The Trans Agenda: Streeting exposed as Cass crumbles some more
News you need, the perspective you won't find anywhere else. The trans community's guide to UK news, media and politics and our place in it.
The Trans Agenda
[2 February 2025]
Follow me on Bluesky - @HLeeHurley.substack.com
UK & IRELAND NEWS
Wes Streeting under fire for meeting with pro-conversion therapy parents’ group [wearequeerAF]
Health Secretary Wes Streeting is facing another justified backlash after expressing sympathy for Bayswater Support Group, a parents’ organisation exposed for promoting conversion therapy and abusive practices against trans children.
In a “newly surfaced” June 2024 interview, Streeting acknowledged meeting Bayswater parents, describing *their* experiences as "traumatic." The following month, an investigation by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism revealed the group encouraged parents to send trans children to non-affirming therapists, isolate them from support networks, and destroy gender-affirming items.
Despite this, Bayswater was later invited to participate in a government consultation on banning puberty blockers for trans youth. Although 59% of respondents opposed making the ban permanent, Streeting sided with the 27% in favour.
Trans Kids Deserve Better, the youth-led activist group, condemned Streeting’s actions, calling it "diabolical" that anti-trans organisations had more influence than those “the ban directly affects”. TKDB were not invited to take part in the consultation.
The Department for Health and Social Care defended its approach, citing youth safety concerns but declined to address Streeting’s involvement with Bayswater.
Welsh government accused of breaking law over puberty blocker ban [BBC]
Former Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price and Children’s Commissioner Rocio Cifuentes claim the Welsh government acted unlawfully by banning puberty blockers for trans youth without assessing the impact on affected children. The ban follows the Cass Review.
Price argues the government failed to follow its own 2011 law requiring ministers to consider children’s rights, while Cifuentes says without an impact assessment, it is “impossible” to prove compliance.
The Welsh Conservatives back the ban, citing safety concerns, but the government, as standard, ignored trans youth while prioritising anti-trans narratives. The Welsh government says it remains committed to improving gender services. They say a lot of things.
Another study undermines Cass Review’s claims on trans healthcare [Health Nerd]
A BMJ-published study from York University has debunked key claims of the Cass Review, revealing that fewer than 10% of children diagnosed with gender dysphoria in the UK ever received medication. Just 4.7% were prescribed puberty blockers, while 8% received hormones—both numbers declining before the Cass Review began.
Despite moral panic over rising diagnoses, the study found just 0.044% of children had ever been diagnosed. These findings challenge the Cass Review’s justification for restricting gender-affirming care, exposing, once again, its flawed evidence base.
Waiting list for trans healthcare in Ireland exceeds 13 years [The Beacon]
The waiting list for Ireland’s National Gender Service (NGS) has grown to nearly 13 years, with over 2,000 people awaiting care. Latest data shows 749 active patients, up from 626 in 2022, with 162 removed from the list in 2024—a record high. Referrals rose by just 4% in 2024, suggesting a potential decline in engagement due to systemic issues. Critics call for a new model where GPs provide trans healthcare directly, as the current system remains unsustainable.
Keira Bell launches legal action against Wes Streeting [Telegraph]
Keira Bell, a detransitioner, has launched a legal challenge against Health Secretary Wes Streeting for not extending the UK's ban on puberty blockers to cross-sex hormones for trans youth. The Daily Telegraph presents Bell’s case as a continuation of her 2020 legal battle against the Tavistock Clinic, but fails to mention that her original ‘win’ was later overturned on appeal.
AROUND THE WORLD
ICC prosecutor cites anti-trans abuse in groundbreaking international case [Assigned Media]
In a landmark move, an International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor has cited systemic anti-transgender abuse as part of a groundbreaking case, marking a significant step in recognising gender-based violence as a crime under international law. The case highlights widespread human rights violations against transgender people, including discrimination, violence, and state-sanctioned persecution.
