Latest news with #transrights
The Guardian
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Drag artist Bimini at Glastonbury: ‘How do you police who's going to the toilet?'
It's midday on Friday at Glastonbury – a fairly early call time for a nocturnal drag superstar, but Bimini is already putting the world to rights. The DJ, musician, model, podcaster, author and activist (to name just a few of their other job titles) is taking to the stage for the first of three Guardian Live Q&As this weekend, interviewed by journalist Zoe Williams. And don't worry, all your important style conundrums are being answered: 'Crocs, yes or no?' 'Yeah!' Bimini enthuses. 'They're comfortable footwear at a festival.' It's unclear whether they've packed any for later on, as they kick their heel into the air, revealing 16-in PVC stilettos. The 2025 festival style trend? 'Skimpy,' they say, without missing a beat (they're wearing a union jack corset and teensy leather hot pants). With the all-important fashion business out of the way, the conversation – dotted with questions from Guardian readers – covers anxiety, allyship and why policing body autonomy is 'horrible'. Talk inevitably turns to the recent trans bathroom ban. 'Trans people just want to live their lives,' Bimini says, though they are hoping for more unity: 'What needs to happen is more conversations where we come together and find a solution.' That includes 'honest conversations with trans people, actually allowing trans people to speak about their existence,' they continue. 'They're mocked or ridiculed and I don't think it's a fair representation.' Right now, Bimini tells the crowd, we're in a 'hostile' place, 'and we need to either get really angry and start a revolution or take acid and love each other'. 'That's what's so beautiful about coming to Glastonbury. It feels like utopia, right? Although you probably couldn't live here for ever because you'd be knackered.' They have memories of performing here in 2017, as part of the NYC Downlow's drag coterie; it felt like a simpler time. 'There was still a lot of hope and acceptance. Homophobia and transphobia wasn't as high as it is now.' Even so, they add, Brexit was a catalyst for echo chambers. It 'leads to ideas of, oh, there are other people that think like me, and then that slowly starts to build up, and we get to the place where we're the most divided we've been in a long time'. But back to Glastonbury. On a brighter note, they say, 'I think this year is just about having fun, being radical with it, and standing up for what you believe.' And besides, adds Bimini, 'I've always got something to say'. As Thomas George Graeme Hibbitts, growing up in Norfolk, they always had the acerbic, surreal sense of humour that they're known for. 'Bimini is just a bit more fun to look at.' They studied journalism, as well as international relations, at university, 'so I was always quite into current affairs,' they explain. But drag allowed them to bring that on to the stage and 'I was able to explore politics and perform'. In response to a reader's question about a recent social media post, in which they wrote about a time when they'd fallen out of love with performing, Bimini opened up about their mental health struggles in the aftermath of starring on season two of RuPaul's Drag Race. 'I felt a lot of pressure. There were a lot of different people around me telling me what I should do and how I should be.' They were thrust into 'a different world that wouldn't normally have accepted me. I got caught up and I became a bit depressed.' They're also feeling weary about the politics side of things. 'I've never understood how human rights is a discourse in itself,' they say. 'Surely if there's a war going on and people are trying to flee, we try to help them as much as we can.' Instead, they say, the UK government is doing the opposite: 'It's disgusting.' Bimini refuses to stop being outspoken about what they believe in. For a recent show, they were told to remove the line 'Free Palestine' from one of their songs. In response, Bimini refused to let their song be used: 'I'm not doing it.' Making and playing music, however, has revitalised them. 'I've been making an electro-punk album,' they say, as well as officially remixing Anastacia's 2000 smash I'm Outta Love and getting back into DJing (they're playing two sets across Glasto weekend). Plus, we've nearly at the end of another Pride month. 'This year is so important because we need to come together for the trans community. We need to come together for the migrants, disabled people, anyone that is a minority that doesn't feel like they are being looked after.' As well as inclusivity, they urge collective action: 'We need to fight.' They attended the recent lobby outside parliament to protest against the UK government's bathroom ban. 'What's worrying is the policing of bathrooms. How do you police who's going to the toilet? Is someone checking your genitals? I just think everyone needs to piss in peace.'
