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Reposted

Jolyon Maugham KC

@goodlawproject.org

Mary-Ann Stephenson assumes - either from ignorance or malice - that trans people have no legal rights as trans. That is deeply troubling from someone holding her role - although hardly surprising given her history.

Awful - and hopelessly out of her depth (just as two Select Committees concluded).

December 14, 2025 at 11:58 AM

Reposted

Jolyon Maugham KC

@goodlawproject.org

Asked directly by Kuenssberg whether a trans woman is a woman Mary-Ann Stephenson can't bring herself to say yes. My role is enforcing the Equality Act, she says, and under that Act, no.

This is legally inaccurate - her role is far broader (see below) - and powerful evidence of her bigotry.

December 14, 2025 at 11:54 AM

Reposted

Ashleeee 🌊🪭

@reactiveashley.cat

Gosh, I should have mentioned in the witness statement 😂

Helen 🏳️‍⚧️✊🏻💕 @mimmymum.bsky.social · 20d

@lbc.co.uk posted this clip on X this morning, but for some reason decided not to post here (not enough Wes Streeting sycophants on Bluesky)???

It’s incredibly worrying that Wes seems to be running on ‘feelz’, because it definitely isn’t based on ‘evidence’ or ‘clinical advice’ as he claims! 😣

December 12, 2025 at 4:52 PM

Reposted

Ashleeee 🌊🪭

@reactiveashley.cat

Their statement

Out for Independence @outforindy.bsky.social · 24d

🚨 STATEMENT 🚨

Please read Out for Independence's statement on the Employment Tribunal ruling in the Sandie Peggie v Fife Health Board case. ✌️

An Out for Independence statement reading:
"Out for Independence notes that, in today’s ruling in Sandie Peggie v Fife Health Board, the Employment Tribunal dismissed all the claims of discrimination on the grounds of sex or sexual harassment that had been made against the Board or Dr Beth Upton.
We also note that, not long after a similar decision in BM Kelly v Leonardo UK Ltd, the Tribunal concluded that the Supreme Court’s decision in For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers does not mean that the Equality Act 2010 requires exclusion of transgender women from changing rooms.
We hope that future policies on inclusion will reflect the law and not be made in a rushed or kneejerk manner.
We also hope those politicians who tried to use this Tribunal to chase headlines by rushing to judgement over this case before the evidence had been heard will reflect on their actions. All those seeking justice, regardless of their views, deserve better."

December 10, 2025 at 6:32 PM

Reposted

Robin Ince

@robinince.bsky.social

Very sad that I felt I had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage - a victory for the transphobes and other bigots - I did it because so much of the media has chosen to believe the kind and empathetic people are a fiction - they are real and so often unrepresented.

This is the saddest day of my professional life.
Today is not only the final recording of the latest series of The Infinite Monkey Cage, it is my last ever Monkey Cage.
I never thought that I would have to leave the show. I always imagined going on until | dropped dead under the studio lights due to a brain aneurysm caused by my final attempt to understand notions of quantum gravity or the shock of being told about fly maggot infestations in the sacks of macaque monkeys.
I resigned in September, after sixteen years of dedication to the show,
A show that I named and helped develop over all those years.
Unfortunately, my opinions outside the BBC have been considered problematic for sometime, whether it has been voicing support for the trans community, criticism of Donald Trump, numerous other outlandish opinions, including once gently criticising Stephen Fry.
These things were considered to conflict with being a freelance BBC science presenter

In a recent meeting where BBC Studio executives again voiced problems with me, I realised my choices.
Obedience and being quieter to remain making Monkey Cage, or 'Resign and have the freedom to speak out against what I believe are injustices'.
•
I chose the latter.
It broke my heart.
I love this show and I love the audience, and it is because of the audience in particular, that this decision was so difficult to make.
I kept thinking about all the extremist voices promoting hate and division. They are being given so many platforms, while voices that represent kindness, open mindedness, empathy seem to be scarcer and scarcer.
I felt I couldn't pamper myself with the luxury of silence.
One of my many privileges is that I am able to resign and I can speak out even if it is to the detriment of my career.

I have thought a lot about my heroes, Sinead O Connor, James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, and so many more.
I think of Sinead's words, "the job of an artist is to be themselves at any cost".
James Baldwin said prejudice was really just a word for cowardice.
Audre Lorde, viewing her life, wrote that her only regrets were her silences.
I think of my father as I resign, he brought me up to believe in fairness , justice and kindness.
Though my heart is broken, it is also full of fire.
I apologise to our incredible listeners for my departure, your love of the show means a great deal.
I am so sorry to let you down.
I hope that you can understand my reasoning.
I have to accept that I am not what the current
BBC expects of their freelance presenters.

Despite this I should add that I have always worked far more than my contracted hours to try and ensure the show was always the best it could be, as well as making myself accessible and responsive to the audience wherever and whenever I met them. Every night, we have recorded, I have been filled with determination to make the best show possible. This was not
"just a job"
I hope that with my departure I can be a better ally to the LGBTQ community, to the neurodivergent community, to activists fighting against those who aim to brutalise society, to those currently in prison on hunger strike, and to all those who fight for a more inclusive world.
From many conversations, I know there are many Monkey Cage listeners who support these communities and activists too.
The strawberry is dead.
Long live the strawberry. B

December 13, 2025 at 12:02 AM

Reposted

Nicky

@nickycdr.bsky.social

Thank you for all the kind words and support. Can I please ask a favour? Can you spread this story as far and wide as you can. Share it with people you know, forward it to your MP's, anyone in the public eye that might be supportive. This is unbelievably horrific, and no one knows about it..

November 4, 2025 at 10:00 AM