Julia Hartley-Brewer vs. transgender people

Julia Hartley-Brewer is a British news presenter and anti-transgender activist.

Background

Julia Hartley-Brewer was born on May 2, 1968 to Valerie Forbes Hartley-Brewer and Michael John Hartley-Brewer. Hartley-Brewer has a sibling.

Hartley-Brewer earned an undergraduate degree from Magdalen College, Oxford in 1988, then earned a diploma at Cardiff University School of Journalism.

Hartley-Brewer has worked at the East London Advertiser, the Evening Standard, The Guardian, and the Sunday Express. In 2006, Hartley-Brewer presented and narrated two shows for BBC, Every Prime Minister Needs a Willie and The Worst Job in Politics.

From 2011 to 2014, Hartley-Brewer was a presenter for LBC. Hartley joined News Corp’s Talk and hosted several shows. In 2019, Talk launched The Julia Hartley-Brewer Show on YouTube.

Hartley-Brewer has written for publications such as The Telegraph, The Mail on Sunday, and The Spectator.

Hartley-Brewer married Rob Walton in 2006. They have one child.

Anti-trans activism

Hartley-Brewer has made a number of incendiary comments about trans people on TalkTV and has platformed a number of conservative and anti-trans people, including Maya Forstater, Amy Gallagher, Debbie Hayton, Helen Joyce, Kellie-Jay Keen, Fiona McAnena, Tom Slater, and Susan Smith.

Hartley-Brewer is an advisory council member for The Free Speech Union, a British group with many other anti-trans members.

In 2023, Hartley-Brewer signed the Westminster Declaration along with many key anti-trans extremists. They claim to be a group of “free speech champions” who oppose the “censorship industrial complex.”

In 2024, Hartley-Brewer was part of a group of conservatives, anti-transgender activists, and ex-transgender activists sent a letter requesting a public inquiry into transgender healthcare.

In a 2025 Spectator article, Hartley Brewer said:

“A similar recourse to emotion was seen in all its dismal predictability on Thursday morning, when the ‘non-binary’ broadcaster Shivani Dave appeared on Talk TV to discuss with Julia Hartley-Brewer what constituted a woman now, in the wake of the ruling. After Hartley-Brewer sought to impress the importance clarity of language on the subject – Dave had dismissed the Supreme Court’s verdict as ‘that is to me whatever… I mean like that whatever’ – and after the host had stressed the centrality of genitalia on the topic, her guest walked out. Dave claimed to feel ‘unsafe’.”

References

Hansford, Amelia (November 6, 2025). Ofcom dismiss more than 21,000 complaints about anti-trans comments on TalkTV. PinkNews https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/11/06/talktv-trans-ofcom-refuses-to-investigate/

Hansford, Amelia (July 29, 2025). Over 21,000 urge Ofcom to take action against TalkTV for airing ‘anti-trans attacks.’ PinkNews https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/07/29/talktv-transphobia-20000-complaints-good-law-project/

Staff report (July 17, 2025). TalkTV’s transphobic hate breaks broadcasting law. Good Law Project https://goodlawproject.org/talktvs-transphobic-hate-breaks-broadcasting-law/

Billson, Chantelle (April 16, 2024). TV host refuses to use guest’s correct pronouns: ‘I use correct grammar.’ PinkNews https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/04/16/talktv-host-julia-hartley-brewer-shivani-dave-pronouns/

Maurice, Emma Powys (May 8, 2020). Matt Hancock denies laughing at non-binary people after controversial radio interview with Julia Hartley-Brewer. PinkNews https://www.thepinknews.com/2020/05/08/matt-hancock-julia-hartley-brewer-talkradio/

Duffy, Nick (December 3 2018). Julia Hartley-Brewer bans the word ‘cis’ on TalkRadio show. PinkNews https://www.thepinknews.com/2018/12/03/julia-hartley-brewer-talkradio-cis/

Glass, Jess (November 9, 2017). Julia Hartley-Brewer lashes out at Topshop’s gender-neutral changing rooms. PinkNews

Williams, Joe (June 14, 2016). Julia Hartley-Brewer refuses to apologise to ‘childish’ Owen Jones, before comparing him to ISIS (VIDEO). PinkNews https://www.thepinknews.com/2016/06/14/julia-hartley-brewer-refuses-to-apologise-to-childish-owen-jones-before-comparing-him-to-isis-video/

Anti-trans coverage

West, Patrick (April 18, 2025). Trans activists won’t be silenced by the Supreme Court ruling. The Spectator https://spectator.com/article/trans-activists-wont-be-silenced-by-the-supreme-court-ruling/

