Magdalen Berns vs. transgender people

Magdalen Berns was a British anti-transgender extremist. Berns was a co-founder of anti-trans group For Women Scotland and was a prominent figure in the early days of the UK’s surge in anti-transgender extremism in the 2010s.

Background

Berns was born May 8, 1983 in London to parents who were involved in communist activism. They split up soon after Berns was born.

Berns attended Hampstead School in Camden, London. After working as a sound engineer and computer programmer as a young adult, Berns returned to college, making early forays into anti-drag and anti-trans activism. Berns earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Edinburgh in 2016.

Berns died from brain cancer on September 13, 2019 at age 36 in Edinburgh.

Anti-transgender activism

Berns was a sex segregationist and a trans-exclusionary lesbian. Berns was involved in the so-called “cotton ceiling” controversy involving trans women dating women who dated self-identified lesbians. Berns was opposed to the idea that a lesbian can date a trans woman who had not had bottom surgery, saying “There is no such thing as a lesbian with a penis.” Berns also opposed gender self-identification and worked to change Scotland’s laws around it. Berns also opposed value-neutral terms like sex assigned at birth:

“You don’t get ‘assigned’ reproductive organs … males are defined by their biological sex organs. Likewise, homosexuals are people who are attracted to the same biological sex.”

Berns compared trans women to “blackface actors.” Berns often said, “Trans women are men” and described trans activism as a “men’s rights movement.” Berns attacked a number of trans inclusive organizations, including LGBT charity Stonewall.

Berns co-founded the non-profit organization For Women Scotland in 2018. Their goal was to advocate for sex-based rights, maintaining the remaining sex-segregated institutions like bathrooms, sports, children’s organizations, and prisons.

In 2019, British author and anti-trans activist J.K. Rowling helped raise Berns’ profile. After Berns died, Rowling revealed that they had spoken directly. Rowling called Berns “an immensely brave young feminist and lesbian” and “a great believer in the importance of biological sex [who] didn’t believe lesbians should be called bigots for not dating trans women with penises.”

References

Joaquina (January 2, 2021). Transphobia and Antisemitism. The Social Review https://www.thesocialreview.co.uk/2021/01/02/transphobia-and-antisemitism/

Andrews, Penny (November 20, 2020). Choose your fighter: Loyalty and fandom in the free speech culture wars. Manchester University Press. p. 259. ISBN 978-1-5261-5255-8

Staff report (July 3, 2020). Permanently suspended: How Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan has become the ‘most hated man’ on the internet. Irish Independent. https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/permanently-suspended-how-father-ted-co-creator-graham-linehan-has-become-the-most-hated-man-on-the-internet-39336272.html

Yasharoff, Hannah (June 10, 2020). J.K. Rowling reveals she’s a sexual assault survivor; Emma Watson reacts to trans comments. USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2020/06/07/j-k-rowling-harry-potter-author-slammed-transphobic-comments/3169833001/

Aberle, Connor (November 15, 2018). YouTube loves to hate me. The Wesleyan Argus http://wesleyanargus.com/2018/11/15/youtube-loves-to-hate-me/

Flaherty, Colleen (September 3, 2019). College supports trans scholar under fire. Inside Higher Ed https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2019/09/03/college-supports-trans-scholar-under-fire

Smith-Engelhardt, Joe (June 28, 2019). J.K. Rowling faces backlash for allegedly displaying transphobic behaviour. Alternative Press https://www.altpress.com/news/j-k-rowling-transphobic-behavior/

Maurice, Emma (June 25, 2019). JK Rowling under fire for following a ‘proud transphobe’ on Twitter. PinkNews https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2019/06/25/jk-rowling-under-fire-following-transphobe-twitter/

Mitchell, Hilary (October 5, 2018). “Hateful” anti-trans stickers have been spotted in toilets and in public spaces around Edinburgh. Edinburgh Live https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/hateful-anti-trans-stickers-been-15242299

Anti-trans coverage

Carr, Stewart (January 21, 2023). The lesbian who launched 1,000 feminists: Story of same sex rights campaigner whose work inspired JK Rowling’s activism. Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11568569/Tragic-story-feminist-campaigner-work-inspired-JK-Rowlings-activism.html

McGowan, Michael (April 14, 2022). NSW Liberal candidate likens anti-trans activism to opposing the Holocaust. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/apr/14/nsw-liberal-candidate-likens-anti-trans-activism-to-opposing-the-holocaust

Bindel, Julie (2021). Feminism for Women: The Real Route to Liberation. Hachette UK. p. 177. ISBN 978-1-4721-3260-4. https://books.google.com/books?id=py6cDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT177

Mos-Shogbamimu, Shola (2021). This is Why I Resist: Don’t Define My Black Identity. Headline Publishing Group. pp. 140–141. ISBN 978-1-4722-8079-4.