The Independent
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Harry Potter novels now unwelcome in bookstores in this US city
San Francisco bookstores, including Booksmith and Fabulosa Books, have removed J.K. Rowling's ' Harry Potter ' books from their shelves. The decision by the bookstores is a protest against J.K. Rowling's anti-trans views and the recent launch of her private legal fund, the J.K. Rowling Women's Fund. Booksmith stated they would not be part of the fund, characterizing it as an organization dedicated to removing transgender rights. The J.K. Rowling Women's Fund claims to support 'individuals and organizations fighting to retain women's sex-based rights' in various spheres. Actors Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson have publicly criticized Rowling's opinions, while Tom Felton expressed gratitude for her creation.
CNN
a day ago
- Politics
- CNN
‘We're still here. We're still going to enjoy our game': What it's like being a trans sports fan in Trump's second term
The first six months of Donald Trump's second term as president of the United States have been defined by sweeping executive orders and the introduction of legislation that takes aim at some of America's most marginalized communities. In particular, transgender people living in the US have been a target of the Trump administration's ire. Several actions have been taken to prevent trans people from participating in public life, from banning transgender Americans from serving in the military to an executive order that bans transgender women from competing in women's sports. Trans athletes, especially, have been in the crosshairs of the Trump administration over the last few months. There have been threats to California's federal funding over the participation of a trans high school junior in state track and field championships and in March, the White House cut off $175 million in federal funds for the University of Pennsylvania related to the trans athlete issue. As the US gears up to be one of three countries hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup next June – the first on American soil since 1994 – the spotlight is turning towards its sporting scene. And as the attention of the world's sports media shifts to the US, a number of athletes and soccer fans, including many trans people themselves, are raising the alarm over the attacks on trans rights. Some want to use the upcoming World Cup – the largest international soccer tournament there is and arguably the most popular global event, sporting or otherwise – to show the world that the trans community in the US takes care of one another, refusing to disappear even as the Trump administration attempts to make life difficult for them. Many just want trans people to have the right to play and enjoy sports as freely as anyone else. Liam Taylor is a season ticket holder of MLS franchise the Colorado Rapids, an overseas fan of English club Tottenham Hotspur, and a former high school powerlifting champion. He is also a trans man who was immensely looking forward to a World Cup in his home nation – but not anymore. 'My wife and I are so into the World Cup, we usually keep a track of every game in the competition. We were so excited for it to be here, where we live. But honestly, now, it doesn't feel safe to travel to certain parts of the US, so we won't be spending our money on that anymore,' Taylor told CNN Sports. Taylor says he largely feels safe as a trans man living in the Centennial State with a supportive community around him, but he used to live in Dallas, Texas – a decidedly Republican state. 'Some of my friends in Dallas are bracing for a more hostile environment towards LGBTQ+ people. And not just in Texas but across the South, really,' Taylor said. One of the reasons Taylor left the Lone Star State is that it was starting to become more and more difficult for him to access the hormones he needed. He is no stranger to experiencing discrimination towards the trans community but sports and, in particular, soccer have often been his solace. He's happy that his beloved Colorado Rapids still hosted its designated Pride night, despite the ongoing exclusion towards transpeople in sports that the Trump administration is fostering, but he told CNN Sports that he is struggling to put an optimistic spin on the current political climate. 'It's scary to think that a percentage of your neighbors really hate you. I try not to be a pessimist, but it's difficult not to get down about it all right now,' he said. 'There's a huge hypocrisy amongst conservatives and the Trump administration, who say we should 'Keep politics out of sport' – but they're doing something political by pushing (queer and trans) people out of sport!' Referring to Trump's executive order to ban trans women from sports, Taylor made the point that the practice is not only harmful to trans athletes but to cisgender ones, too. 'The Trump administration says that they're doing this, banning trans players, to 'protect women and girls,' but who are we protecting when the privacy of athletes is being violated because of enforced (sex) checks?' said Taylor. 