Advocates have hailed the move as a critical step toward justice for trans communities. The case could reshape international human rights law, emphasising the need for accountability in combating transphobia.
USA: School districts reject Trump’s anti-trans executive order [Erin Reed]
School districts across the US are refusing to comply with Donald Trump’s executive order mandating discrimination against transgender students, vowing to protect their rights despite threats of legal consequences. With legal challenges looming, many school districts are standing firm, rejecting the chilling effect of Trump’s order and refusing to abandon their transgender students.
USA: Trump’s order sparks crackdown on trans prisoners, violating protections [Guardian]
Donald Trump’s executive order banning gender recognition has led to trans women being placed in solitary confinement and threatened with transfers to men’s prisons. Reports from federal facilities, including FMC Carswell in Texas, describe prison staff removing trans women from their cells without notice, denying them gender-affirming healthcare, and mocking their identities. Civil rights groups argue this violates federal laws, including the Prison Rape Elimination Act, which mandates assessments to prevent sexual violence. The National Center for Lesbian Rights has filed lawsuits challenging these actions as unconstitutional, warning they will lead to increased abuse, assault, and deaths.
USA: EEOC chair pushes for transgender bathroom ban in workplaces [Erin Reed]
Andrea Lucas, acting chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), has announced her intent to enforce a federally backed transgender bathroom ban in private businesses, to match Donald Trump’s recent executive orders targeting LGBTQ+ rights. Lucas, a Trump ally since 2020, stated her priority is to “defend the biological and binary reality of sex”, signalling efforts to roll back protections established under Bostock v. Clayton County, the Supreme Court ruling that affirmed workplace protections for LGBTQ+ employees.
USA: State department halts issuance of gender-neutral 'X' passports [Daily Tribune]
The US State Department has stopped issuing passports with a gender-neutral “X” option following President Donald Trump’s executive order mandating federal agencies to recognise only male or female genders. This policy reverses a Biden-era initiative that introduced the “X” marker in 2021.
Thailand: Transgender services receive 145-million-baht funding boost [Bangkok Post]
Thailand’s Public Health Ministry has allocated 145.63 million baht (approx. £3.4m) to provide hormone therapy and other health services for 200,000 transgender people. This initiative aligns with the government’s policy on addressing health disparities by ensuring access to supervised hormone therapy and comprehensive medical care for transgender people.
SPORT
IOC Presidential candidates target trans people in bid to win position [Telegraph]
As the race to succeed Thomas Bach as IOC president intensifies, leading candidates are using trans exclusion in sport as a battleground issue to appeal to conservative factions within the Olympic movement. Sebastian Coe, Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr, and Kirsty Coventry have all taken anti-trans stances on gender eligibility, positioning themselves as defenders of "women’s sport" against so-called "gender ideology."
Coe, who has enforced World Athletics’ ban on trans women in female categories without evidence, presented himself as the only candidate with a proven record of restricting trans participation. During his campaign speech, he vowed to "protect and promote the integrity of women’s sport", a clear reference to his opposition to trans athletes.
Samaranch, too, emphasised the need for "unambiguous distinctions between men’s and women’s categories", while Coventry—despite being Thomas Bach’s preferred candidate—faced backlash from the GC cult for her role on the IOC executive board, which allowed two cis athletes egregiously disqualified from world championships to compete in women’s boxing at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The IOC election will take place on March 20. It is not clear how many female athletes will be abused by their coaches between now and then, but it will certainly be higher than the number of trans women trying to compete at the Olympics.
MEDIA
MailOnline and Daily Mail teams to merge amid major job cuts [Guardian]
The Daily Mail and MailOnline will merge editorial and commercial teams into a seven-day operation, leading to significant job losses. Staff face a 30-day consultation period, with some roles at risk of redundancy.
The move follows an October restructure, with Ted Verity as editor-in-chief and Danny Groom leading DMG Media. The publisher is expanding its digital subscription model, Mail+, which hit 100,000 subscribers and will launch in the US this year.
