A transgender model has quit as an equality adviser to the Labour shadow cabinet after being criticised for calling the “white race” dangerous, attacking “hairy lesbians”, and calling for “gay bashing”.
Munroe Bergdorf was pictured with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn last month, boasting that she would be helping the party “push through fairer and more effective policy change” as part of a new LGBT advisory board.
The appointment was heavily criticised in the media, however, as more racist and anti-gay comments surfaced.
In her resignation letter, Ms. Bergdorf did not apologise and blamed “endless attacks on my character by the conservative right-wing press and relentless online abuse”.
The BBC has repeatedly promoted the model and her views, and reporting her departure from the Labour role, they failed to quote her abusive and bigoted comments, choosing to focus on alleged “online abuse” she claims to have received.
Recap of some of the things said by Munroe Bergdorf, Labour’s new equalities adviser:
Lesbians: “Your womb is broken you hairy barren lesbian”
Gay men: “Ever find that sometimes you’re just NOT in the mood for a gay & their flapping arms”
Suffragettes: “White supremacists”
— Carrie Symonds (@carriesymonds) March 3, 2018
Thrilled to announce that I’ve been asked to be part of an LGBT+ advisory board for The Labour Party – To advise Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities, Dawn Butler MP, on issues affecting the LGBT+ community… pic.twitter.com/v7Be0YtLtE
— Munroe Bergdorf (@MunroeBergdorf) February 26, 2018
On Twitter, the activist has called the suffragettes “white supremacists”, gay Tory activists a “special kind of d*ckhead”, and lesbians “hairy” and “barren”. She also joked about “gay bashing” a homosexual.
Previously, she wrote on Facebook that “the white race is the most violent and destructive force of nature on earth”, and insisted that “ALL white people” are racist and innately dangerous.
Tory MP Helen Grant said spoke out against the comments following her appointment by Labour, claiming her words “damage… the campaign to promote equality”.
In her resignation statement, Ms. Bergdorf added: “I refuse to be painted as a villain or used as a pawn in the press’ efforts, especially those at the Daily Mail, to discredit the Labour party and push their transphobic rightist agendas.”
Continuing: “I will not allow myself to be centred in this negative narrative but more importantly I don’t want to stand in the way of the board serving as a positive catalyst for change within the UK’s LGBT communities.
“I refuse to be used as a distraction from the upcoming discussions concerning the Gender Recognition Act and the Conservative party’s lack of action on the Racial Disparities Audit.”
@DawnButlerBrent urgently needs to reconsider her appointment of Munroe Bergdorf. The kind of language Bergdorf has used has no place in public life and ought to be condemned by all those who are serious about promoting equality. pic.twitter.com/OjZ9M0WOsO
— Helen Grant MP (@HelenGrantMP) February 27, 2018
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.