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Get the L Out UK vs. transgender people

Get the L Out UK is a British anti-transgender extremist group that identifies as radical feminist and lesbian separatist.

Background

Get the L Out was created in 2018 by Angela C. Wild and a few other anti-trans lesbians. They initially posted a few times on a WordPress blog before moving to a standalone website in 2019. The website states:

“We are a grassroots lesbian radical feminist activist group aiming at creating an autonomous lesbian community and an uncompromising lesbian visibility that is not controlled by men’s desires and visions of who we are. We strongly argue that the only way to end anti-lesbianism is to get the L out of the “GBT community” and build women-centred alliances with all lesbians and feminists willing to end male domination and women’s oppression. We are witnessing how transactivism erases lesbians, and silences and demonises lesbians who dare to speak out. We will not be silenced! Lesbians exclusively love & desire women!”

In September 2019, Get the L Out began using the name Get the L Out UK and promoted several social media accounts using the “Get the L Out” name in other places, including Spain, Sweden, Asia, and Korea.

Get the L Out UK uses a number of anti-trans slogans, including:

  • Lesbian not queer
  • Cotton ceiling = Rape
  • Lesbians are exclusively same-sex attracted
  • Lesbians do not have penises
  • Lesbians do not want to have sex with men who identify as trans-women
  • Transition harms lesbians
  • Your body is not wrong
  • Your lesbianism is not wrong

2018 Pride in London protest

In 2018, Get the L Out organized a protest at the Pride in London parade. Their flyer said in part:

We believe that Lesbian rights are under attack by the trans movement and we encourage Lesbians everywhere to leave the LGBT and form their own independent movement, as well as to be vocal and take action against the proposed changes to the GRA [Gender Recognition Act].

Trans politics (with uncritical support from the LGBT movement) does the following:

  • 1. Promotes the social transition of Lesbians, encouraging them to present as straight men thus favouring the pretence of heterosexuality over lesbianism. This is nothing more than a form of conversion therapy.
  • 2. Promotes the medical transition of Lesbians and pushes harmful drugs (untested hormone blockers, Lupron etc…) as well as unnecessary medical practices on perfectly healthy bodies. These are a form of misogynist medical abuse against Lesbians and all women.
  • 3. Promotes the rights of heterosexual males who “identify” as women and Lesbians (despite most of them still retaining their male genitals) over the rights of Lesbians to choose their sexual partners. This new “queer” LGBT politics coerces Lesbians to accept the penis as a female organ and promotes heterosexual intercourse between male and female as a form of lesbian sex. This is simply a new face to rape culture and compulsory heterosexuality.

[…] This action is supported by a number of individual Lesbians, Lesbian supporters, as well as Critical Sisters, Mayday4Women, Object!, The Lesbian Rights Alliance.

The group was successful in halting the parade, then marching at the front with anti-trans banners.

2019 Swansea Pride protest

Wild attempted the same stunt the following year during the Swansea Pride and was dragged out by police.

2022 Cardiff Pride protest

On August 27, 2022, 18 protesters affiliatred with Get hte L Out UK attempted to disrupt Cardiff Pride. They held banners that included:

  • The #CottonCeiling is RAPE
  • Transactivism Erases Lesbians
  • Lesbians don’t like penises

“The police soon formed a line behind us, separating us from the rest of the parade. We tried to march on, but we were prevented from moving forwards by both police and Pride stewards. We were effectively hemmed in, presumably because our message, our presence, was deemed to be unsuitable for the front of the parade. Individual police officers approached us one by one, telling us to move aside or we would be arrested. The reasons for this ranged from ‘causing a confrontation’ to ‘for [our] own safety.’ The police told us that the only way we, Lesbians, could take part in the Pride parade was to take up a position at the very back, behind all the other marchers. The irony was not lost on us. Finally, under threat of arrest for non-compliance, we moved to the side and the parade continued without us. […] This action was supported by LGB Alliance Cymru, Merched Cymru, and Women’s Rights Network (Wales).”

2026 Amnesty International UK reports

Despite being largely inactive since 2022, Get the L Out UK was listed in reports by the United Kingdom’s national entity for Amnesty International.

