WDI stands with Julie Bindel

June 2022

Nottingham City Council cancelled an event at Aspley Library where author and feminist campaigner, Julie Bindel, was due to give a talk to women about feminist activism to end male violence. The council took the decision to cancel the booking at the last minute because of ‘…the author’s views on transgender rights…' In its statement Nottingham City Council said, 'Once we became aware of this, we took the decision to cancel the booking. Nottingham is an inclusive city and as a council we support our LGBT community and have committed to supporting trans rights as human rights through Stonewall.’ This statement, issued by Nottingham City councillors Williams and Khan represents discrimination on the basis of belief in direct contravention with the Equality Act 2010.

Article 4 of the Declaration on Women’s Sex-Based Rights reaffirms women’s rights to freedom of opinion and expression. Women have the right to meet and speak about issues that affect them. For councillors to attempt to prevent a group of women discussing their lawfully held views is abhorrent. For one of these councillors to do so while holding a portfolio for ‘Inclusion’ is untenable. It is also disappointing to see local bodies continuing to follow advice from Stonewall, an organisation which has misrepresented equality law and is dedicated to promoting ‘gender identity’ ideology at the expense of women’s rights.

WDI have total solidarity with Julie Bindel, who has spent decades campaigning fearlessly for women rights, as both a journalist and a lesbian feminist activist, and will be asserting our status as stakeholders, as an advocacy group for women’s sex-based rights, in the upcoming investigation into the council’s statement and actions.