Doctor Who gets first trans writer [BBC Doctor Who]
Juno Dawson has been confirmed as one of the writers working on the new season of Doctor Who. She said, “I started watching Doctor Who with my grandma when I was 10-years-old in the 1990s. From writing fan-fiction for an audience of one, to scripting the best TV show of all time is truly a dream come true. I can't wait for fans and newcomers to see the new season.”
S*n lie about Ed Sheeran attending JK Rowling party [comicsands]
Ed Sheeran denied claims he attended JK Rowling's New Year's Eve party, calling reports by The S*n "divisive and damaging." The singer clarified on Instagram that he spent New Year’s Eve with family and friends, refuting allegations that he participated in events linked to the disgraced Harry Potter author.
Sheeran also addressed a separate false claim suggesting he entertained Israeli soldiers, explaining it was a charity initiative during a public concert in Cyprus. He urged journalists to verify facts before publishing stories, warning against the harm caused by misinformation.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Trump administration reverses PEPFAR HIV medication ban after backlash [LGBTQ Nation]
The Trump administration has walked back its abrupt ban on distributing HIV medication under the PEPFAR program following widespread condemnation. Last week, clinics receiving US aid were ordered to stop providing life-saving treatment, leaving vulnerable patients without access. Public health experts warned the decision could lead to a resurgence of the HIV/AIDS crisis, particularly in Africa, where PEPFAR has saved an estimated 25 million lives.
Argentina to remove femicide from penal code in attack on women’s rights [Guardian]
Javier Milei’s government plans to eliminate femicide from Argentina’s penal code, dismissing it as a feminist distortion. Justice Minister Mariano Cúneo Libarona argued "no life is worth more than another," echoing Milei’s claim that femicide laws unfairly prioritise women.
Recognised since 2012, femicide carries a life sentence in cases of gender-based violence. Amnesty Argentina’s Mariela Belski warned the move would endanger women, as 60% of female murder victims are killed by partners or family members, compared to 12% of men.
Milei has already dismantled the Ministry of Women, cut victim support programmes, and attacked abortion rights.
WHAT’S ON IN PARLIAMENT
Select business. Full business can be viewed here.
Wednesday, 5 February
9.00am private, 9.30am public, Committee, The surveillance of journalists and press freedoms in NI - Oral evidence. More here.
11.30am, House of Commons, Oral questions including topical questions from 11.53am, Women and Equalities, inc. “What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle LGBT discrimination in care homes.” More here.
12pm, House of Commons, Prime Minister’s Questions.
THIS WEEK
Monday, 3 February
10am, Peggie vs NHS Fife & Dr Beth Upton tribunal begins.
Former Spanish football head Luis Rubiales goes on trial over World Cup assault.
Wednesday, 5 February
Journalists Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney at committee session on press freedoms in Northern Ireland.
Report (UK): DWP figures on Cold Weather Payments.
Thursday, 6 February
Annual figures on homicides in England and Wales.
Hearing in US states’ request for injunction preventing enactment of Trump order on birthright citizenship.
Report (UK): Annual figures on social housing sales and demolitions.
Saturday, 8 February
Labour Party local government conference.
Sunday, 9 February
Elections in Liechtenstein, Kosovo and Ecuador.
THE PAPERS
This week, there was an increase in terms of numbers with the Telegraph publishing more than they managed in the previous two weeks combined (11 v 10).
The Guardian/Observer had nothing while the Mail had two articles and the Times three.
While you would expect the return of Donald Trump and all his anti-trans Executive Orders would account for the increase in numbers, the Telegraph has largely focussed on the UK.
Mostly, Trump’s vicious assault on trans people has been ignored by all the papers I monitor. They’ve given passing mention to him mandating that there are only two sexes, but have not drawn attention to the rest, given they agree with what he is doing.
Highlighting that to their readers might result in some of them asking the wrong sort of questions.
