Mick Hartley

As we heard back in December, the Arts Council withdrew funding from a film to be made by the LGB Alliance after staff claimed the Alliance was "a glorified hate group":

The charity had been awarded a £9,000 Arts Council grant to make a film for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee but the grant was withdrawn after an outcry over claims of transphobia.

Separately, Arts Council England staff also posted comments about LGB Alliance, claiming it was “a cultural parasite and glorified hate group” that had “neo-Nazi” supporters.

At a meeting of 400 Arts Council staff, Simon Mellor, deputy chief executive, said: “LGB Alliance is a divisive organisation with a history of anti-trans exclusionary activity” and that it was “a mistake” to have made the funding award.

In fact the LGB Alliance was set up in 2019 when it became clear that groups like Stonewall had been taken over by the T in LGBT, and that the trans movement, far from being the next step in the gay liberation process, was in fact deeply homophobic and misogynist – a regressive throwback to old gender stereotypes dressed up in progressive trans-friendly clothing. So, not really much of a neo-Nazi group, but – as we're seeing down under – that does seem to be the slur-du-jour now for anyone the slightest bit gender critical.

Now a fed-up Arts Council employee is taking them to an employment tribunal:

Arts Council England (ACE) created a “toxic” culture of fear for staff who dared to question transgender views, a senior grant officer said as she accused the charity of harassment and victimisation.

Denise Fahmy claims Britain’s biggest arts quango risked “closing down free speech” after a grant was withdrawn from a charity that campaigns exclusively for lesbian, gay and bisexual rights.

Ms Fahmy, 54, who worked for 15 years as an (ACE) grant officer, believes she was targeted after she questioned why £9,000 of funding was withdrawn from LGB Alliance.

She has now resigned but is taking the quango to an employment tribunal, claiming she was harassed and victimised because of her gender-critical beliefs….

“I have seen too many people’s careers and their mental health ruined by spurious allegations of transphobia, especially in the wider arts community.

“If it was toxic for me in the office, I could only imagine what it’s like now for gender-critical people and ‘the wrong kind of gays’ working in galleries and theatres across the country. Actually, I know what it's like because artists, performers and venue directors have been in touch to tell me that there is real fear in the arts.”…

Kate Barker, LGB Alliance’s chief executive, said: “LGB Alliance is the canary in the coal mine. The withdrawal of our tiny grant has exposed how the capture of ACE by a minority of bullying ideologues is destroying free expression and creativity.”