'How exactly authorities in schools, colleges and sporting institutions are going to 'check' someone is or isn't trans is incredibly unclear and could potentially be very invasive.' Taylor is deeply concerned that the Trump administration's anti-trans policies are going to encourage hostility towards trans people at sporting events and other public gatherings. He reflected on the transphobia that he himself experienced, particularly while he was transitioning, and told CNN Sports that he fears an uptick in the same kind of behavior in the new America being shaped by Trump. 'In 2016, back in Texas, I was followed into bathrooms, some guys tried to fight me at a truck stop, and it wasn't safe to be there anymore,' Taylor said. 'I'm seeing that kind of thing happen now, to other trans folks, more and more. I'm trying now to do what I can with my passing privilege – going to protests on behalf of people that want to go but don't feel safe to do so, donating specifically to LGBTQ+ charities.' Despite the fears around the discrimination against trans athletes and sports fans right now, Taylor does find comfort in the community he's found in soccer and in the Colorado Rapids fanbase. 'We won't be skipping any home games this season. Our friends are there, and we'll be there, all of us, to support each other while all this is going down under Trump,' he said. Almost 1,000 miles away in Los Angeles, Taylor Gray has also found a family in the soccer club LAFC and, in particular, its LGBTQ+ supporters' group – LAFC Pride Republic. 'Joining LAFC Pride Republic felt like coming home,' Gray, who is a trans man, told CNN Sports. Until he joined the supporters' group, Gray said he had never met another trans person. LAFC Pride Republic has become so important to Gray's life that he even proposed to his husband on the pitch at LAFC's BMO Stadium. As the Trump administration moves to roll back trans inclusion in sports, Gray has found that the feeling amongst his friends at Pride Republic is one of resilience. 'Every time I go to a game at the moment, people are constantly discussing how we can be louder, how to be more visible, how to show that we aren't going anywhere regardless of what this government is trying to do,' he said. 'We want to inspire other soccer teams and supporters' groups who don't know what to do right now. We want to show that it's important to say we're still here, we're still going to enjoy our game and we're still going to be visibly trans.' Amid a changing political landscape, LAFC and the American soccer community have been preparing for increased international attention as the FIFA Club World Cup continues across the US in advance of next year's World Cup. LAFC competed in the tournament group stage and Gray hopes that soccer fans traveling to the States will see that there are people who don't support the policies of the Trump administration and, instead, will fervently defend the rights of marginalized communities. 'For every jerk you might meet in the US, there are 10 people here that will love you regardless of your gender identity or sexuality,' Gray said. 'We can't let the good work that people are doing to provide support to their communities fall to the side. It's so important to uplift the folks that are looking out for those that are being excluded right now.' As many institutions, companies and corporations across the US rescind their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies in the wake of the Trump administration's push to end these initiatives, Gray is proud that LAFC and Pride Republic are standing firm in their values. 'Despite everything else around us, Pride Republic is not changing what its goals are – which is to make sure that soccer is a sport that welcomes everyone. Inclusivity is an incredibly important word for Pride Republic and that isn't going away.' Soccer, and particularly men's soccer, does not always feel like a welcoming space for LGBTQ+ people. In France's top division, Ligue 1, two high profile players were recently given bans for concealing the anti-homophobia badge on their club's shirts. Homophobic chanting continues to be an issue across European soccer. The beautiful game has all too often been marred by unsavory incidents of bigotry. But what Gray has found at LAFC Pride Republic and what Taylor has found amongst his friends in the Colorado Rapids' fanbase stand in opposition to what has been seen before in soccer and in the Trump administration's rhetoric. In the communities that the two have discovered, soccer is for everyone and anyone is welcome to share in the joy and the anguish of the game. Both men say they have found a home in the stands of their respective clubs. As the Trump administration shows no signs of slowing down its attempts to exclude trans people from competing in sports, communities across the United States are fighting back to show that they won't be silenced or made to feel invisible – and they aren't planning to give up.