Quoted or mentioned this week:
JK Rowling, Rosie Duffield, Joanna Cherry and Sex Matters’ Susan Smith.
Sex Matters’ Fiona Mcanena on football.
SEEN in Health on the NHS ‘conflating sex and gender’.
Susan Smith of For Women Scotland on police using a gay man who has an OnlyFans account, in an ad (not included below).
Sex Matters’ Helen Joyce on public toilets.
LGB Alliance trustee Conrad Roeber complaining IPSO is biased towards trans people
Marguerite Stern on who a gynaecologist should treat.
How many GCs got a byline? Celia Walden, Amanda Platell, Daniel Sanderson (3), Andrew Pierce, Oliver Brown, Ben Rumsby, Jeremy Wilson.
How many trans people were quoted or got a byline? LOL
Spotted or know something you think I should include in the Trans Agenda?
THE PAPERS Monday 27 January - Sunday 2 January
Monday Total: 3
The Guardian [0]
The Times [0]
Daily Mail [1]
Telegraph [2]
![Anti-rowling drag queen welcomed to Downing Street Controversial figure said to have trolled female MPS and Potter author was invited to Burns Night party The Daily Telegraph27 Jan 2025By Daniel Sanderson scottish correspondent Sir Keir Starmer with drag queen Lawrence Chaney at No 10 as part of a Burns Night event A DRAG queen who criticised JK Rowling over her views on trans people was invited to celebrate Burns Night at No 10. Sir Keir Starmer was pictured alongside Lawrence Chaney, a former winner of Rupaul’s Drag Race UK, in an event Downing Street said was intended to “honour the life and legacy” of Scotland’s national bard. The move provoked a backlash over controversial remarks previously made by Chaney, who was heavily made up and in Scottish dress for the event, including accusing the Harry Potter author of stoking up “hate” towards transgender people. Chaney also recently shared a post on X, which appeared to compare women concerned at the loss of single-sex spaces to racist segregationists in 1960s America. Rosie Duffield, an ex-labour MP who now sits as an Independent, said: “I’d be interested to know whether the Prime Minister’s staff briefed him on this drag performer’s historic online trolling of women MPS and JK Rowling before he posed for photographs with him.” In the post shared by Chaney in November, an image of US Congresswoman Nancy Mace, in front of a sign which says “biological” in front of women on a bathroom door, is set alongside a woman smiling in front of a “white women only” bathroom door in 1962 Mississippi. The author of the original post, which Chaney shared with more than 160,000 followers, stated “it’s always about the bathrooms” in an apparent attempt to conflate gender-critical women with racists. Chaney, a biological male, has described their own gender as “ever-evolving” and “fluid”, writing in a 2021 book that “I still don’t know if I am male, female, or somewhere in between”. The drag queen has an upcoming nationwide tour titled Memoirs From My Sh-gpipes. A picture of Chaney alongside the Prime Minister was the first in a collection posted by No 10 on social media to mark its Burns Night celebration, which was held last week. In comments made last year on a Rupaul’s Drag Race spin-off show, Chaney complained that drag and trans people were being “demonised” and questioned whether this was because “the author of Harry Potter tells you to hate trans people”. Rowling, who lives in Edinburgh, has repeatedly stressed that she is not transphobic, but does not believe that self-proclaimed gender identity is more important than biological sex. Chaney, in social media posts last June, urged the author to “stop vilifying trans people” and mocked her claims that she had repeatedly been subjected to death threats as a result of speaking out. The drag queen claimed the “richest author in the world” was trying to “act like she’s at any risk around trans people”. Chaney added: “JK ur [sic] so rich you don’t grocery shop, you don’t go out, if you do I’m sure security are on the pay roll”. Chaney also mocked Joanna Cherry KC, the gender-critical former SNP MP, after she lost her seat at July’s election. She shared one post which labelled Ms Cherry a “terf”, an acronym for trans-exclusionary radical feminist, which is used as a slur for women who oppose trans rights. Susan Smith, of the For Women Scotland campaign group, accused the Prime Minister of insulting Scottish women by inviting Chaney to the event. Ms Smith said: “It seems there is no event these days that doesn’t feature a drag queen. Drag is traditionally highly sexualised and often offensive. Many women also believe it to be sexist, relying on stereotypes and crude characterisations of women.” No 10 declined to comment. A representative for Chaney has been approached for comment. Article Name:Anti-rowling drag queen welcomed to Downing Street Publication:The Daily Telegraph Author:By Daniel Sanderson scottish correspondent Start Page:4 End Page:4](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!D_uO!