, and the economy. Cultural conversations are hugely important to how people are perceived and treated in society, and it is paramount that trans visibility, representation and protection be an ongoing and sustained commitment for all arts organisations going forward, with quantifiable efforts to promote trans voices and stories.
“We applaud Equity’s swift and emphatic response to the ruling, and the specificity of their next steps of active support for their trans and non-binary members, and we call upon others to join them. We urge other unions, theatres, agencies, publishers, and news outlets to sign this letter and make their own statements of how they will actively support their trans and non-binary staff, contractors, and service users.”
Among those adding their voices and signatures to the letter are: Aisling Bea (This Way Up), Moira Buffini (Songlight), Candice Carty-Williams (Queenie), Caryl Churchill (Play for Tomorrow), Michaela Coel (I May Destroy You), Russell T Davies (It’s a Sin), Elizabeth Day (How To Fail), Deborah Frances-White (The Guilty Feminist), James Graham (Dear England), Tanika Gupta (The Empress), Daf James (Lost Boys & Fairies), Morgan Lloyd Malcolm (Emilia), Alice Oseman (Heartstopper), Sara Pascoe (Animal), Max Porter (Grief is a Thing With Feathers), Nikesh Shukla (The Good Immigrant) and Timberlake Wertenbaker (Our Country’s Good).
Daf James, Playwright and Screenwriter, Lost Boys and Fairies said: “Everyone has the right to live without fear; to be recognised with dignity. These are human rights. Any ruling that takes place, without hearing the voices of those people impacted is completely unjust; and when that ruling means society feels less safe, and is less safe for that community, it is not a triumph of law – it is a travesty. In a progressive, enlightened society, seeming ‘oppositional’ truths have to be able to live side by side. We must find a way which makes space for all, in a humane way, without one ‘position’ attempting to erase, or worse, eradicate the other. Solidarity and compassionate justice means finding ways for antagonisms, which cannot always be easily resolved, to coexist. I fight for compassion, empathy, understanding, and dignity for all, which is why I stand in absolute solidarity with the trans and non-binary community.”
