Open letter in support of Graham Linehan’s challenges to gender identity ideology

Graham Linehan (Image: Wikimedia Commons/re:publica)

We are a group of women from all walks of life who are united in our concerns about the effects of gender ideology on the wellbeing and autonomy of women and girls. We wish to find a reasonable solution to the now acknowledged conflicts between the rights of women, both heterosexual and lesbian, and the rights of transgender people.

In recent times Graham Linehan (best known as co-writer of sitcoms like Father Ted, Black Books, and The I.T. Crowd) has been one of the few public figures to stand up for women. He has listened to us, spoken up in support, and used his platform to amplify women’s voices. He’s been an ally to lesbians who are usually marginalized within “LGBTQ” and who are experiencing particular types of sexism and homophobia as a result of gender ideology.

In return, Mr Linehan has been subjected to repeated smears and abuse, most recently by Paris Lees in British Vogue. Regrettably, Stonewall’s chair of trustees, Jan Gooding, has joined in with the smearing of Mr Linehan on Twitter, supported by Guardian commentator Owen Jones and Anthony Watson, a trustee of Stonewall’s US equivalent, GLAAD and donor to Stonewall.

Women have been protesting, challenging, and writing about this issue for years, but until relatively recently have been largely ignored by mainstream media. Mr Linehan chose to offer his platform and his public profile to boost the concerns of women, despite the personal cost to him and his family. We welcome his involvement in this debate and thank him for listening and being steadfast in his support.