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F59ce4ae7-cfe2-4ce4-8522-1014fbfd6392_753x671.jpeg "Anti-rowling drag queen welcomed to Downing Street Controversial figure said to have trolled female MPS and Potter author was invited to Burns Night party The Daily Telegraph27 Jan 2025By Daniel Sanderson scottish correspondent Sir Keir Starmer with drag queen Lawrence Chaney at No 10 as part of a Burns Night event A DRAG queen who criticised JK Rowling over her views on trans people was invited to celebrate Burns Night at No 10. Sir Keir Starmer was pictured alongside Lawrence Chaney, a former winner of Rupaul’s Drag Race UK, in an event Downing Street said was intended to “honour the life and legacy” of Scotland’s national bard. The move provoked a backlash over controversial remarks previously made by Chaney, who was heavily made up and in Scottish dress for the event, including accusing the Harry Potter author of stoking up “hate” towards transgender people. Chaney also recently shared a post on X, which appeared to compare women concerned at the loss of single-sex spaces to racist segregationists in 1960s America. Rosie Duffield, an ex-labour MP who now sits as an Independent, said: “I’d be interested to know whether the Prime Minister’s staff briefed him on this drag performer’s historic online trolling of women MPS and JK Rowling before he posed for photographs with him.” In the post shared by Chaney in November, an image of US Congresswoman Nancy Mace, in front of a sign which says “biological” in front of women on a bathroom door, is set alongside a woman smiling in front of a “white women only” bathroom door in 1962 Mississippi. The author of the original post, which Chaney shared with more than 160,000 followers, stated “it’s always about the bathrooms” in an apparent attempt to conflate gender-critical women with racists. Chaney, a biological male, has described their own gender as “ever-evolving” and “fluid”, writing in a 2021 book that “I still don’t know if I am male, female, or somewhere in between”. The drag queen has an upcoming nationwide tour titled Memoirs From My Sh-gpipes. A picture of Chaney alongside the Prime Minister was the first in a collection posted by No 10 on social media to mark its Burns Night celebration, which was held last week. In comments made last year on a Rupaul’s Drag Race spin-off show, Chaney complained that drag and trans people were being “demonised” and questioned whether this was because “the author of Harry Potter tells you to hate trans people”. Rowling, who lives in Edinburgh, has repeatedly stressed that she is not transphobic, but does not believe that self-proclaimed gender identity is more important than biological sex. Chaney, in social media posts last June, urged the author to “stop vilifying trans people” and mocked her claims that she had repeatedly been subjected to death threats as a result of speaking out. The drag queen claimed the “richest author in the world” was trying to “act like she’s at any risk around trans people”. Chaney added: “JK ur [sic] so rich you don’t grocery shop, you don’t go out, if you do I’m sure security are on the pay roll”. Chaney also mocked Joanna Cherry KC, the gender-critical former SNP MP, after she lost her seat at July’s election. She shared one post which labelled Ms Cherry a “terf”, an acronym for trans-exclusionary radical feminist, which is used as a slur for women who oppose trans rights. Susan Smith, of the For Women Scotland campaign group, accused the Prime Minister of insulting Scottish women by inviting Chaney to the event. Ms Smith said: “It seems there is no event these days that doesn’t feature a drag queen. Drag is traditionally highly sexualised and often offensive. Many women also believe it to be sexist, relying on stereotypes and crude characterisations of women.” No 10 declined to comment. A representative for Chaney has been approached for comment. Article Name:Anti-rowling drag queen welcomed to Downing Street Publication:The Daily Telegraph Author:By Daniel Sanderson scottish correspondent Start Page:4 End Page:4")
