SerpApi.Org
JK Rowling is to fund a legal challenge against Féile an Phobail’s decision to cancel an event by a group which claims that people cannot be transgender.
Ms Rowling made the announcement on X after the west Belfast festival cancelled the event, Respect, Rights & Reality, organised by the Women’s Rights Network Northern Ireland (WRN NI), after saying it had been “unaware from the initial submission” that it would “promote campaigns against rights for the transgender community”.
WRN NI, which says the event was a discussion of women’s sex-based rights, accused the festival of bowing to an “organised online campaign” involving what it described as misogynistic and threatening rhetoric directed at women associated with the talk, and of silencing “half the population”.
The group’s website states that it does recognise that people can be transgender.
“We recognise that sex is binary, female and male, and that sex is determined at conception, observed at birth (or in utero) and recorded,” it reads.
“We reject the co-opting of rare medical Differences in Sexual Development (DSDs) in order to cast doubt on the binary nature of sex.”
Upon cancelling the event, Féile an Phobail, which describes itself as Ireland’s biggest community arts festival, said it “takes pride in standing up for those who are marginalised and attacked”.
It said it has organised discussion events with the transgender community in recent years and fully supports the right of transgender people “to be treated with equality and respect”, and that it was on that basis the event was withdrawn.
In a statement, organisers said: “An event application was submitted to this year’s Féile programme by a group called the Women’s Rights Network.
“Féile an Phobail was unaware from the initial submission that this event would promote campaigns against rights for the Transgender community.
“Féile an Phobail takes pride in standing up for those who are marginalised and attacked.
“Féile was formed in 1988 at a time when the community of West Belfast was being attacked and demonised, and as a positive response to that demonisation.
“In recent years Féile has organised discussion events with the Transgender community, providing a platform to raise issues of pressing concern, and we fully support the right of the Transgender community to be treated with equality and respect.
“On that basis, Féile an Phobail has informed the organiser of this event that we are withdrawing their event.
“This event is no longer part of the Féile programme.”
The Women’s Right Network said: “Women’s Rights Network Northern Ireland is shocked and deeply disappointed that Féile an Phobail has cancelled our event, Respect, Rights & Reality, after previously accepting it into this year’s programme.
“Our event was a discussion on women’s sex-based rights. That was made clear to Féile when our application was submitted.
“This decision follows an organised online campaign against the event. That campaign included misogynistic, abusive and, in our view, threatening rhetoric directed at women associated with it. No organisation that values free speech should allow intimidation to determine which voices are heard.
“Féile describes itself as a festival of the people, of ideas, culture and debate. We therefore have to ask whether its commitment to free speech extends only to viewpoints with which it agrees and only to some people.
“Through this event women have sought to discuss their own rights. Féile has chosen to silence the voices of the very group that makes up half the population. Women are not a fringe interest group. We are half the population.
“Women advocating for their sex-based rights are not campaigning against the rights of others. We reject any attempt to misrepresent either our organisation or the purpose of this event.
“We remain committed to ensuring this important discussion takes place.
“This decision will not silence women.”