Signed

Janice Williams

Emily Sawyer

Kay Stokes

Nina Malik

Kirsty Willing

Lowri Brueton

Maureen Deacon

Jen Gourley

Tara Kaufman

Cathy Sorenson

Bibi Jaspert

Caroline Spry

Kathryn Congdon

Lisa Marchiano

Heidi Siggers

Dr. Katie Clyde

Diane Jones

Coral Casey

Jo Clayton

Nikki Finch

Mary Hickman

Cathy Boardman

Esther Giles

Jayne Egerton

Dr. Louise Moody

Miriam Ben-Shalom

Catherine Drury

Jennifer Miller

Isabelle Tracy

Emma Jane Dolan

Monika Neall

Terry Sharp

Louise Paine

Emma Johnson

Gaye Chapman

Chiara Canaan

Tracey Smith

Lynne Walsh

Bronwen Davies

Rosemary Aikman Bull

Lorrie Hartshorn

Catherine Connor

Olivia Smith

Vikki Edwards

Alison Wren

Marie Almond

Tracey Gardner

Susan King

Julie Timbrell

Jan Oliver

Inji Duducu

Jean Molloy

Juliette Sergeant

Heather Moore

Amber Ravenscroft

Helen Wheatley

Ashley Braman

Diane McGowan

Shelley Williams

Irene Starace

Dr Tracy Mitchell

Kate Jerrold

Holly Brewer

Rachel King

Maria MacLachlan

Debbie Dowler

Jessica Newbold

Laura McColm

Debbie Galton

Katy Brown

Jo Boyd-Woolley

Janine Pike

Justine Kreher

Jacky Hollyoake

Nichole Watts

Susan Harris

Sasha Stephens

Charlotte Edwards

Helena Coates

Bev White

Kathleen Stock

Dr. Jane Clare Jones

Helen Bailey

Lisa Ware

Jenny Ross

Jane Harris

Sara McGrail

Natasha Chart

Jo Bartosch

Helen Watts

Dr. Lesley Semmens

Steph Fullerton

Stephanie Davies-Arai

Meg Shivelight

Shelley Charlesworth

Kate Scottow

Rachel Rooney

Bo Novak

Helen Staniland

Susan Matthews

Jane Galloway

Lily Maynard

Nicky Wallace

Julia R

Cath McGee

Anya Palmer

Hazel Archer

Juliet Oosthuysen

Olivia Fletcher

Helen Saxby

Kate Styles

Arielle Scarcella

Amy Dyess

Rona Stewart

Zoë Lafantaisie

Alison Simona

Barbara Lapthorn

Ophelia Benson

Sarah Wilson

Caroline Farrow

Amanda Bickerton

Melissa Mallows

Victoria Pritchard

Rhonda Thompson

Ruth Haynes

Alison Morris

Ruth Dineen

Danielle Mansfield

Maya Bowen

Michaela-Clare Addison

Angela Grier

Carrie Bednarski

Stacy Dianne Kennedy

Penny MacArthur

Barbara Hughes

Barbara Lapthorn

Tessa McInnes

Lucia Donovan

Rebecca Pennington

Wendy Lisa Gibbons

Alice Bondi

Meghan Murphy

Cathy Love

Kate Jerrold

Angela Grier

Jennifer Miller

Rebecca Harrison

Ali Ceesay

Julian Vigo

Matesa McKeefery

Louise Somerville

E Parry

Will Clark

Cerian Smith

Gemma Griffiths

Imogen Saiz

Ann Sinnott

Rosie Kerr

Lynne Alderton

Magi Gibson

Sarah Cooksley and Liverpool Resisters

Kate Harris

Eleanor Pickets

Stella O’Malley

Nicola Wallace

Alicia Hendley

Marina Strinkovsky

Vicki Edwards

Mandy Tevendale

Angela Dixon

Louise Cairns

Liz Vickers

Marion Calder

Leya Terra

Liz Pitt

Dianne Vine

Meg Clubley

Lynne Thomason

Lauren Bryce

Lindsey Cooper-Brown

Anna Hillier

Bernadette O’Malley

Eliza Self

Shernaz Dinshaw

Beth Miller

Jo Campbell

Chloe Klassen

Jane Loe

Claire Holmes

Kirsty Johnston

Susan Smith

Maggie Melon

Lauren Leeman

Melissa Kramer

Caroline Rosemary

Sarah Johnson

Dr Nicola Williams

Danielle Green

Jane Anglin

Jessica Ahlberg

Rebekah Wershbale

Jeni England

Beth Connolly

Darina Roche Kiang

Sally E Grummitt

Claire Graham

Angela Styles

Bean Feasa

Karen Kruzycka

Karen Ingala Smith

Jane Roper

Claudia Raven

Caroline Barnard

Tania Ziegler

Andrea Stirk

J Paterson

Karen McInnes

Dr. Sophie Allen

Olivia Fletcher

Memoree Joelle

Jilly Hickinbotham

Helena Wojtczak

H Gordon

Alice Kell

Karen Talbot

Mary Leng

Alice Sullivan

Teresa Stuart

Jen Spencer-Welsh

Tara Hubbard

Anni Tracy

Dr Victoria Whitworth

Frances Davidson

Fenella Madison

Leanne Bentley

Elizabeth Pilling

Chris Radcliffe

Marianne Stewart

Susan Riley

Jill Gardner

Ruth Bartlett

Julie Bindel

Dom Maxted

Kaye McIntosh