![Nurse allowed to refer to transgender doctor as a man, says judge The Daily Telegraph27 Jan 2025By Daniel Sanderson scottish correspondent A NURSE can refer to a transgender doctor she claims she was forced to get changed in front of at work as a man, a tribunal has ruled. Employment judge Sandy Kemp rejected an NHS request to impose an order on Sandie Peggie, which would have prevented her from using male pronouns or terms to refer to Beth Upton, a biologically male doctor who identifies as a woman. Despite NHS Fife insisting that both the “sex and gender” of Dr Upton is female and that allowing “misgendering” would amount to unlawful harassment, the judge said forcing Ms Peggie and her lawyers to use terms they consider “inaccurate” would be unfair. Ms Peggie believes that Dr Upton is male and therefore should not have been in female changing rooms in Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, where she says she encountered them on three occasions. She is taking action against both NHS Fife and Dr Upton personally in a case that could have wider implications for how easily transgender women can access female single-sex spaces. Mr Kemp also said the tribunal itself should use “neutral” terms for Dr Upton as “standard practice”, following claims that panel members referring to the medic as a female could imply bias. However, the direction is not binding and pronouns may be used where “considered appropriate”. The victory for Ms Peggie, in advance of hearings getting underway, follows failed attempts by NHS Fife to hold proceedings in secret and to prevent Dr Upton’s identity being disclosed. “NHS Fife has tried hard to keep the case out of the news,” Fiona Mcanena, the director of campaigns at Sex Matters, a group backing Ms Peggie, said. “They also tried to prevent Sandie giving her evidence clearly and truthfully. But this whole case is centred on the fact that he [Dr Upton] is a male who uses a female changing room. The use of a female name does not make him female.” Mr Kemp acknowledged that “misgendering” of Dr Upton is likely to prove “painful and distressing” but said he was not convinced by claims that, in the context of an employment tribunal, it would in itself amount to unlawful harassment. Mr Kemp also rejected a bid by NHS Fife to ban Tribunal Tweets, a social media account with a particular interest in gender cases, from posting live updates of the hearings. Jane Russell, the lawyer representing NHS Fife and Dr Upton, had claimed she had “serious concerns” about the “citizen journalist” platform, which she argued would present a warped version of events. However, Mr Kemp said Tribunal Tweets would be permitted to report live updates so long as they were “fair and accurate”. A 10-day hearing is due to begin on Feb 3. Article Name:Nurse allowed to refer to transgender doctor as a man, says judge Publication:The Daily Telegraph Author:By Daniel Sanderson scottish correspondent Start Page:6 End Page:6](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!eIw6!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3b8ea96b-abea-453b-8536-cf47a36bdc85_1510x304.jpeg "Nurse allowed to refer to transgender doctor as a man, says judge The Daily Telegraph27 Jan 2025By Daniel Sanderson scottish correspondent A NURSE can refer to a transgender doctor she claims she was forced to get changed in front of at work as a man, a tribunal has ruled. Employment judge Sandy Kemp rejected an NHS request to impose an order on Sandie Peggie, which would have prevented her from using male pronouns or terms to refer to Beth Upton, a biologically male doctor who identifies as a woman. Despite NHS Fife insisting that both the “sex and gender” of Dr Upton is female and that allowing “misgendering” would amount to unlawful harassment, the judge said forcing Ms Peggie and her lawyers to use terms they consider “inaccurate” would be unfair. Ms Peggie believes that Dr Upton is male and therefore should not have been in female changing rooms in Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, where she says she encountered them on three occasions. She is taking action against both NHS Fife and Dr Upton personally in a case that could have wider implications for how easily transgender women can access female single-sex spaces. Mr Kemp also said the