Baroness Nicholson continues her campaign against LGBTQ+ rights this week, and has been removed from her position as honorary vice president at the Booker Prize Foundation.
The Baroness has made a number of statements against trans people, marriage equality, and the larger LGBTQ+ community over the last month. She has said that allowing same sex marriage has led to the erosion of society, and has engaged in targeted abuse of trans children, calling them sexual predators and paedophiles.
Last week Nicholson made transgender model and activist Munroe Bergdorf the target of her rage, and engaged in racist and transphobic attacks against her. Amongst other comments, she called Bergdorf a 'weird creature'. These comments were reported to the House of Lords commissioner of standards.
The comments were also reported to the Booker Prize Foundation, where Nicholson held the position of honorary vice president. The Booker Prize Foundation released an initial statement on the 23rd of June, but received criticism for their lack of commitment to do anything.
The initial response went as follows:
Following complaints that this comment was not only non-committal, but did nothing to address the situation, the Booker Prize Foundation released a more in depth statement, and severed ties with the Baroness by abolishing the position she held with them.The Trustees of the Booker Prize Foundation wish to point out that the views expressed by Baroness Nicholson on transgender issues are her own personal views.Baroness Nicholson has herself recently said that she retired as a Trustee of the Foundation in 2009, and was then made an honorary vice president. She has no role in the governance or operations of the Foundation. She is not involved in selecting the judges nor in choosing the books that are longlisted, shortlisted and win.
This response has received a great deal of praise online amongst the trans community, as well as from a number of LGBTQ+ charities and organisations.We, the Trustees of the Booker Prize Foundation, met today and wish to reiterate that the views expressed by Baroness Nicholson on transgender people are her own personal opinions.The issues are complex, but our principles are clear. We deplore racism, homophobia and transphobia – and do not discriminate on any grounds.Literature is open, plural and questioning. We believe every author’s work should be approached by readers in the same spirit. Integrity is central to both Booker Prizes, whose judging process is conducted at all times in keeping with these values.Upon her retirement from the Board in 2009, Baroness Nicholson was made an honorary vice president, a role that gave her no say in the governance or operations of the Foundation or prizes. In recent days there has been some confusion about the nature of honorary titles used by the Foundation. Too many believe that these titles in some way symbolise the prizes. That is not the case.We have today decided that these titles and roles should, with immediate effect, cease to exist. Those holding them have been informed and thanked for their longstanding interest.
'Baroness Nicholson’s strange and obsessive tweets attacking our charity with abhorrent accusations and her misgendering of our patron Munroe Bergdorf, represent the very worst in what is already a highly toxic, cruel and misinformed debate around the lives and very existence of trans people.' Trans children's charity Mermaids said in a statement today regarding the decision.
'While the Booker Prize Foundation continue to receive some criticism for not directly condemning Baroness Nicholson’s tweets, we are pleased to see a clear rejection of racism, homophobia and transphobia. This is a moment of reassurance for a community suffering daily attacks from those who would see trans lives humiliated and undermined. We thank the Booker Prize Foundation for taking this bold and principled decision, reminding us all that voicing our opposition to hate and calling out prejudice, cruelty and lies wherever we find it, can still lead to a fairer society for all.
'We hope Baroness Nicholson will find a moment to reflect on whether her virulent opposition to transgender rights is justified or whether she might take time to listen to the vast majority of trans people seeking a voice.'
Whether or not this repercussion to the hateful comments she has made will cause Nicholson to rethink her stance is yet to be seen. As of the publishing of this article she has yet to comment on the matter.
Nicholson is also a colleague and friend of noted transphobe JK Rowling, and is a part of the Lumos charity that the author helped to create.
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