Anti-trans activist posts poll to attack trans women – internet has other ideas
Venice Allen’s Twitter poll (Twitter)
An anti-trans activist who posted an online poll in a bid to attack transgender women has been left humiliated.
Venice Allen, who tweets under the handle ‘@DrRadFem’, created a Twitter poll asking “Are transwomen men?”
The 43-year-old frequently posts anti-trans views online and clearly expected followers to confirm her own prejudices by answering “yes”.
But in the best traditions of Boaty McBoatface, she was left red-faced after more than 17,000 social media users piled in – with very different ideas.
(Photo: Venice Allan /Facebook)
Some 79 percent of voters answered “no”, backing the right of transgender women to assert their own identity.
Just 14 percent replied “yes”, while five percent answered “don’t care” and two percent said “don’t know”.
Supporters of LGBT rights celebrated the result as more evidence that most people do not agree with anti-trans views.
Transgender women are women, most people believe (Twiiter)
The flop poll comes after Allen was reportedly handed a suspension letter by Labour Party bosses pending an investigation into alleged transphobic bullying and harassment.
Her social media feeds frequently feature anti-trans memes and statements, which have included posts targeted at trans prominent trans voices such as Paris Lees.
Taking to Twitter last week, Allen said that one of the transphobic memes was used in evidence against her in regards to her apparent suspension.
(Photo: @DrRadFem / Twitter)
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She posted the meme in question, which she claimed was partially responsible for her suspension, on Twitter.
Allen then continued to say that she hoped she was suspended if the Labour Party continued to support trans rights.
“If stating that males are men means that Labour don’t want me, quite frankly I hope they chuck me out,” she said.
The meme in question (Photo: @DrRadFem /Twitter)
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Speaking to PinkNews, Allen said that she was surprised by the claims of bullying while misgendering trans women as “trans identifying males”.
She said: “I’m very surprised that tweeting memes about famous men in politics and media, by an unknown single mother, is considered bullying and harassment.
“It is extraordinary that naming trans identifying males as men is so controversial and considered harmful.”
(Photo: Venice Allan /Facebook)
She continued: “A meme stating the simple biological truth, that ‘transwomen are men’ does not compare to the relentless harassment against myself which has included doxxing where I work, death threats and threats of violence, not to mention an overwhelming amount of misogynistic abuse.”
Allen then called being transgender “a men’s sexual rights movement” and said she remains determined to campaign against trans inclusion after her suspension.
“This suspension from the Labour Party only makes me more determined to campaign on this issue,” she said.
Labour Party flags (Getty)
A spokesperson for the Labour Party told PinkNews: “Last year new rules were introduced to toughen the Party’s stance against discrimination.
“This includes discrimination on the basis of gender identity. Allegations of abuse and discrimination are taken extremely seriously, investigated and acted upon if necessary.”
Her online presence frequently attracts criticism, with her tweets frequently called “bigoted” and “hateful” by other Twitter users.
Allan is also one of the people involved in a recent campaign to eliminate transgender women from all-women shortlists, stating her alleged involvement in the Lewisham and Deptford constituency Labour Party.
