UK
Bimini protests Conservative anti-trans proposals at Glastonbury


Joe Goggins
Fri, 23 June 2023

Bimini lashed out at the government's anti-trans manoeuvring. (Photo: Press)

Bimini protested Conservative government proposals to rob trans people of vital rights and protections on stage at Glastonbury last night (June 22).

Performing on the Greenpeace stage the night before the festival got underway in earnest, the RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star paid moving tribute to the trans community, saying: “If it wasn’t for trans people, I wouldn’t be able to stand on this stage right now. Trans people are the reason we got our rights, they were at the forefront of the Stonewall riots. If you’re a true ally, support trans people.”

Bimini also displayed a placard which read “Bin The Tories Anti-Trans Ban”. Back in April, Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch signalled that she was considering changing the legal definition of ‘sex’, in such a manner that would strip trans people of protections currently guaranteed under the 2010 Equality Act. Badenoch’s move to have ‘sex’ legally refer only to ‘biological sex’ – i.e. gender assigned at birth – would mean that trans women would no longer be considered legally women, and trans men would not longer be considered legally men.

Badenoch’s recommendation came with the backing of Downing Street, and the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has endorsed the potential change. It has been dismissed on Twitter by Grey Collier, a trans human rights lawyer and former legal director of the EHRC, as “nonsense”, “unworkable” and “legally illiterate”, but the Tories may yet move forward with it as they attempt to stoke culture wars ahead of a likely general election next year.

Bimini finished as a runner-up on the second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2021. Glastonbury kicks off in earnest today (June 23), with Arctic Monkeys confirmed to go ahead with their headline set after Alex Turner successfully shook off his laryngitis. Also performing arr mystery band The Churnups, widely rumoured to be Foo Fighters, as well as Royal Blood, Fred again.. and Hot Chip. Guns N’ Roses will headline at Worthy Farm tomorrow (June 24), before Elton John plays what is set to be his final UK show on the Pyramid Stage on Sunday (June 25).