All the latest free speech news can be found on the Free Speech Union’s Latest New page (please consider donating, or better still joining, while you’re there). The stories below are my selection of 10 recent media reports, ordered chronologically (they may or may not also feature among the Free Speech Union’s news stories).
I will, however, pin one story to these introductory paragraphs. That of a 6 December 2024 report about a Freedom of Information request (FOI) submitted to LNER to seek clarification regarding one of its carriages painted with new, ‘Gay Pride’, livery.
LNER considered it acceptable to label the FOI as ‘vexatious’—much like my Employment Tribunal claim against East Riding of Yorkshire Council was deemed to be ‘vexatious’ by Employment Judge Ian Miller.
One can’t help wondering: when will those free speech and women’s rights organisations that have the necessary resources and legal talent, mount a challenge to the idea that any and all gender-critical questioning of LGBT+ ideology is ‘vexatious’. Gender-critical people must be able to challenge gender ideology without fear of sanction or discrimination.
9 January 2025:
‘DEI Means DIE’
Amid the devastating California wildfires, Elon Musk sparked controversy with an X post declaring, “DEI Means DIE.” His bold statement comes after it was revealed that California state agencies have invested a staggering £406 million ($500 million) into Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. (International Business Times)
9 January 2025:
NHS board fails to gag tribunal of nurse who objected to transgender medic using the same changing room
A nurse who was suspended from work after complaining about a trans college using a female changing room has told of her joy after an NHS demand for an employment tribunal to be anonymous was rejected. (MailOnline)
8 January 2025:
L.A.’s DEI-focused fire chief, out-of-town mayor spark outrage amid wildfires
Kristin Crowley, the first woman and LGBTQ fire chief of the department, is being slammed for her commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives before massive fires broke out, devastating the area. (Toronto Sun)
18 December 2024:
Labour is accused of betraying women after insisting there is no need to change the law to protect single-sex spaces
Before the election, Sir Keir Starmer had insisted that ‘biological women’s spaces need to be protected’ and that men who legally change sex by obtaining a Gender Recognition Certificate do not have the right to enter female-only spaces. But now Labour has been accused of betraying women by insisting there is no need to change the law to protect single-sex spaces. (MailOnline)
21 November 2024:
Children In Need chairwoman Rosie Millard quits over £460,000 handed to scandal-hit trans group
Children In Need’s chairwoman has quit over £460,000 of grants awarded to a controversial transgender youth group hit by a series of child sex abuse scandals – by Tom Cotterill (MailOnline)
21 November 2024:
Nurses accuse NHS trust of putting them ‘at risk’ over policy which allows transgender colleagues to use women’s changing rooms
A group of nurses embroiled in a year-long dispute over a transgender policy have accused their NHS trust of ‘ignoring’ concerns for their safety. – by Jessica Taylor (MailOnline)
3 November 2024:
I was born black and male, but now I identify [as] a white woman – I know race is not real
Despite being born black and male, Ronnie – who uses the pronoun they – now identifies as a white woman, regardless of outward appearances, saying there is a ‘repressed White female identity’ inside them begging to be released – Maria Chiorando For MailOnline
2 November 2024:
Women’s rights campaigner forced from lesbian bar ‘after trans reveller complained about her presence’
A leading campaigner for women-only spaces claims she was kicked out of a lesbian bar after a transgender customer complained about her presence.
Jenny Watson, 32, says she was accused of ‘hate crime’ in the traumatic incident, and claims bouncers removed her with such force that she was left with bruised wrists (MailOnline)
30 October 2024:
Germany: Gender self-ID law fails to address implications for women and girls, says Special Rapporteur
The Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, Reem Alsalem, today expressed concern about the human rights implications for women and girls of Germany’s Gender Self-Determination Act, which allows the change in legal sex based on self-identification, removing previous judicial and medical requirements (United Nations) – Reem Alsalem
18 October 2024:
Public servant sued for saying sex is binary
I work in the Public Sector. I am being sued for being gender critical, and for co-founding a staff network of like-minded people – by Andreas Mueller (on crowdjustice.com)