CNN
a day ago
- Politics
- CNN
‘We're still here. We're still going to enjoy our game': What it's like being a trans sports fan in Trump's second term
The first six months of Donald Trump's second term as president of the United States have been defined by sweeping executive orders and the introduction of legislation that takes aim at some of America's most marginalized communities. In particular, transgender people living in the US have been a target of the Trump administration's ire. Several actions have been taken to prevent trans people from participating in public life, from banning transgender Americans from serving in the military to an executive order that bans transgender women from competing in women's sports. Trans athletes, especially, have been in the crosshairs of the Trump administration over the last few months. There have been threats to California's federal funding over the participation of a trans high school junior in state track and field championships and in March, the White House cut off $175 million in federal funds for the University of Pennsylvania related to the trans athlete issue. As the US gears up to be one of three countries hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup next June – the first on American soil since 1994 – the spotlight is turning towards its sporting scene. And as the attention of the world's sports media shifts to the US, a number of athletes and soccer fans, including many trans people themselves, are raising the alarm over the attacks on trans rights. Some want to use the upcoming World Cup – the largest international soccer tournament there is and arguably the most popular global event, sporting or otherwise – to show the world that the trans community in the US takes care of one another, refusing to disappear even as the Trump administration attempts to make life difficult for them. Many just want trans people to have the right to play and enjoy sports as freely as anyone else. Liam Taylor is a season ticket holder of MLS franchise the Colorado Rapids, an overseas fan of English club Tottenham Hotspur, and a former high school powerlifting champion. He is also a trans man who was immensely looking forward to a World Cup in his home nation – but not anymore. 'My wife and I are so into the World Cup, we usually keep a track of every game in the competition. We were so excited for it to be here, where we live. But honestly, now, it doesn't feel safe to travel to certain parts of the US, so we won't be spending our money on that anymore,' Taylor told CNN Sports. Taylor says he largely feels safe as a trans man living in the Centennial State with a supportive community around him, but he used to live in Dallas, Texas – a decidedly Republican state. 'Some of my friends in Dallas are bracing for a more hostile environment towards LGBTQ+ people. And not just in Texas but across the South, really,' Taylor said. One of the reasons Taylor left the Lone Star State is that it was starting to become more and more difficult for him to access the hormones he needed. He is no stranger to experiencing discrimination towards the trans community but sports and, in particular, soccer have often been his solace. He's happy that his beloved Colorado Rapids still hosted its designated Pride night, despite the ongoing exclusion towards transpeople in sports that the Trump administration is fostering, but he told CNN Sports that he is struggling to put an optimistic spin on the current political climate. 'It's scary to think that a percentage of your neighbors really hate you. I try not to be a pessimist, but it's difficult not to get down about it all right now,' he said. 'There's a huge hypocrisy amongst conservatives and the Trump administration, who say we should 'Keep politics out of sport' – but they're doing something political by pushing (queer and trans) people out of sport!' Referring to Trump's executive order to ban trans women from sports, Taylor made the point that the practice is not only harmful to trans athletes but to cisgender ones, too. 'The Trump administration says that they're doing this, banning trans players, to 'protect women and girls,' but who are we protecting when the privacy of athletes is being violated because of enforced (sex) checks?' said Taylor. 'How exactly authorities in schools, colleges and sporting institutions are going to 'check' someone is or isn't trans is incredibly unclear and could potentially be very invasive.' Taylor is deeply concerned that the Trump administration's anti-trans policies are going to encourage hostility towards trans people at sporting events and other public gatherings. He reflected on the transphobia that he himself experienced, particularly while he was transitioning, and told CNN Sports that he fears an uptick in the same kind of behavior in the new America being shaped by Trump. 'In 2016, back in Texas, I was followed into bathrooms, some guys tried to fight me at a truck stop, and it wasn't safe to be there anymore,' Taylor said. 'I'm seeing that kind of thing happen now, to other trans folks, more and more. I'm trying now to do what I can with my passing privilege – going to protests on behalf of people that want to go but don't feel safe to do so, donating specifically to LGBTQ+ charities.' Despite the fears around the discrimination against trans athletes and sports fans right now, Taylor does find comfort in the community he's found in soccer and in the Colorado Rapids fanbase. 'We won't be skipping any home games this season. Our friends are there, and we'll be there, all of us, to support each other while all this is going down under Trump,' he said. Almost 1,000 miles away in Los Angeles, Taylor Gray has also found a family in the soccer club LAFC and, in particular, its LGBTQ+ supporters' group – LAFC Pride Republic. 