On Sunday the 13th April Kellie Jay Keen (aka Posie Parker) held an anti-trans rally in Bristol, but met with strong resistance. on the 16th, the Sureme Court made a horrific ruling which will have dire consequences. Here we have a report back from Bristol and a short editorial on the ruling. After 2022 KJK's attempts to spread her hatred in our city had been even more disasterous. One rally that was cancelled completely in the fact of universal oppisition from groups across the city, and then of course her disasterous attempt to run in an election. She came last, with many of her supporters apologetically saying they voted Reform instead of for her, because Reform had a broader package of hate that targetted even more people. The Main Event What we were faced with was a small huddle of transphobes, noticably fewer in number than in 2022, and a veritable army of police. The police completely surrounded KJK's fans, and lined one side of the trans solidarity demo. The cop's commander directed evidence gathers, drone teams, mounted units, and a disturbingly high number of officers armed with tazers. Quite how they were pressured into bringing in that many resources so 3 or 4 dozen bigots could talk to each other is kind of a mystery. The cops intent to initidate was clear, but it was an utter failure. From the very first minute, until long after the bigots had gone the trans solidarity crowd was loud and energetic. So much so, that no one other than the bigots and the closest of the cops could hear what was being said. The police did allow confused passers by to walk through the paved area that KJK had occupied, allowing some ridiculous leaflets to be handed out. However most people stopped to talk to us after, with a genuinely impressive number binning her leafets or 'swapping' them for our trans solidarity ones. Those leaflets that wern't handed to those already on their way to support us that is! Kelly Jay Keen and her fans were self segregated from the rest of Bristol by their bubble of cops. They only gave speeches to themselves, and leaflets to the bins. In contrast we were free to move about, spread our message in the busiest areas, and have great and supportive chats with people passing by. I don't think I've had more people spontaniously join us than I had that day, and music, jeers, and pro-trans chants were the sounds of the day as far as anyone in Bristol was concerned. All of this and not a single heavy handed arrest, or assualt launched by the transphobes - though several of their openly fascist allies were spotted attemping to infiltrate our demo. So uh, why did she do it? I don't know what lies KJK and her cadre told each other as they retreated to Hort's Pub, protected by half the cops in Bristol. I do know she took to social media to declare that only her organisation and political party had the reach and understanding to fight the trans menace. After such a dismal turn out at the ballot box and the streets, it is very hard to imagine she believes that. I suspect she just wants backers with big bank acounts to believe it. Unforunately for her, they've largely dropped the more volitile street and social media activism, and are funding those firmly entrenched within the political and legal establishment. That doesn't mean her supporters aren't a threat of course. History has taught us that we can neverlet transphobes, homophobes, racists or fascists act unopposed in public. If they feel confident on the streets they will turn that against all of us. So next time the transphobic circus comes to your town make sure you stand with as many people as possible and show them the exit. Trans Rights, Trans Solidarity, Trans Liberation! ■ Words from a Bristol Anarchist. SUPREME CHAOS So lets be clear, sex (biological) and gender (social) are two different things, it's the job of society to decide which areas of life are split by gender and which are split by sex. So there's nothing inherently wrong with establishing biological sex as the default in law,(ignorant of our general ire to the notion of the law itself and accepting it as a framework of our society) as long as we have a clear view on where gender applies. This ruling does the former, without the latter: it pushes in one direction, creating the very uncertainty it claims to be trying to avoid. In doing so they hand a huge stick to those who have no empathy for trans people, to beat them with. The court itseld is conscious of this and even said so in the ruling, but still, the stick was handed out regardless. The result is that any space deemed a "womans", is now asterisked "Biological woman". Trans people across the board, have for countless years woven through our brutal society positioning themselves within the framework of a gendered society they didn't create and that overwhelming hates their existance, or at best views them as a curiousity and inconvienance. The main difference is whether you care about what happens to them. Anyone with a conscience should be worried about the backlash trans people will face as a result of this ruling. It's easy for Anarchists to dismiss the machination of the state, however there are real pramatic consequences to this shift in policy. As we've seen in America these past few months, the fickle liberal establishment will fold, corporations tear down their flags, an appeal to their facade of consciousness dismissed with a tapping of the sign, sorry love, government says Section 28. The Equality and Human Rights Commission administratively being captured by transphobes, now pushes the NHS to put trans-people into the wrong changing areas and wards etc, and said they will also do the same for prisons. This puts women at threat. This biologicial essentialism has never served feminism and is entirely rooted in a patriarchial social order that pushes a reductive, anti-intellectual, traditionalism, slitting the throat of liberties hard won for a false sense of security and more to the point the appeasement of the political centre, the core voting block now drowning in the rising tide of fascism and hate. Until trans liberation legal minds have gone over all 88 (really?) pages and cross referenced with multiple laws and practice, we'll have no idea the true impact and weight of this ruling. Let's be honest, even after that it may take more court cases to thrash out. Despite this, a number of powerful people and institutions, either transphobic of cowardly (or both) will purposefully take the most transphobic reading possible, and infact even go beyond it, assured their posturing will never get challenged in court and if it does, win or loose, the establishment and wealthy will have their backs Sure, Anarchists don't appeal to the rights granted by the state, never have. we've all long since known that the betrayal was long coming. Despite, what, twenty years of pride flag flying from the establishment, we have always been there, a voice in the background, telling you this would come crashing down. While things