PinkNews, Stonewall and more back trans community in Metro advert after anti-trans ad controversy

A full-page advert supporting the transgender community is published in the UK free newspaper Metro on Wednesday (October 17), with the backing of around 100 organisations.

The signatories vowing to support the trans community include PinkNews, Stonewall, Lloyds Banking Group, Channel 4, Citi, Tesco, Pride in London, Barclays and Amnesty International.

The pro-trans advert comes after Metro was criticised a week ago for printing a full-page ad paid for by anti-trans feminist group Fair Play For Women.

Both adverts come in the lead up to the public consultation on the government’s reforms to the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) ending on Friday. Proposed changes would make it easier for trans people to legally change their gender.

Fair Play For Women’s anti-trans ad in the Metro. (Nick Duffy)

The new advert was paid for by LGBT+ rights charity Stonewall and Diva magazine.

Stonewall’s advert reads: “To all our trans family, colleagues, customers and friends, we are proud to stand alongside you in the fight for trans equality.

“We support your right to be yourself and you deserve to be treated with dignity and respect in all parts of daily life.

“We will keep on playing our part to make that happen and we send you our support and strength in the face of the hostility directed at you. We are proud to come out for trans equality.”

Other supporters of the advert are Albert Kennedy Trust, UK Pride, Pride in London, Terrence Higgins Trust, ITV and Absolut.

The consultation for the reform of the GRA closes on Friday October 19. (Scott Olson/Getty)

A Stonewall spokesperson said: “We, along with 100 partner organisations, have created this advert to show our unwavering support for trans equality.

“Over the past year, we’ve seen a disturbing increase in hate directed at trans people in the media and online.

“We wanted to send out a clear message: we’re proud to stand with our trans family, colleagues, customers and friends and we will keep working, together, until we achieve equality for trans people everywhere.

“We encourage people to join our campaign to Come Out for Trans Equality and make sure they are being visible allies to trans people.”

Fair Play For Women’s advert referencing the government’s consultation on the overhaul of the GRA was printed in the Metro on October 10 and prompted criticism of the group and the newspaper.

The ad questioned whether “someone with a penis is a woman” and referenced transgender women as “male-bodied people.”

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) told PinkNews it will investigate whether the ad falls afoul of advertising standards. An ASA spokesperson said that adverts should not “contain anything that is likely to cause serious or widespread offence.”

For more information on the Gender Recognition Act reforms and to participate in the consultation, visit Stonewall’s website.

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