Queer journalist and broadcaster Shivani Dave has called out the trans-exclusionary new venture
BY DIVA STAFF, IMAGE BY PEXELS
LGBTQIA journalist and broadcaster Shivani Dave has called for the queer community to demonstrate outside of a new lesbian members bar which will exclude trans women. Set to open in London later this year, the members bar named L Community will reportedly only admit cis women and will “legally restrict” the trans community from entering.
Jenny Watson, who attempted to ban trans women from her speed dating event last year, has founded this new private bar, and told The Telegraph: “It will be for biological females only and this is why we’re making it a members-only club so we can legally restrict it to women.”
In response to this news, Shivani wrote to Instagram: “I wanna make out with you all. Literally all of you. If this opens, show your love for trans+ people and let’s go old school and have a big ole snog with each other. Kiss in at the door of the TERF bar, dolls, lesbians, bi+ women, dykes, tbois a big T4T make out. Cis people welcome, no chasers, no terfs, no cops.”
Influencers such as DIVA-fave Char Bailey responded to the post saying: “Naaaaaa not on my lesbian name, let’s goooooo. Let’s have a street party outside.”
Despite trans-exclusionary projects like L Community, a YouGov poll from 2023 shows that 84% of cis lesbians held a “positive” view on trans people.
DIVA will always stand for inclusion, respect, and acceptance of all members of the LGBTQIA community. Instead of working to segregate and exclude each other, it is vital that we stand together. When there is already so much transphobia within the media and society, it has never been more important that we support our trans siblings and provide them with safe spaces. #DIVAwiththeT
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