McConachie, Darren (March 27, 2024). TalkTV host Julia Hartley-Brewer says she is ready to be arrested amid trans views. Deadline News https://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2024/03/27/julie-hartley-brewer-claims-shed-face-being-arrested-over-new-law/

Selected writing by Hartley-Brewer

Hartley-Brewer, Julia (November 20, 2025). Common sense trans rules could be in place NOW if it wasn’t for Labour’s fears about leftie fury. The Sun https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/37390002/julia-hartley-brewer-trans-rules-labours-leftie-fury/

Media

TalkTV with Julia Hartley-Brewer and Amy Gallagher (July 15, 2025). ‘Never Hear About Trans Men In Sport’ | Julia Hartley-Brewer x Amy Gallagher. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34MFcw9rfqo

TalkTV with Julia Hartley-Brewer and Susan Smith (May 7, 2025). “SOD THEM!” | Julia Hartley-Brewer BLASTS Nicola Sturgeon Over Supreme Court Trans Ruling Comments. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOCEQpo4l-8

TalkTV with Julia Hartley-Brewer and Peter Tatchell (April 28, 2025). “Don’t Be So RUDE!” | Julia Hartley-Brewer Goes Head-To-Head With Activist On Trans Ideology. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A50o2dRH90

TalkTV with Julia Hartley-Brewer and Jacob Rees-Mogg (April 22, 2025). “Tories Let It HAPPEN!” Julia Hartley-Brewer ROASTS Jacob Rees-Mogg Over Rise Of Trans Ideology. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t81nu4EMU5k

TalkTV with Julia Hartley-Brewer and Rosie Duffield (March 25, 2025). “Mad!” Rosie Duffield On Gender-Neutral CBeebies Raccoon, Athlete Gender Testing & Rachel Reeves. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHUiJHTeq5o

TalkTV with Julia Hartley-Brewer and Helen Joyce (January 28, 2025). “Complete LIES Being Taught To Children!” | Julia Hartley-Brewer Backs Transgender Ban In US Army. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMAzXpFRBJw

TalkTV with Julia Hartley-Brewer and Maya Forstater (October 24, 2024). “This Is Child ABUSE!” | Julia Hartley-Brewer SLAMS Transgender Practices For Children. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l6_VYS8Ueo

TalkTV with Julia Hartley-Brewer and Tom Slater (June 25, 2024). Julia Hartley-Brewer SLAMS Labour’s Pledge To ‘Ban Transgender Conversion Therapy.’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiKzBdxiZnY

TalkTV with Julia Hartley-Brewer and Kellie-Jay Keen (May 30, 2024). “You Don’t Get To Change Facts!” | Julia Hartley-Brewer x Kellie-Jay Keen On Trans Rights. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQgy7zYYfW4

TalkTV with Julia Hartley-Brewer and Tom Slater (March 19, 2024). “ARREST Me!” – Julia Hartley-Brewer Says ‘Trans Women Are Not Women’ After Targeted JK Rowling Abuse. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpyN3zBex8I

TalkTV with Julia Hartley-Brewer and Fiona McAnena (January 24, 2024). “Women Are DEHUMANISED!” – Julia Hartley-Brewer On Transgender Golf Row Over Testosterone Testing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC9zOpl17sY

TalkTV with Julia Hartley-Brewer and Helen Joyce (March 29, 2023). Julia Hartley-Brewer Rages At BBC For Calling Trans Attacker “A Woman.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_rTLmE8Jhk

TalkTV with Julia Hartley-Brewer and Debbie Hayton (Jan 26, 2023). Julia Hartley-Brewer is incandescent as a trans woman is called ‘she’ during her trial. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJsa52tdhKc

TalkTV with Julia Hartley-Brewer and Siobhain McDonagh (March 29, 2022). Julia Hartley Brewer asks Labour MP: ‘Can a woman have a penis?’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSC8-CwMCuM

Julia Hartley Brewer: 5th October 2022: New study shows fourteen years of testosterone suppression still doesn’t remove male advantage.

Julia Hartley Brewer: 11th May 2022: Fair Play for Women’s Fiona McAnena says the Government is right to exclude trans therapy from the conversion therapy ban:

Julia Hartley Brewer: 21st March 2022: Trans swimmer Lia Thomas’s win of a US national women’s race has prompted outrage.

Julia Hartley Brewer: 7th April 2022: Boris Johnson has said “biological males” should not compete in women’s sport.

Julia Hartley Brewer: 18th November 2021: IOC scraps requirement for TW to lower testosterone in sport

Julia Hartley Brewer: 30th September 2021: New UK guidance says “Transgender inclusion, fairness and safety often cannot co-exist.”

Julia Hartley Brewer: 3rd August: Women’s sport is being sacrificed for so-called inclusion