Lisa Nandy wears “Protect the Dolls” shirt amid Labour’s troubled trans rights record
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Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has reignited the conversation around trans rights in the UK after wearing a 'Protect the Dolls' T-shirt at a Pride event in Wigan amid her party's troubled trans rights record.
'Protect the Dolls', a slogan that has emerged as a powerful symbol of solidarity with trans women, was popularised by American fashion designer Conner Ives, who debuted the slogan on a white T-shirt during London Fashion Week in February 2025. It quickly went viral after being worn by celebrities like Pedro Pascal, Troye Sivan, and Tilda Swinton.
While some have praised Nandy's move, it comes at a time when the Labour Party faces growing criticism over its stance on trans rights. In May 2025, Labour announced it would postpone its national women’s conference and restrict participation in women’s officer roles and all-women shortlists to 'biological women', following a Supreme Court ruling that redefined “woman” under the Equality Act to mean sex assigned at birth.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer subsequently welcomed the ruling, calling it a source of “real clarity”.
According to GenderGP, 2025 has seen a surge in legislative and institutional attacks on trans people, including restricted access to gender-affirming healthcare and legal setbacks that undermine trans inclusion in public life.
The NHS now limits puberty blockers to clinical trials only, leaving many trans youth without essential care. Waiting times for gender identity services exceed five years, effectively denying treatment to thousands.
Meanwhile, hate crimes against trans people remain alarmingly high. In England and Wales, 4,780 transgender hate crimes were recorded in 2023/24, a slight increase from the previous year and nearly double the number from five years ago.
