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Lexi Ellingsworth vs. transgender people

Lexi Ellingsworth is an activist in the anti-surrogacy and anti-transgender movements. Ellingsworth is Campaign Manager for anti-trans group Sex Matters.

Background

Ellingsworth is a co-founder of the website Stop Surrogacy Now UK, stating “I believe surrogacy constitutes a form of human trafficking and constitutes modern day slavery.”

Anti-trans activism

Ellingsworth was reportedly removed from a trans-inclusive women’s Facebook group for a post on on International Women’s Day. Ellingsworth told the Daily Mail:

“I posted something inspiring for the other women in the group — a picture of Solitude, a statue of a heavily pregnant female warrior who fought against French troops in the 19th century. I wrote something like: ‘This statue reminds me of the strength of women and what we are capable of… and I will always fight for women and girls.'”

After being blocked, Ellingsworth said:

“I was surprised and confused… how could it be wrong to post something pro-women on International Women’s Day? Three women later contacted me privately to tell me I had been accused of transphobia because I’d focused on ‘women and girls’ and pregnancy, which wasn’t ‘inclusive’ of men who identify as women, which is just ridiculous. Men can’t get pregnant or give birth, however they identify. I’m still not entirely sure what I did wrong.”

Ellingsworth has submitted a number of Freedom of Information requests regarding trans healthcare, drag queen story hours, and trans-supportive group Stonewall.

In 2024, Ellingsworth complained in The Telegraph about trans Krishna Istha’s stage show First Trimester. The show featured Istha’s live interview with potential sperm sperm donors and was funded with £64,000 of public money. Ellingsworth said:

“The Arts Council have trivialised the life of any child conceived and born through this by turning it into performance art for public consumption. Local councils have no business in an individual’s desire to become a parent and public money should be spent benefiting the community by improving or maintaining shared services.

We see continued overreach with authorities sanctioning controversial ‘family building’ methods such as surrogacy and the further commercialisation of these children with their lives documented by their legal parents on social media. We can all watch these children’s lives begin at conception on a TV show and their parents may benefit financially from this and resulting advertising opportunities.

There is a general move towards the commodification of children, more now than ever, with the number of parental orders increasing annually and proposed reform seeking to liberalise surrogacy. We are concerned for the direction this is taking and what this means for women and children and society as a whole.”

In 2025, Ellingsworth signed an open letter by Women’s Platform for Action International (WoPAI) in support of anti-trans activist Reem Alsalem of the United Nations.

Anti-trans coverage

Gill, Charlotte (April 20, 2024). Trans artist’s search for a sperm donor given £64,000 of taxpayer cash. The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/04/20/taxpayer-funds-trans-artist-show-about-sperm-donor/

Foster, Jill (October 10, 2023). Now it’s ordinary women like us who are being CANCELLED by the trans lobby! First they came for celebrities like JK Rowling, but that wasn’t enough, say those who find themselves on the frontline of the gender debate war. Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/lifestyle/article-12541309/Now-ordinary-women-like-CANCELLED-trans-lobby-came-celebrities-like-JK-Rowling-wasnt-say-frontline-gender-debate-war.html

Resources

Stop Surrogacy Now UK (stopsurrogacynowuk.org)

What Do They Know (whatdotheyknow.com)