Sandi Toksvig has prompted an outpouring of support for expressing her anger at anti-trans people in politics and the media.
The former Great British Bake Offpresenter said: “I am so distressed by people who call themselves ‘radical feminists’ but are anti-trans. I could weep. I don’t get it. It’s beyond me.
“When the feminist movement started in the 60s and 70s, lesbians were often excluded, because we were told that we would make the movement less palatable. I have been excluded myself, so how could I do that to someone else? It fills me with rage.”
Toksvig was speaking in an interview with The i newspaper to promote an upcoming performance with the London Gay Men’s Chorus.
A vocal LGBT+ rights campaigner for decades, Toksvig was one of Britain’s most visible lesbian women when she came out publicly in 1994.
She also founded the Women’s Equality Party in 2015 and is working on a campaign to remove unelected Church of England bishops from the House of Lords because of its opposition to same-sex marriage.
She said: “It’s shocking. They don’t deal with gay people or women in an equitable manner. And they aren’t some sort of obscure organisation – this is our state church.
“None of them have been elected. This is our parliament and it’s not OK. Be a bigot if you want to, in your own back yard – but don’t come and play in mine.”
Responding to Toksvig’s comments on social media, people immediately jumped to the TV stalwart’s side.
Broadcaster India Willoughby wrote: “Now here’s a classy lady. Graham Linehan [the screenwriter and prominent anti-trans campaigner] will be along shortly to tell Sandi she’s not a real feminist.”
Another person said: “Sandi had such an impact on me when I was growing up and watching number 73 [a 1980s British TV show].
“I’d never seen another woman like her and being a non conforming teenage lesbian who didn’t understand herself or her sexuality, Sandi was pivotal in helping me figure it all out.”
And a third added: “She’s fabulous isn’t she.”
As for Toksvig, she promised to go on campaigning.
She said: “I’ve been an activist all of my life. It’s a core part of who I am. We’re here, we’re making noise – and we’re not going away.”
link: https://www.indy100.com/identities/sandi-toksvig-trans-lqbt
Sandi Toksvig is one hell of a human being. Always enjoyed her presenting (especially on QI) but didn’t know this about her activism and inclusivity. Impressive!
When Stephen Fry left QI, I was worried that the show wouldn’t be as good without him. Sandi quickly disabused me of that notion
Same. I like to imagine him training her up for the role and how to deal with the constant interruptions from Alan Davies.
"Now, Sandi, you will be interrupted by Davies; said interruptions will be frequent and may try your patience. But you must not show weakness, you must not let him break your resolve.
To your right, I have placed a mannequin with a curly wig and a loudspeaker. I want you to prepare and read a speech on the different specialities of ants, while the mannequin interrupts you, without losing your composure.
Begin!"
Non-exclusive Radical Feminism, because it’s NERF or nothing
I’m also a fan of Feminism-Appropriating Radical Transphobes, because TERF is too kind a term
That is a far more apt and appropriate categorization. Feel free to break wind, but FARTs aren’t welcome.
Nothing worse than old FARTs.
I don’t really follow her or anything but it’s good to see this, back when she had started the Women’s Equality Party I remember specifically looking for info on whether they include all women and it being very hard to find/non-existent (this has quite probably changed since) and I was really worried they would pander to the TERF crowd…
"Be a bigot if you want to, in your own back yard – but don’t come and play in mine.”
Fantastic way to put it. I really like her style, she’s witty and cool.
Is that true about Graham Linehan? This will soil any future watching of IT Crowd, Black Books, and Father Ted for me.
100% true. He went deep into the anti-trans rabbit hole a number of years ago.
Oh, you didn’t know? He basically went off the deep end after people criticised an episode of the IT Crowd that glorified violence against trans women.
He literally does nothing these days but post transphobic bullshit on Twitter, which is why his wife left him and took the kids (lol)
I was a bit worried she’d be a terf, it’s really good to learn she’s not!
Different article covering the story on a website that isn’t riddled with ads after every two sentences of the story.
She’s fucking awesome
