Julie Burchill vs. transgender people

Julie Burchill is a writer and anti-transgender activist.

Background

Julie Burchill was born on July 3, 1959 in Bristol. After graduating Brislington Comprehensive School, Burchill began writing for New Musical Express in 1976. Burchill’s future spouse Tony Parsons took an interest in the 17-year-old. They soon married, and Burchill then started freelancing as a culture writer. They divorced in 1984.

Burchill did a lot of drugs and wrote a lot of obnoxious things through the 1980s. Burchill married Cosmo Landesman in 1985; that lasted 7 years. Burchill co-founded Modern Review with Landesman and anti-trans activist Toby Young, then had a brief affair with Charlotte Raven in the 1990s. Burchill also lost a big libel case and several writing gigs. From 1998 to 2003 Burchill had a weekly column at The Guardian, writing anti-Irish pieces and supporting the invasion of Iraq. Burchill made Channel 4’s 2003 poll of 100 Worst Britons. Burchill continued to fail upward, landing a gig at The Times until getting fired in 2007, then returning to the Guardian, then a gig at The Independent for 18 months.

One of Burchill’s children committed suicide in 2015. In 2025, Burchill was confined to a wheelchair following a spinal abscess.

Anti-transgender activism

In 2013, Burchill wrote an article for The Observer defending an anti-trans piece by Suzanne Moore. Burchill quipped it showed “chutzpah” to have one’s “cock cut off and then plead special privileges as women.” The article was later pulled, and the editor apologized. Burchill has since gone on to write many other anti-trans pieces.

References

Parson, Vic (January 13, 2020). Anti-trans, anti-gay writer Julie Burchill says her 30-year cocaine habit was a ‘cheap thrill’ that she ‘gave up overnight.’ PinkNews https://www.thepinknews.com/2020/01/13/julie-burchill-cocaine-habit-anti-trans-gay-spectator-spiked-lasting-damage/

Letters (January 19, 2013). Prejudice: trans people shouldn’t have been subjected to such abuse. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2013/jan/20/the-big-issue-trans-burchill

Pritchard, Stephen (January 18, 2013). Julie Burchill and the Observer, The readers’ editor on why the paper was wrong to publish slurs against trans people The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jan/18/julie-burchill-and-the-observer

Mulholland, john (January 14, 2013). Statement from John Mulholland, editor of the Observer. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jan/14/1

Tatlock, John (January 14, 2013). “Nasty Idiotic Tripe”: Stand Against Julie Burchill’s Years Of Transphobia. The Quietus https://thequietus.com/articles/11108-julie-burchill-suzanne-moore-transphobia

Sweney, Mark (January 14, 2023). The Observer withdraws Julie Burchill column as editor publishes apology. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/jan/14/observer-withdraws-julie-burchill-column

Kaveney, Roz (January 13, 2013). Julie Burchill has ended up bullying the trans community. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jan/13/julie-birchill-bullying-trans-community

Pearce, Ruth (2013). Transphobia in The Guardian: no excuse for hate speech. Lesbilicious http://www.lesbilicious.co.uk/transphobia-in-the-guardian-no-excuse-for-hate-speech/

Philipson, Alice (January 13, 2013). Lynne Featherstone calls for Observer’s Julie Burchill to be sacked following ‘disgusting rant’ against transsexuals. The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/9799113/Lynne-Featherstone-calls-for-Observers-Julie-Burchill-to-be-sacked-following-disgusting-rant-against-transsexuals.html

Anti-trans coverage

Bindel, Julie (March 19, 2018). Why you can’t rely on the news media to understand… trans issues. UnHerd https://unherd.com/2018/03/cant-rely-news-media-understand-trans-issues/

Malnick, Edward (March 26, 2013). Julie Burchill entitled to ‘offend’ transsexuals, press watchdog rules. The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/9954733/Julie-Burchill-entitled-to-offend-transsexuals-press-watchdog-rules.html

Young, Toby (January 14, 2013). Here is Julie Burchill’s censored Observer article. The Telegraph http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/tobyyoung/100198116/here-is-julie-burchills-censored-observer-article/ [archive]

Selected writing by Burchill

Burchill, Julie (May 31, 2023). They call me TERF for refusing to believe a woman can have a penis – well I’ve got a name for those who think opposite. The Sun https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/22539575/julie-burchill-called-terf-oxford-protests/

Burchill, Julie (October 12, 2022). What incels and trans activists have in common. Spiked https://www.spiked-online.com/2022/10/12/what-incels-and-trans-activists-have-in-common/

Burchill, Julie (April 19, 2018). I knew I was right… The Spectator https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/i-knew-i-was-right/

Burchill, Julie (November 27, 2015). Is a ‘Transgender Day Of Remembrance’ really necessary? The Spectator https://spectator.com/article/is-a-transgender-day-of-remembrance-really-necessary/

Burchill, Julie (January 13, 2013). Transsexuals should cut it out. The Observer http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/jan/13/transsexuals-should-cut-it-out [not archived] republished by Toby Young at http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/tobyyoung/100198116/here-is-julie-burchills-censored-observer-article/ [archive]