Cis woman interrupts anti-trans protest and instantly becomes an icon: ‘Trans women are women!’
Ally interrupts so-called gender-critical protest in the best way possible (Kellie-Jay Keen/YouTube)
A cis woman we can only describe as an icon interrupted a so-called “gender critical” protest in Manchester on Sunday (15 May) by posing as a speaker and shouting “trans women are women” to an unamused crowd.
At a rally organised by anti-trans campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen – also known as Posie Parker – an unnamed woman took the microphone to speak for trans rights after several shocking transphobic speeches, including one that described trans women as “Sarah who used to be Steve” and claimed “ambitious teenage boys” believe “transition can mean attainment of an important scholarship”.
The woman took the microphone after several other speakers, saying: “I just wanna say that I am a cis female and I recognise trans women in women’s spaces as alright, and I don’t think we need to protest that, I don’t think we need the vitriolic hate.
“Trans women are women!”
She continued to chant “trans women are women” while being booed by the crowd and chased by the protest’s organisers to try and get the microphone back.
The crowd chanted “trans women are men” as the woman was chased, with Keen eventually recovering the microphone and continuing to speak.
For the 3rd time… (sorry).
A Twitter friendly format of someone stealing PP's mic at the protest today.
(Was asked to include a t/w due to chanting at the end of this clip) pic.twitter.com/S8QsdFNVrT
— Banquo's Ghost (@_banquos_ghost_) May 15, 2022
The gender-critical protest also garnered criticism from an artist who created the work the speakers stood in front of, which includes several photos of survivors of domestic violence, titled I Am.
Allie Crewe said in a now-deleted tweet: “Today TERFs used my work in St Peter’s Square Manchester to hold a large anti-trans demonstration. They made sure a trans woman was in focus.
“I am greatly saddened that my work was re-appropriated like this and I do not share their views. I promote all human rights.”
Keen responded saying the protest was held there because they were unable to get to the statue of Emmeline Pankhurst due to a counter-protest by trans rights activists, a demonstration that caught the attention of JK Rowling herself.
“There is no conflict between women’s rights and our ideology,” Rowling said, mocking those standing up for trans rights in a tweet.
“To prove it, we’ve dressed up as ninjas to block public access to a statue of a suffragette. We’re confident this has done wonders for our cause and definitely isn’t an unintentionally hilarious own goal.”