here haven't escalated to the extent they have in the United States, we are well on track and each and every day becomes the most important moment for the politically conscious to make the decision, which side are you on? Are you going to ignore the imminent threat faced by members of your community because it doesn't fit with your class reductionism or are you going to stow the shit and stand together and fight back? We need to stand up for ourselves where-ever and however we can, we need our long term accomplacies to stand with us. More than that we need everyone to have our backs, if you don't SPEAK UP STAND UP GET VISIBLE FIGHT BACK BE ACTIVE Make clear all the demands, for a life to live as who we are. If you read this and feel the instant reactionary snare in your mind, words like IDPOL, WOKE, DEI, LIB, and other such euphemistic nonsense flood to the front of your mind, if you feel the desire to appeal to a firm cause that you've only cared about since 2013 when the existence of trans people was purposefully selected as a weapon of the alt-right to forward popularist fascism, if you're an anarchist who thinks it's just a distraction from the real work... Fix yourself. If you've been called a transphobe and have even an iota of decency and want to work out why you are so very wrong on this issue and find a better way, start here. Some thoughts from a friend yesterday that sum it all up. "A heavy day. A cruel one. Perhaps we could say that "there are difficult days ahead" but in truth those difficult days are already here. The ebb and flow of popular chatter will today care about/denounce trans people and tomorrow be on something else. The daily hum of transphobia continues to mount, it is getting worst, there is no brighter side to this. So do what you can, continue to build networks of support and community. Organise Editorial Collective
NEWS FROM BRISTOL
So first, back story. When I first heard Kellie Jay Keen was planning another transphobic rally in Bristol I was genuinely surprised. When she held a public event here three years ago, she was resoundingly rejected by Bristol. Not just on the day, but in the weeks that followed. A huge pro-choice protest was held weeks after her visit, in response to the US supreme court voting to effectively prevent access to safe abortion for millions of women. Several of the speakers spoke in solidarity with trans people and how interwined the struggles were. One cis woman called out KJK's rally stating KJK was clearly not on the side of any women, and was met with huge appluase. Likewise, another week later at Bristol Pride trans people were front and centre, with cis LGBQ people continuing to welcome them with open arms and solidarity.
Further surprise was caused by how little notice we had. Still, Bristol's Queer, Trans, Anarchist, and Antifascist orgs are quick to act when needed. An anonomous call for action was received by multiple groups who started spreading it in person, on social media, and on posters put up in spaces around the city. It was heartening to see how we could come together in the face of attacks from bigots. On the day, College Green was awash with hundreds of trans people those standing in solidarity with us. Placards, flags and hand made banners created a sea of colour on the green. Legal Observers and Medics were present, masks, chant sheets, sunglasses, and other essentials were distributed, a multi-speaker sound system started pumping out tunes and a welfare and logistics tent popped up a little out of the way.
Kellie Jay Keen opted to hold a protest somewhere it obvious she was going to do poorly. It only really makes sense if driven by pure ego or a desperate attempt to stay relevent. She never really made the in-roads into feminist, gay and lesbian movements that she claimed, and any progress she did make has been undone by how brazen she has been in her fraternising with fascists and support for anti-choice christian fundementalists. Her attempts to court the far-right have likewise stalled. She is far from the top-tier of influencers amongst fascists and their friends, despite making sure to hit all of their favourite talking points; from transphobia and islamophobia, to conspiracies, and how boys should actually toughen up instead of learn about mysogyny and mental health.
Pictures from Fields of Light Photography. 
As the above report back was being compiled, the Supreme Court's ruling on the definition of a woman was delivered. Scores of reactionary bigots celebrate this as millions of people feel the infrastructural noose snap event tighter and the already precarious existance, especially that of trans women, becomes even more dangerous. This is fresh news which we've had little time to mull, but here are some resources for deeper reading.Pink News, BBCNews , Good Law Project, and a reassurance thread fromLGB with the T.
It means there is now formal, infrastructural, beurocratic, political, and legal support for the exclusion of 1-2% of woman. "So sorry, what you were born with matters more than how you've lived your entire life, more than who you are, it's just the rules, I'm just doing my job. It's not hate. Fuck you". Still, trans women are women, and legislation changes like this only serve to reinforce the subtle social femicide that we already face as services and support are restricted, as bigotry endorsed, and the light of solidarity dims.
Do your best to be vocal against transphobic readings of the news, and transphobia in general, from family, friends, colleagues etc.
Intervene when you witness derogatory comments towards a trans person, or if you witness any harrassment or attempts to intimidate. (link to safe gigs for women or similar guide)
Visbility is vital - not just ours, everyones. Join protests, wear trans positive clothes, put up stickers, posters, banners, graffiti. Put out trans solidarity from your political collective, your band, your boardgame club, your gardening club, everywhere. Set the tone.
Keep up the fight on all fronts. Do not just sit meekly by are your auntie goes on a rant, don't let your workplace, school, or social club drop their inclusive policy. With thought, words, and deeds, resist the tide of beaurocratic hate.
Don't just play defence! Call on more people than ever to stand up for trans people as indiviudals, we sure as hell know the state won't do so *especially* now.
To every Trans Woman feeling the weight of today’s news in our country...
You’re not the problem. You never been. I am ashamed of our government for using you in their political games.
...this world should have been gentler by now... More just. More free. Instead, it feels like the machinery of power is grinding backwards... not forwards... It’s shameful. It’s enraging. It’s heartbreaking.
Shout louder. Protect each other. Let no one feel alone.
We will not go quietly. Not now, not ever."
Share love, share rage, share solidarity in the night.
Step up and take the action needed. ■
Organise!
Thursday 17.4.2025