Lorraine Payne

Rebecca Oram

Sara Brech

Helen Joyce

Miriam C Richards

Jen Gill

Tricia Frasman

Kiersty Tams-Gray

Alejandra Zullo

Pat Craven

Cris Ashton

Claire Davies

Tracey Simons

Michelle M

Debra Wright

Lynsey Gibson

Carina Kuttner

Hannah Tomlinson

Hillary Reehl

Fran Ringland

Marion Pillin

Mollie Cooke

Susan Elizabeth Siens

Dr. Madeleine Jowett

Jane Mulholland

Virginia Howard

Michelle Connely

Jo Honey

Magdalena Zawojska Smith

Cathoel Jorss

Bev Jackson

Marion Morris

Leila Abuhilal

Joy Vann

Ann O’Driscoll

Jane Willis

Vicky Finnegan Drew

Julie Armstrong

Angela Howard

Fi Douglas

Helen Pitt

Naomi Terrence

Christine Fraser

Claire Smith

Carol Fraser

Claire Robinson

Kate Whittingham

Patricia Knibb

Louise Adamson

Alison Downing

Ani O Brien

Liz Taylor

Jane Williamson

Debbie Dowler

Margaret McCarroll

Sarah Taylor

Kate Lee

Elizabeth Carola

Thora Broughton

Shelly Norton

Sandra Hopley

Emma Dolan

Tina Lord

Shannon Shoemaker

Guffi Chohdri

Meredith Williams

Wendy Brindle

Katherine Deves

Tracie Holladay

Pam Isherwood

Katie Tindal

Jessica Goldfinch

Helen Pringle

Val Dobson

Monique Harmsen

Rita Aloute

Caroline Smith

Michelle Quinlan

Teresa F

Cheryl Juckes

Caroline Tait

Mary Huddlestone

Anne Taylor

Julie Layden

Emily Bland

Dara O’Donnell

Lorraine Nutt

Eleanor Milne

Wendy Lee

Alison Muirhead

Jane Callahan

Vanesa Randerson

Natasha Love

Claudia Figueira

Emma Raffle

Pia McLaren

Tracy Allard

Erica Freiberg

Joanna Bowers

Carole Haswell

Gail Slavin

Anita Rothon

Lisa Molloy

Doreen Copeland

Anne Todd

Marcia Matthews

Elizabeth Kelsey

Emma Jenkins

Lisa-Marie Taylor

Susie Cottee

Olive Sneddon

Caroline Stevenson

Jane Fahy

Sian Carstairs

Elizabeth Turner

Helen Rayfield

Laetitia Pichevin-Harrison

Alex Lizzi

Sue Matthews

Deirdre O’Kelly

Clare Davies

Katherine Sanders

Kate Blundell

Miki Brunt

Stasia Nield

Anthea Nelson

Helen Schroeder

Hayley Philips

Sonya Douglas Hughes

Kate Lewis

Wendy Stephenson

Judith Harris

Margaret Egrot

Jane Dale

Chery McKenzie

Emma Johannesson

Jennifer Milligan

Elizabeth Leatham

Sara Brech

Judy Marney

Laura Gustine

Linda O’Sullivan

Jo Hayes

Andrea Jones

Sarah McCann

Victoria Drechsler

Patricia Cooney

Karen Meager

Mary Douglas

Isabel Jones

Sarah Whelan

Gina Holloway

Catherine Bennett

Liza Cowan

Angelina Doroshenko

Clare Chadwick

Caroline Meagher

Gala Perry

Hannah Alexander

Nicky Sutton

Jacky Girling

Diane Brewster

Karen Moorcroft

Deborah Diduck

Georgina Toye

Samalia Natal Poteete

Karen Junker

Julie Moss

Lily Munroe

Kimberly MacKenzie

Mo McRae

Kate Carter

Pamela Dyer

Alison Forrest

Sarah Digby

Kalyna Lesyna

Justine Abbott

Val Ferguson

Ellie Holland

Anna McLeod

Rebekah Wershbale

Sarah Whelan

Oilbhe Madden

Nicole Fortier

Diana Bailey

Lindsey Walker

Tracy Kershaw

Rebecca Whitby

Laura Davies

Jane Waring

Sylvie Booth

Karin Trevett

Catherine Whaley

Helena Shuker-McMahon

Ramona Fernades

Carol Fraser

Laura Lewis

AnnMarie McLaughlin

Kate Tagseth

Corine Judkins

Ruth Conlock

Andy Hitchcock

Sophiah Aberamentho

Clare Hyde

Belle Doyle

Karen Raynor

Julie Marziano

Sara Crewson

Deborah McIntyre

Rosalyn Harkin

Lilian Conroy

Alice Silk

Carrie Bednarski

Liz Crane

Deborah Flatt

Helen Gibson

Raquel Rosario Sanchez

Sarah Byer

Rita Rake

Jane Robinson

Lizzie Olley

Josephine Olley

Louise Maher

Victoria Stacey

Maxine Melody

Nicky Neighbour

Elena van der Graaf

Erin Graham

Cathryn Jones

Verity Burgess

Helen Taylor

Katherine Stephenson

Judith Berridge

Susan Green

Laura Horton

Carol O’Byrne

Alice Dawnay

Tracey Simons

Charlotte Crouch

Rebecca Pickering

Madeleine Reed

Jennifer Halliday

Alison Clarke

Miranda Newsom