tribunal itself should use “neutral” terms for Dr Upton as “standard practice”, following claims that panel members referring to the medic as a female could imply bias. However, the direction is not binding and pronouns may be used where “considered appropriate”. The victory for Ms Peggie, in advance of hearings getting underway, follows failed attempts by NHS Fife to hold proceedings in secret and to prevent Dr Upton’s identity being disclosed. “NHS Fife has tried hard to keep the case out of the news,” Fiona Mcanena, the director of campaigns at Sex Matters, a group backing Ms Peggie, said. “They also tried to prevent Sandie giving her evidence clearly and truthfully. But this whole case is centred on the fact that he [Dr Upton] is a male who uses a female changing room. The use of a female name does not make him female.” Mr Kemp acknowledged that “misgendering” of Dr Upton is likely to prove “painful and distressing” but said he was not convinced by claims that, in the context of an employment tribunal, it would in itself amount to unlawful harassment. Mr Kemp also rejected a bid by NHS Fife to ban Tribunal Tweets, a social media account with a particular interest in gender cases, from posting live updates of the hearings. Jane Russell, the lawyer representing NHS Fife and Dr Upton, had claimed she had “serious concerns” about the “citizen journalist” platform, which she argued would present a warped version of events. However, Mr Kemp said Tribunal Tweets would be permitted to report live updates so long as they were “fair and accurate”. A 10-day hearing is due to begin on Feb 3. Article Name:Nurse allowed to refer to transgender doctor as a man, says judge Publication:The Daily Telegraph Author:By Daniel Sanderson scottish correspondent Start Page:6 End Page:6")
Tuesday Total: 2
The Guardian [0]
The Times [0]
Daily Mail [0]
Telegraph [2]
Wednesday Total: 4
The Guardian [0]
The Times [0]
Daily Mail [1]
Telegraph [3]
Thursday Total: 0
Friday Total: 5
The Guardian [0]
The Times [2]
Daily Mail [0]
Telegraph [3]
![Press regulator ‘not impartial on trans issues’ Ipso has a cosy relationship with the controversial charity Mermaids, claims independent consultant The Daily Telegraph31 Jan 2025By Albert Tait THE Press watchdog has been accused of having a “cosy” relationship with a transgender charity by a former adviser. The Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso) hired Conrad Roeber, a management consultant, in 2019 to write an independent report on how the press treated trans-related issues. Mr Roeber has now accused Ipso of editing his report because of influence from the pro-trans lobby, including the controversial charity Mermaids, to make it more favourable to their views. He claimed the watchdog holds an “apparent bias” towards pro-transgender beliefs. Ipso has previously drawn criticism for its rulings on trans-related issues, such as its judgment in a trans writer case against The Spectator last year. The report looked at 12,000 articles about transgender issues from May 2009 to May 2019 and examined 11 key events from this period. Mr Roeber found that Ipso’s guidance on pronouns was “problematic for certain types of coverage” and pointed to reports about Karen White, a rapist who now identifies as female, that included the phrase “her penis”. He said Ipso gave him feedback on “draft after draft of the report” asking him to take what they described as a more balanced approach towards transgender beliefs. One of these requested changes, he claimed, was that he referred to White as “she” in the report. “I had no choice but to comply,” he told The Spectator. The reasons for the changes, Mr Roeber claimed, is because pro-transgender charities “were lobbying hard to promote their narrative” in the media. While Mr Roeber was writing his report, he was copied into an email from Charlotte Urwin, the watchdog’s former head of standards, to Susie Green, Mermaids’ chief executive officer at the time. In the email, seen by The Telegraph, Ms Urwin referred to “an enjoyable evening speaking to members of Mermaids and… setting the world to rights”. Mr Roeber claimed there was “a warm, almost cosy tone to their exchanges. It felt less like neutral arbitration and more like an ideological alignment”. Both Mermaids and Gendered Intelligence, another charity, raised concerns about his interview afterwards. Ipso allowed the charities to be interviewed again by someone else. Mr Roeber