Glastonbury 2023: Bimini protests government’s proposed anti-trans ban
Bimini has staged a protest against the government’s proposed anti-trans legislation that would see the trans community robbed of vital rights and protections.
The pop star and former RuPaul’s Drag Race UK contestant interrupted their set on the Greenpeace stage last night (June 22) to hold up a placard that read: “Bin The Tories Anti-Trans Ban”. Fans in the crowd were also seen holding up similar placards.
The Conservative government is proposing to change the legal definition of sex. In April, the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) published a letter addressed to then-Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch, at her request, endorsing the change and spelling out its implications.
Badenoch, who is now the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, said at the time that she was considering changing the law to create a legal distinction between those assigned female at birth and those who have transitioned [via Yahoo!].
If the law is changed then it would also result in a transfer of rights from trans women to trans men. This would allow trans men to be considered in “women-only” shortlists as well as giving them pregnancy and maternity rights.
It could also result in transgender people being legally barred from accessing spaces that accord with their acquired gender, such as single-sex bathrooms.
Bimini said on stage at Glastonbury: “If it wasn’t for trans people, I wouldn’t be able to stand on this stage right now. Trans people are the reason we got our rights, they were at the forefront of the Stonewall riots. If you’re a true ally, support trans people.”
Meanwhile, Bimini joins Self Esteem at the latter’s headline show in her hometown of Sheffield at the end of the summer.
On September 2, Rebecca Lucy Taylor will headline the Rock N Roll Circus event at the Don Valley Bowl, and will also be joined by Confidence Man, Bimini and Arctic Monkeys tribute band Arctic Numpties, the latter of whom she recently joined on stage at a gig in her hometown. You can buy your tickets here.
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Charlotte Krol
NME