Hyland, Jennifer (September 6, 2020). Women’s rights campaigners ‘living in fear of trans attack’ after vile abuse directed at group. Daily Record https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/womens-rights-campaigners-living-fear-22635235

Fordy, Tom (June 29, 2020). How did Graham Linehan, the creator of Father Ted, become the most hated man on the internet? The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/did-father-ted-creator-graham-linehan-become-hated-man-internet/

Jack, Malvern (June 11, 2020). JK Rowling details ‘scars of abuse’ in heartfelt riposte to activists. The Times https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/jk-rowling-details-scars-of-abuse-in-heartfelt-riposte-to-activists-lcrp96q6j

Licea, Melkorka (10 June 2020). J.K. Rowling defends controversial trans comments in lengthy essay. New York Post https://nypost.com/2020/06/10/j-k-rowling-defends-her-controversial-trans-comments-in-lengthy-essay/amp/

Rowling, J.K. (June 10, 2020). J.K. Rowling writes about her reasons for speaking out on sex and gender issues. JKRowling.com https://www.jkrowling.com/opinions/j-k-rowling-writes-about-her-reasons-for-speaking-out-on-sex-and-gender-issues/

Ahsan, Sadaf (December 19, 2019). J.K. Rowling sparks major backlash by supporting a researcher fired for transphobic tweets. The Guardian (Charlottetown, P.E.I. Canada). https://www.saltwire.com/prince-edward-island/lifestyles/entertainment/jk-rowling-sparks-major-backlash-by-supporting-a-researcher-fired-for-transphobic-tweets-390185/

Robertson, Julia Diana (October 13, 2019). Mourning the loss of lesbian feminist leader Magdalen Berns. The Velvet Chronicle https://thevelvetchronicle.com/mourning-loss-of-lesbian-feminist-magdalen-berns/

McCarty, Meghan (September 13, 2019). What’s Current: Lesbian feminist shero Magdalen Berns passes away at 36. Feminist Current https://www.feministcurrent.com/2019/09/13/whats-current-lesbian-feminist-shero-magdalen-berns-passes-away-at-36/

Linehan, Graham (September 13, 2019). Magdalen Berns 1983–2019. Women Are Important https://glinner.co.uk/stunning-and-brave-magdalen-berns-1983-2019/

Kearns, Madeleine (September 4, 2019). Magdalen Berns, a ‘shero’ among women. National Review https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/magdalen-berns-a-shero-among-women/

Davidson, Gina (September 1, 2019). Mixed sex loos in Scottish schools break regulations, warn campaigners. The Scotsman https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/mixed-sex-loos-in-scottish-schools-break-regulations-warn-campaigners-1-4995254

Staff report (September 1, 2019). Transgender professor defends celebrating deaths of those deemed ‘transphobic’. The College Fix https://www.thecollegefix.com/transgender-professor-defends-celebrating-the-death-of-those-deemed-transphobic/

Schiferl, Jenna (August 29, 2019). The tweet heard ’round the world: Charleston professor sparks global Twitter debate. The Post and Courier https://www.postandcourier.com/news/the-tweet-heard-round-the-world-charleston-professor-sparks-global/article_4a462cda-c9c7-11e9-8134-d32dc721835d.html

Rhodes, Mandy (August 26, 2019). The Scottish Government’s clumsy attempts to reform the Gender Recognition Act have inadvertently opened a hornet’s nest. Holyrood https://www.holyrood.com/editors-column/view,the-scottish-governments-clumsy-attempts-to-reform-the-gender-recognition-a_10717.htm

Murphy, Meghan (September 27, 2016). ‘We need to be braver’ — women challenge ‘gender identity’ and the silencing of feminist discourse. Feminist Current https://www.feministcurrent.com/2016/09/27/need-braver-feminists-challenge-silencing/

Singleton, Mary Lou (July 25, 2016). Thinking Differently conference. Women’s Liberation Front http://womensliberationfront.org/thinking-differently-conference/

Blunden, Mark (July 14, 2016). ‘Medical threat’ to transgender children on puberty-blocking drugs. Evening Standard https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/medical-threat-to-transgender-children-on-pubertyblocking-drugs-a3296471.html

Benson, Ophelia (October 12, 2015). How to know what is “whorephobic”. Butterflies and Wheels http://www.butterfliesandwheels.org/2015/how-to-know-what-is-whorephobic/

Selected writing by Berns

Berns, Magdalen; et al. (April 15, 2018). Allowing boys to be Guides is wrong. The Times https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/allowing-boys-to-be-guides-is-wrong-v0dngnvjp

Berns, Magdalen (January 9, 2016). Let them call me whorephobic. Butterflies and Wheels http://www.butterfliesandwheels.org/2016/guest-post-let-them-call-me-whorephobic/

Media

Respect The Dead with Caelan Conrad and Amanda Hootman (July 30, 2024). Magdalen Berns: Your Favorite TERF’s Favorite TERF. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Bc9jkJU96Q

The Lesbian Project Podcast with Kathleen Stock and Julie Bindel (February 2, 2024). Episode 12 FREE: being a young gender-critical feminist. https://www.thelesbianprojectpod.com/p/episode-12-free-being-a-young-gender

Blood and Terf Podcast wth “E” and “M” (1 March 2021). Ep12: A Magdalen Berns Night Supper- Transphobia in Scotland. https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/blood-and-terf-podcast-3599665/episodes/ep12-a-magdalen-berns-night-su-133312180

The Speak Up For Women Podcast Ani O’Brien and Daphna Whitmore (September 25, 2020). 9. Well, what a week – Dedicated to Magdalen Berns. https://www.listennotes.com/et/podcasts/the-speak-up-for/9-well-what-a-week-dedicated-9GpL6IcaZPD/?srsltid=AfmBOop8CSGi5D5wGU9NLDAgklFyXwwJ_YvBO1R5mObkbF1uqRDECRn7

Graham Linehan with Elizabeth Berns (September 13, 2020). Remembering Magdalen with Elizabeth Berns. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrrsxbwyvdU

The State Media with Nicole Jones, Kathleen Stock, and Julie Bindel (September 10, 2020). Gender Ideology. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zkc4P0rpI4

Julia Long (September 21, 2016). Thinking Differently – 09 Magdalen Berns. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWSjAFYiF9U