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# UK LGBTQ+ rights progress halting due to transphobia
- URL: https://www.scenemag.co.uk/uk-lgbtq-rights-progress-halting-due-to-transphobia/
- Published: 2021-02-20T13:30:17.000Z
- Updated: 2021-02-19T18:14:35.000Z
- Description: ILGA-Europe’s 10th annual report found the UK has dropped significantly in the equality index, moving from the top spot several years ago to 10th place now.
- Author: Rachel Badham
- Tags: News, Politics, ILGA-Europe, JK Rowling, LGBTQ, LGBTQ+ rights, Transgender, UK

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ilga-europe-logo-1.jpg)

**ILGA-Europe’s** [10th annual report ](https://rainbow-europe.org/country-ranking?ref=scenemag.co.uk)found the **UK** has dropped significantly in the equality index, moving from the top spot several years ago to 10th place now, which the LGBTQ+ rights organisation attributes mainly to the UK’s increasing hostility towards trans people. The UK is now lagging behind **Malta**, which holds the number one spot, as well as **Belgium**, **Luxembourg**, **Norway**, **France**, **Denmark**, **Spain**, **Portugal** and **Finland**.

ILGA warned that in some UK areas, hate crimes have been increasing, which it attributes *“in part to an increase in reporting, but also influenced by increasing hostility in UK-wide media towards trans identities and communities”*. It cited JK Rowling’s controversial statements on the trans community as an example of media rhetoric which is creating a hostile environment for gender diverse people: *“Anti-trans rhetoric continued to cause serious damage in the UK again this year. A prime example is repeated transphobic attacks by author JK Rowling, on Twitter and in her writing.”*

[![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/j-k-rowling-septembe.jpg)](https://www.gscene.com/news/seaford-school-drops-transphobic-jk-rowling-from-house-names/attachment/j-k-rowling-septembe/?ref=scenemag.co.uk)

The report continued: *“Her statements have been harshly criticised by trans people, activists and writers. A growing number of celebrities, including from Harry Potter films, have spoken out in support of trans communities.”* ILGA also expressed *“extreme concern”* over the UK [high court ruling](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/british-court-ruling-may-prevent-under-16s-from-accessing-puberty-blockers/) to prevent under-16s from accessing puberty blockers without legal permission. However, the UK was not the only place where trans rights are lagging, with ILGA advocacy director, **Katrin Hugendubel**, saying: *“The ILGA-Europe Annual Review 2021 shows a significant growth of opposition towards trans rights across Europe, which is beginning to have a wide and negative impact on legal gender recognition.”*

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/trans-rights-uk-600-400.jpg)