On July 14, Get the L Out UK sent an email to Helen Horton, chair of the Amnesty International UK Section Board and Sandy Ruthven, chair of the Amnesty International UK Charitable Trust that stated:

We note that our Lesbian Activist group, Get The L Out, along with other groups and organisations who speak out on the importance of sex-based rights is included in Amnesty International UK (AIUK) list of “anti rights actors” in the UK.

Get The L Out has been protesting and organizing against the silencing and erasure of lesbians. As a result, we’ve been subjected to intimidation, violence, rape threat and death threats. This vicious backlash highlights the importance of sex-based rights for lesbians and women as a whole.

AIUK’s failure to support our fight, let alone branding us as an “anti-rights group”, is nothing short of misogyny and lesbophobia.

SHAME ON YOU!

References

Pride in London (Mar 31, 2019). A Pride without Hate. https://prideinlondon.org/news-and-views/a-pride-without-hate/ [archive]

Besanvalle, James; Tabberer, Jamie (July 7, 2018). Lesbian activists block Pride in London march to protest against trans women: One of the activists shouted: ‘A man who says he’s a lesbian is a rapist.’ GayStarNews https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/lesbian-activists-protest-against-trans-women-pride-london/ [archive]

Voss, Brandon (July 8, 2018). Anti-Trans Lesbian Protest Allowed to Lead, Disrupt London Pride Parade: The radical feminist group equates trans activism with lesbian erasure. NewNowNext http://www.newnownext.com/anti-trans-lesbian-protest-terfs-lead-disrupt-london-pride-parade/07/2018/ [archive]

Gabbatiss, Josh (July 8, 2018). London Pride: Anti-trans activists disrupt parade by lying down in the street to protest ‘lesbian erasure.’ The Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/anti-trans-protest-london-pride-parade-lgbt-gay-2018-march-lesbian-gay-rights-a8436506.html

Staff report (July 8, 2018). Pride in London sorry after anti-trans protest. BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-44757403

Southwell, Hazel (July 7, 2018). Anti-trans group allowed to lead Pride in London march after hijack. PinkNews https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/07/07/anti-trans-group-allowed-to-lead-pride-in-london-march-after-hijack

Anti-trans coverage

Bindel, Julie (September 1, 2022). Why it’s time to take the L out of LGBT – JULIE BINDEL says it time to break from the ever-growing list of identities that make up the current acronym. Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.com/lifestyle/article-11165667/JULIE-BINDLE-says-time-break-growing-list-identities-make-LGBTQQI.html

Staff report (August 27, 2022). UK: Lesbians Removed from Pride Event for Criticizing Gender Ideology. Reduxx https://reduxx.info/uk-lesbians-removed-from-pride-event-for-criticizing-gender-ideology/

Bartosch, Jospehine (August 30, 2022). The Welsh government has betrayed gender critical women. The Telegraph

Masson, Sarah (June 19, 2019). Lesbian visibility matters now more than ever. Feminist Current https://www.feministcurrent.com/2019/06/18/lesbian-visibility-matters-now-more-than-ever/

“lesbianvoices” (July 18, 2018). Resisting cistopia: women and lesbians are speaking up. Lesbian Voices https://lesbianvoices.wordpress.com/2018/07/18/resisting-cistopia-women-and-lesbians-are-speaking-up/ [archive]

Murphy, Meghan (July 17, 2018). INTERVIEW: Angela C. Wild of #GetTheLOut on Pride in London and Lesbian erasure. Feminist Current https://www.feministcurrent.com/2018/07/17/interview-angela-c-wild-getthelout-pride-london-lesbian-erasure/

“Lily Maynard” (July 12, 2018). Pride & Prejudice – who is standing with lesbians? #GetTheLOut. https://lilymaynard.wordpress.com/2018/07/12/pride-prejudice-who-is-standing-with-lesbians-getthelout/ [archive]

Ditum, Sarah (July 11, 2018). Why were lesbians protesting at Pride? Because the LGBT coalition leaves women behind. New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/feminism/2018/07/why-were-lesbians-protesting-pride-because-lgbt-coalition-leaves-women

“Mary Hell” (July 9, 2018). After Pride, I Have Questions. https://medium.com/@bloodymaryhellgirl/after-pride-i-have-questions-22eaafa03acd

Isherwood, Pam (July 9, 2018). Pride 2018, Part One. https://pamisherwood.wordpress.com/2018/07/09/pride-2018-part-one/ [archive]

