LGB Alliance co-founder Allison Bailey accused of ‘washing transphobic laundry in public’
Allison Bailey has announced she will appeal after losing her legal fight against LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall. (Twitter/Allison Bailey)
LGB Alliance co-founder Allison Bailey was accused of “washing transphobic laundry in public” by a colleague, a tribunal has heard.
Bailey, a lesbian barrister, is currently suing LGBTQ+ rights charity Stonewall and Garden Court Chambers, of which she is a member. She alleges that the chambers is guilty of victimisation and discrimination on the basis of her sex and sexual orientation, and that Stonewall caused this alleged discrimination because the chambers was a part of the charity’s Diversity Champions scheme.
The 52-year-old, who helped set up the anti-trans LGB Alliance in 2019, claims that “Garden Court took action against [her]” in response, launching an internal investigation over her involvement with the lobby group and over anti-trans social media posts. She also claims that the chambers withheld work from her.
Bailey’s employment tribunal began on 25 April, 2022.
Allison Bailey accused Stonewall of being ‘complicit in a campaign of harassment, intimidation and threats’, the tribunal heard
On Wednesday (4 May), the tribunal heard how Garden Court Chambers became a member of Stonewall’s Diversity Champions scheme, an “employers’ programme for ensuring all LGBTQ+ staff are free to be themselves in the workplace”, which Allison Bailey was vehemently opposed to.
The tribunal heard that in December 2018, Garden Court Chambers family law barrister Stephen Lue sent an email to employees to notify them that the chambers would be joining the scheme, according to The Independent.
Bailey’s email in response was read at the tribunal, in which she said: “There are many of us within the LGBT community who fully support trans rights but who do not support the trans-extremism which is currently being advocated by Stonewall and others in respect of the proposal for self-ID under a revised GRA [Gender Recognition Act].
“I emphatically object to any formal association with Stonewall.
“Stonewall has been complicit in a campaign of harassment, intimidation and threats made to anyone who questions its trans self-ID ideology, especially lesbians and feminists.
“Those who object or even question the Stonewall self-id ideology have and continue to be threatened, often with rape and serious violence – by self-ID trans women.”
The court also heard that barrister Michelle Brewer referenced Bailey’s email when replying to Lue, writing: “Great, now Allison’s wholly unfounded allegations are going to be aired… Nothing like washing our dirty transphobic laundry in public.”
Bailey has so far crowdfunded more than £500,000 to finance her case.
The tribunal continues.
