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Lesbian Strength vs. transgender people

Lesbian Strength is a British group of “exclusively same-sex attracted women” engaged in trans-exclusionary radical feminist (TERF) marches and events. Since 2019, they have held an annual march and event in Leeds.

Background

Starting in 1981 and throughout the 1980s, a group called Lesbian Strength began holding “women-only” events ahead of Pride.

According to a 2020 statement, “Lesbian Strength was formed in May 2019 as a group of nine lesbians. The main catalyst for our formation was that as lesbians we felt increasingly unrepresented and unwelcome at LGBT Pride events. We held our first Lesbian Strength march on the September 2019, which was attended by approximately 150 women.”

The group started a Twitter account in June 2019, and their website has been online since around 2022.

Anti-trans activism

In June 2019, members attended Bradford Pride and received complaints about some of their signage: “On the 1st June 2019 a group of lesbians, including members of our group, attended Bradford Pride. Having arrived early we met in a coffee shop to wait for the start of the event. Whilst there we were approached by two police officers responding to a complaint that had been made about one of our placards, which read ‘lesbian = female homosexual’.”

“We held our first Lesbian Strength march on the September 2019, which was attended by approximately 150 women. […] In order to publicise our march, we placed an advert on ‘Leeds Inspired’, a Leeds City Council (LCC) events website. Our advert went live but was then removed. Leeds Inspired initially sought clarification that the march was female only and then removed our listing.

In a 2019 speech, Louise Moody said, “I want to end by calling for us to constructively capitalise upon the hard work of Julie Furlong, Suzi, and Lauren today as well as the bravery of many of you attending by continuing to be outspoken; by continuing to gather; and by challenging lesbophobia wherever we see it.”

The 2020 event had to be virtual due to the pandemic, and the 2023 event was canceled.

In 2026, Amnesty International UK listed Lesbian Strength as a gender critical organization in two reports.

People

  • “Shonagh” [2019 event performance]
  • “Aja” (ajatheempress) [2023 welcome video]
  • “Belstaffie” [2024 Uncommon Ground article]
  • “Caroline B.” aka Impolite Lesbian [2022 event speaker]
  • “Hectic Egg” [2022 event performance]
  • Jess Kathryn [2022 event speaker]
  • Rosie Roar [2022 event performance]
  • Suzi [mentioned as 2019 organizer]
  • Julia Beck [Lesbian Day of Visibility Panel 2021]
  • Shereen Benjamin [2022 event speaker]
  • Hannah Berrelli [2022 event speaker]
  • Paula Boulton [2019 speech, 2019 open letter to DIVA, 2022 event speaker]
  • Jo Campbell [2025 crowdfunding campaign, 2022 event speaker]
  • Uma Conti [Lesbian Day of Visibility Panel 2021]
  • Charlie Evans [2019 speech]
  • Lin Farley [Lesbian Day of Visibility Panel 2021]
  • Julie Furlong [2020 GRA submission]
  • Lauren Hamstead [2019 speech, 2020 GRA submission]
  • Nicole Jones [2019 speech]
  • Tess Joseph [2022 event speaker]
  • Sandra McNeil [2019 speech]
  • Louise Moody [2019 speech]
  • Jodie Roy [Lesbian Day of Visibility Panel 2021]

References

Staff report (September 16, 2022). Lesbian Strength organises Leeds city centre march. Telegraph & Argus https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/21843542.lesbian-strength-organises-leeds-city-centre-march/

Abbiss, Ben (September 7, 2019). Lesbian Strength march through Leeds city centre challenged by trans rights activists. LeedsLive https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/news/leeds-news/lesbian-strength-march-through-leeds-16882234

Evans, Alex (September 7, 2019). Tommy Robinson protest, Lesbian Strength March and anti-Brexit rally in Leeds to cause disruption warns bus firm. Yorkshire Evening Post https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/traffic-and-travel/tommy-robinson-protest-lesbian-strength-march-and-anti-brexit-rally-in-leeds-to-cause-disruption-warns-bus-firm-629940

Hyde, Nathan (August 21, 2019). Leeds City Council bans advert for ‘women only’ march which excludes trans people. LeedsLive https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/news/leeds-news/leeds-city-council-bans-advert-16786033

Anti-trans coverage

Belstaffie (September 17, 2024). Why Leeds and the World need the Lesbian Strength March and Rally. Uncommon Ground Media https://uncommongroundmedia.com/why-leeds-and-the-world-need-the-lesbian-strength-march-and-rally/

Macdonald, Jocelyn (September 25, 2019). An Open Letter from to DIVA Magazine from Leeds Lesbian Strength. AfterEllen https://afterellen.com/an-open-letter-to-diva-magazine-from-leeds-lesbian-strength/

Moody, Louise (September 8, 2019). Lesbian Strength Speech — 7/9/2019. https://medium.com/@drlouisejmoody/lesbian-strength-speech-7-9-2019-26a1cdfe66be

Selected publications by Lesbian Strength

Hamstead, Lauren; Furlong, Julie (November 2020, submitted January 26, 2021). Written Evidence Submitted by Lesbian Strength [GRA0785]. Submission to UK Parliament Women and Equalities Committee regarding Reform of the Gender Recognition Act https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/16795/pdf

Resources

Lesbian Strength (lesbianstrength.org)

YouTube (youtube.com)

Facebook (facebook.com)

Instagram (instagram.com)

X/Twitter (x.com)

Crowdfunder (crowdfunder.co.uk)

Eventbrite (eventbrite.co.uk)