Bartosch, Jo (July 8, 2018). Lesbian Pride, Lesbian Protest. Medium https://josephinebartosch.medium.com/lesbian-pride-lesbian-protest-cea2c1404cc0

Bartosch, Jo (July 8, 2018). What Really Happened With Lesbian Protestors At Pride London Yesterday? Conatus News https://conatusnews.com/pride-london-lesbian-activism/ [archive]

“Gallus Mag” [Linda Shanko] (July 8, 2018). Lesbians Protest Erasure At London Pride March By Halting, Then Leading The Parade. GenderTrender https://gendertrender.wordpress.com/2018/07/08/lesbians-protest-erasure-at-london-pride-march-by-halting-then-leading-the-parade/

Johnston, Chris (July 7, 2018). London Pride parade: 30,000 march as huge crowds line route. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/07/london-pride-parade-lgbt-30000-march-huge-crowds-line-route

Selected writing

Wild, Angela C. (September 27, 2022). “We need to do whatever it takes to win this fight”? Get the L Out UK https://gettheloutuk.com/blog/we-need-to-do-whatever-it-takes-to-win-this-fight.html

Wild, Angela C. (September 17, 2022). Get The L Out UK in Cardiff. Get the L Out UK https://gettheloutuk.com/blog/get-the-l-out-in-cardiff-august-2022.html

“RadFem_Kat” (August 17, 2020). Challenging Lesbian Myths. Get the L Out UK https://gettheloutuk.com/blog/challenging-lesbian-myths.html

Wild, Angela C. (February 5, 2020). Statement on LGB Alliance UK 05/02/2020. Get the L Out UK https://gettheloutuk.com/blog/statement-on-lgb-alliance-uk.html

Wild, Angela C. (March 24, 2020). Get The L Out UK at FiLiA Conference 2019 – What is the Cotton Ceiling – Angela Wild. Get the L Out UK https://gettheloutuk.com/blog/get-the-l-out-uk-at-filia-conference-2019-what-is-the-cotton-ceiling-angela-wild.html

Wild, Angela C. (September 16, 2019, republished March 4, 2020). Get The L Out UK – Statement 16/09/2019. Get the L Out UK https://gettheloutuk.com/blog/get-the-l-out-uk-statement.html

Wild, Angela C. (April 12, 2019). OPINION: Lesbians need to get the L out of the LGBT+ community. Openly https://www.openlynews.com/i/?id=1d8e4853-fd83-4fbb-b0b4-ebab528f0ac2

Wild, Angela C. (August 4, 2018). Get The L Out Skynews interview. [available here] Get the L Out https://getthelout.wordpress.com/2018/08/04/get-the-l-out-skynews-interview/

“Lesbians GetTheLOut” (July 21, 2018). Sisters Rise! Get the L Out https://getthelout.wordpress.com/2018/07/21/sisters-rise/ [not archived]

“Lesbians GetTheLOut” (July 20, 2018). Resisting cistopia: women and lesbians are speaking up. [repost from Lesbian Voices] Get the L Out https://getthelout.wordpress.com/2018/07/20/resisting-cistopia-women-and-lesbians-are-speaking-up/ [archive]

“Lesbians GetTheLOut” (July 10, 2018). Lesbians Protest London Pride – video. Get the L Out https://getthelout.wordpress.com/2018/07/10/lesbians-protest-london-pride-video/ [archive]

Wild, Angela C. (July 5, 2018). Why “Get The L Out”? Get the L Out https://getthelout.wordpress.com/2018/07/05/the-journey-begins/ [archive] republished March 30, 2019 https://gettheloutuk.com/blog/why-get-the-l-out-2.html

Media

Feminist Current with Meghan Murphy and Angela C. Wild (April 11, 2019). PODCAST: Lesbians at ground zero — Angela C. Wild on gender identity ideology and lesbian autonomy. https://www.feministcurrent.com/2019/04/11/podcast-lesbians-at-ground-zero-angela-c-wild-on-gender-identity-ideology-and-lesbian-autonomy/

Resources

Get the L Out UK (gettheloutuk.com)

WordPress (wordpress.com)

Facebook (facebook.com)

X/Twitter (x.com)

YouTube (youtube.com)

Instagram (instagram.com)