'Joining LAFC Pride Republic felt like coming home,' Gray, who is a trans man, told CNN Sports. Until he joined the supporters' group, Gray said he had never met another trans person. LAFC Pride Republic has become so important to Gray's life that he even proposed to his husband on the pitch at LAFC's BMO Stadium. As the Trump administration moves to roll back trans inclusion in sports, Gray has found that the feeling amongst his friends at Pride Republic is one of resilience. 'Every time I go to a game at the moment, people are constantly discussing how we can be louder, how to be more visible, how to show that we aren't going anywhere regardless of what this government is trying to do,' he said. 'We want to inspire other soccer teams and supporters' groups who don't know what to do right now. We want to show that it's important to say we're still here, we're still going to enjoy our game and we're still going to be visibly trans.' Amid a changing political landscape, LAFC and the American soccer community have been preparing for increased international attention as the FIFA Club World Cup continues across the US in advance of next year's World Cup. LAFC competed in the tournament group stage and Gray hopes that soccer fans traveling to the States will see that there are people who don't support the policies of the Trump administration and, instead, will fervently defend the rights of marginalized communities. 'For every jerk you might meet in the US, there are 10 people here that will love you regardless of your gender identity or sexuality,' Gray said. 'We can't let the good work that people are doing to provide support to their communities fall to the side. It's so important to uplift the folks that are looking out for those that are being excluded right now.' As many institutions, companies and corporations across the US rescind their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies in the wake of the Trump administration's push to end these initiatives, Gray is proud that LAFC and Pride Republic are standing firm in their values. 'Despite everything else around us, Pride Republic is not changing what its goals are – which is to make sure that soccer is a sport that welcomes everyone. Inclusivity is an incredibly important word for Pride Republic and that isn't going away.' Soccer, and particularly men's soccer, does not always feel like a welcoming space for LGBTQ+ people. In France's top division, Ligue 1, two high profile players were recently given bans for concealing the anti-homophobia badge on their club's shirts. Homophobic chanting continues to be an issue across European soccer. The beautiful game has all too often been marred by unsavory incidents of bigotry. But what Gray has found at LAFC Pride Republic and what Taylor has found amongst his friends in the Colorado Rapids' fanbase stand in opposition to what has been seen before in soccer and in the Trump administration's rhetoric. In the communities that the two have discovered, soccer is for everyone and anyone is welcome to share in the joy and the anguish of the game. Both men say they have found a home in the stands of their respective clubs. As the Trump administration shows no signs of slowing down its attempts to exclude trans people from competing in sports, communities across the United States are fighting back to show that they won't be silenced or made to feel invisible – and they aren't planning to give up.
CBS News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
San Francisco bookstores drop J.K. Rowling titles in stand for trans rights
One bookstore in San Francisco is taking a stand against a worldwide-renowned author. Books by J.K. Rowling, who penned the "Harry Potter" series, have come off the shelves at BookSmith on Haight. Now, another bookstore is following its lead. Marcus Ewert with Fabulosa Books on Castro Street is also an accomplished author. "This was my very first one in 2008," Ewert said. "It was the first kids' book to have any transgender content, let alone a transgender kid main character." Ewert says while the book, 10,000 Dresses, has been embraced by the queer community, it has been banned and challenged by others. So the decision to take J.K. Rowling's series of Harry Potter books off the shelf wasn't taken lightly. Ewert says he did what felt right to him. "Just setting an example of there are things to resist," he said. "Choices to make and actions to take. We all need more courage right now." The idea originally came from Booksmith on Haight Street. The owners of Booksmith would not talk on camera but sent over a statement saying they sell a number of titles by authors they don't agree with, but this case was different because Rowling has pledged to fund legislation and campaigns that would harm the trans community. Camden Avery, the co-owner of Booksmith wrote, "We're one private business making a decision to align our business practice with our own values and our customers' values, the freedom to do which, if I'm honest, is the one of the most rewarding parts of operating as a truly independent bookstore." Fabulosa Books says it couldn't agree more. "Seeing that people were like this is important," Ewert said. "Somebody took a stand. Actually, we wanted to be counted too, so it's not just one lone bookstore." Some on social media have criticized the bookstore's actions, saying that it's equivalent to banning books. Ewert says this is just a show of solidarity to stand for the community he serves. "It's so much better to use language to broaden people's hearts. Broaden the world and not to condemn and vilify."