was told charities found his tone “confrontational and challenging” and complained his views were “gender critical”. Mr Roeber holds the belief that it is not possible for a person to change sex. An Ipso spokesman said: “These claims relate to research commissioned by Ipso six years ago, [presenting] a range of views on reporting of gender and sex. Ipso has always been clear that the Editors’ Code does not specify appropriate or acceptable terminology in this area. This is underlined in refreshed guidance issued last year on this subject, which states expressly that journalists and editors should take a view of how to meet the obligations under the Editors’ Code of Practice.” Article Name:Press regulator ‘not impartial on trans issues’ Publication:The Daily Telegraph Author:By Albert Tait Start Page:10 End Page:10](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2zqd!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdefdc626-00cb-4ecf-9196-042836c9adba_1521x348.png "Press regulator ‘not impartial on trans issues’ Ipso has a cosy relationship with the controversial charity Mermaids, claims independent consultant The Daily Telegraph31 Jan 2025By Albert Tait THE Press watchdog has been accused of having a “cosy” relationship with a transgender charity by a former adviser. The Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso) hired Conrad Roeber, a management consultant, in 2019 to write an independent report on how the press treated trans-related issues. Mr Roeber has now accused Ipso of editing his report because of influence from the pro-trans lobby, including the controversial charity Mermaids, to make it more favourable to their views. He claimed the watchdog holds an “apparent bias” towards pro-transgender beliefs. Ipso has previously drawn criticism for its rulings on trans-related issues, such as its judgment in a trans writer case against The Spectator last year. The report looked at 12,000 articles about transgender issues from May 2009 to May 2019 and examined 11 key events from this period. Mr Roeber found that Ipso’s guidance on pronouns was “problematic for certain types of coverage” and pointed to reports about Karen White, a rapist who now identifies as female, that included the phrase “her penis”. He said Ipso gave him feedback on “draft after draft of the report” asking him to take what they described as a more balanced approach towards transgender beliefs. One of these requested changes, he claimed, was that he referred to White as “she” in the report. “I had no choice but to comply,” he told The Spectator. The reasons for the changes, Mr Roeber claimed, is because pro-transgender charities “were lobbying hard to promote their narrative” in the media. While Mr Roeber was writing his report, he was copied into an email from Charlotte Urwin, the watchdog’s former head of standards, to Susie Green, Mermaids’ chief executive officer at the time. In the email, seen by The Telegraph, Ms Urwin referred to “an enjoyable evening speaking to members of Mermaids and… setting the world to rights”. Mr Roeber claimed there was “a warm, almost cosy tone to their exchanges. It felt less like neutral arbitration and more like an ideological alignment”. Both Mermaids and Gendered Intelligence, another charity, raised concerns about his interview afterwards. Ipso allowed the charities to be interviewed again by someone else. Mr Roeber was told charities found his tone “confrontational and challenging” and complained his views were “gender critical”. Mr Roeber holds the belief that it is not possible for a person to change sex. An Ipso spokesman said: “These claims relate to research commissioned by Ipso six years ago, [presenting] a range of views on reporting of gender and sex. Ipso has always been clear that the Editors’ Code does not specify appropriate or acceptable terminology in this area. This is underlined in refreshed guidance issued last year on this subject, which states expressly that journalists and editors should take a view of how to meet the obligations under the Editors’ Code of Practice.” Article Name:Press regulator ‘not impartial on trans issues’ Publication:The Daily Telegraph Author:By Albert Tait Start Page:10 End Page:10")
Saturday Total: 2
The Guardian [0]
The Times [1]
Daily Mail [1]
Telegraph [0]
Sunday Total: 1
The Observer [0]
The Sunday Times [0]
Mail on Sunday [0]
Sunday Telegraph [1]
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