Trans Liberation Front Brighton calls on trans community and allies to “challenge Labour transphobia” at Brighton Labour Council Meeting

Trans Liberation Front Brighton has circulated information on a protest it is holding at Brighton Labour Council Meeting at Hove Town Hall on Thursday, October 19 from 4.30pm.

Last month, Brighton community groups, including Brighton Dyke Collective and Trans Liberation Front Brighton, slammed Brighton & Hove City Council councillor Alison Thomson for engaging with transphobic content on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter.

The Labour councillor has reposted or liked a series of tweets supporting the anti-trans TERF movement, which is spearheaded by controversial figures such as JK Rowling and Julie Bindel.

Following an apology by Alison Thomson, Jon Pike, unelected secretary of the Wish and Westbourne Labour Party, said he is “dismayed” by has treatment, and said she “should not have been disciplined or forced to apologise”.

In a statement, Trans Liberation Front Brighton said: “As you are probably aware, the Labour party is currently filled with transphobes that are adding nearly as much fire to the debate around our lives as the Tory Party are, causing immeasurable harm to our community.

“Recent developments have revealed that a local Brighton Labour councillor, Alison Thomson, has been one such politician to attack our community. She has been posting quotes by Germaine Greer that state “Just because you lop off your penis and then wear a dress doesn’t make you a woman”, posting the hashtag #TransWomenAreMen, and other vile hate.

“As Brighton is the LGBTQ+ capital of the UK, we find it incredibly worrying that people within our local government are publicly insighting hatred against our community. People will be organising a protest outside of Hove Town Hall on Thursday, October 19 at 4.30pm, during the time of the Councillors’ Meeting, in efforts to urge the local Labour group to remove Alison Thomson from their party.”