Recently, I interviewed comedy writer and activist Graham Linehan. You can watch that discussion in full here. During the course of the conversation, Graham made some brief comments about climate change and Covid misinformation. You can hear those specific comments in the 2 minute clip below:
In short, Graham was explaining that he does not know who to believe on climate change and Covid anymore given how much false info the same institutions and individuals have spread about gender. As a result, he claims to be a lot less certain on these issues than he previously was.
I personally think one should be able to think critically and navigate these separate waters objectively. I also think that listening to misinformation peddlers like Brett Weinstein is not a reasonable way to course-correct after being misinformed elsewhere. But then again, I didn’t lose everything to the mob for my opinions—so that’s easier for me to say. So, I can understand why Graham has a complete lack of trust given what has happened to him over the last few years.
Graham’s comments inspired this hit piece about him over at Pink News in which its writer Lily Wakefield also describes me as an ‘anti-trans YouTuber’. This is libel designed to silence me and damage my reputation. And in turn, has the potential to increase my safety concerns.
I’ve never said or done anything that could be sincerely considered ‘anti-trans’. Being ‘anti-trans’ makes no sense to me whatsoever. Trans people are individuals with diverse backgrounds, worldviews and circumstances. It would make absolutely zero sense to generalise about them and discriminate against them.
As I wrote previously:
trans rights are human rights. I want the rights that I demand for myself to apply to every transgender person on earth. I consider anyone that abuses, oppresses, harasses, hurts or discriminates against transgender people to be an enemy of mine. I would also go a step further and suggest that an ounce or two of compassion isn’t too much to ask for either.
The only thing I am guilty of is refusing to swallow a faith-based ideology. By rejecting certain false claims about gender—pushed by mostly non-transgender activists—I am now a heretic that must be burned.
These sort of accusations can destroy careers, impact my personal safety and ruin lives—and Pink News must know this. My only focus has been ideas and whether or not they can stand up to sceptical scrutiny.
It is deeply irresponsible for a publication of Pink News’ size to publish libel of this kind. This is not journalism. I have emailed Pink News directly to ask them to substantiate or retract this serious accusation.
Pink News defames me as 'anti-trans'.