#LwiththeT shows cis lesbian support for trans women
Pride is a celebration of everything the LGBT community is and has fought for. When the Pride in London parade ended up led by a group who deliberately disrupted the parade with an anti-trans message, lesbians took to Twitter to share messages of solidarity with trans women.
Brighton and Hove LGBT activists decided to take social media action against the messages that Get The L Out carried on banners and distributed leaflets saying at Pride, that trans women “erase” cis lesbianism.
PinkNews reported on the hijack of the parade and the Mayor of London’s condemnatory response.
Organisers created the hashtag #LwiththeT to contradict the hijackers’ #GetTheLOut. They asked cis lesbians who support trans rights and recognise trans women as women to show solidarity by recording 5-second videos with the message-
I am a cis female lesbian, I support trans rights – trans women do not erase me. Keep the L with the T.
Organisers said today “We did not want this small section of the lesbian community to claim to speak on behalf of all cisgender lesbians, or allow their hatred and call for separatism to lead the parade.
“This is a way to show love to our trans sisters in this difficult time. We are firm in our knowledge that trans women are women and trans lives are not up for debate. The action counters the onslaught of sensationalist headlines with a clear message of love and solidarity between all women.”
Videos were posted with the hashtag #LwiththeT and #notadebate to reflect the editorial decisions of some media that seem to have put trans lives up for debate by cis journalists.
London Pride was led by TERF group; They call to take the L out of LGBTQ+. Calling CIS LESBIAN's CREATE + SHARE A 5 SEC VIDEO 'I am a cis female lesbian, I support trans rights – trans women do not erase me. Keep the L with the T’ #LwiththeT #notadebate pic.twitter.com/m2PpHQ4OyB
— Chiron Stamp (@StampEllie) July 7, 2018
Can't imagine what it must be like to go to pride and have your existence denied by members of your own community. As a cis lesbian I stand in love and solidarity with trans people #LwiththeT— Catriona Livingstone (@CatrionaWL) July 8, 2018
This lesbian vicar is too hungover for any transphobic nonsense today. #LWithTheT #inflatablechurch pic.twitter.com/TlEXnXfC5H— Hannah Maxwell (@_HannahMaxwell) July 8, 2018
Thousands of messages were posted to the hashtag, which is still going.
The organisers of the hashtag said today that they did not accept Pride in London’s apology as going far enough.
“As much as we are happy about the countless solidarity statements under #LwiththeT, we also see that the organisers of London Pride have repeatedly showed that they don’t care about the most marginalised people under the LGBTIQA+ umbrella. Once again, Black Lives Matter UK has pointed out that London Pride allows the Police, the Army, the Navy and the arms seller BAE to march. By doing so, London Pride gives institutions a platform that are known to cause harm to members of the LGBTQIA+ community, especially to those that are Black and People of Colour.
“The organiser issued an apology about the transphobic protest at the event, but this is not enough. We believe that London Pride should put their money where their apology is and use some of their corporate sponsorship money to donate to small charities, such as ‘Action for Trans Health’, which are lifelines giving direct support to the trans community. The harm caused to the community cannot be underestimated, and London Pride has a duty of care to the communities it supposedly represents. Pride was started by sex working trans women of colour, who protested against the police and the structures they represent. London Pride needs to recognise and live up to its history.”