Helen McPherson

Pippa Booth

Irene Northclay

Alison Young

Collette Hassan

Kristine Roper

Shirley Roper

Keren Howard

Carol Douglas

Tara Burney

Edith Wu

Lucy Early

Clare Joyce

Carol Gilmore

Diane Kearns

Christine Colangelo

R Evans

Yvonne Overall

Órla Hyland

Karen Bercovici

Emma Bateman

Jacqui Page

Justine Hughes

Giulia Tonelli

Tamsin Johnson

Vicky Miller

Joy Holdaway

Julie Simpson

Sarah Wills

Alison McCormack

Hazel Lindsay

Lucy Masoud

Blake Greer

Cathy Devine

Kate Coley

Pippa Banham

Sharo Jenkins

Rachel Horman

Lynda Ross

Catherine Wright

Claire Jones

Léa Lacoste

Stacey Charlesworth

Karen Broady

Susan Sinclair

Susana Marinho

Jill Nesbitt

Colette Colfer

Anne James

Tish Naughton

Lorraine Simpson

Cerian John

Clare Scott

Deborah Morgan

Kirsten Murray

Kathryn Williams

Alison Tooth

Cynthia Sinclair

Rosa Freedman

Jenni Russell

Michele Moore

Loren Connor

Jolene Gee

Sophie Scott

Mary Middleton

Rosie Dickson

Fiona Rivaz

Jay Man

Kyie Gilbert

Sophie Atherton

Ann-Marie Stacey

Diane Reece

Jo Smith

Eva Poen

Catherine Mills

Chloe Houstaon

Lucy Catherine

Veronica Moore

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Fiona McHugh

Sheena Power

Delyth Rennie

Anne Greagsby

Sarah-Jane Gray

Susan Kendall

Nancy Hutchings

Isabella Semple

Victoria Hoban

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Jennifer Smith

Elspeth Summers

Julie Scott

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Betty Curtis

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Adele McVay

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Iris Robertson

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Stacey Lyon

Polly Salem

Sas Salem

Jill Jull

Emma Smith

Helen Bunter

Gillian Philip

Emma Corbett

Liz Regan

Denise Sumpter

Rachel Edney

Darleen Jones

Janet Pontin

Eileen Clarke

Suzanne Weaver

Claire Williams

Elizabeth Hayes

Brigid Kennedy

Trudy Cecelia Saunders

Eleanor Byrne

Sibyl Ruth

Nicci Barlow

Chris Casey

Sharon Muench

Helen Baker

Linda Byrne

Emma Hilton

Shona Cochran

Caroline McCready

Alison Jones

Bonny Landsborough

Charlotte Disley

Pam Thompson

Lucie Bernard

Shauna Devlin

Siobhán Murphy

Amy Stoodley

Emma Ruby

Kathy Ferguson

Liz Gerty

Sandy Kollontai

Holly Lawford-Smith

Fenella Maddison

Paula Higgins

Melanie Newbould

Kim Wilson

Debbie Taylor-Osborne

Clare Lennon

Sarah England

Sue Henderson

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Rachel Moles

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Penny O’Donnell

Geraldine Curtis

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Lisa MacRichards

Radha Burgess

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Emmeline Wyndham

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Sheila Cochrane

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Kati Bryan

Thain Parnell

Julie Gill

Lesley Kazan-Pinfield

Hannah Guinan

Grace Belliveau

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Jack Mack

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Trish Black

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Sarah Lynn Elli

Yvonne Manly

Clare Farren

Leonora Christina

Pat Craven

Chris Ashton

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Judith Green

Nicola Benge

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Annabel Markham

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Joanna Johansen

Susan Green

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Olivia Palmer

Mary Smith

Paula Coster

Jeannine McAndrew

Helen Davies

Claire Paterson

Louise C

Paula Towell

Lani Guy

Heather Graham

Wendy Kelly

Joanna B Stevens

Amanda Shaw

Elizabeth Barrett

Maureen O’Kane

Siobhan Clarkson

Julie Matthews

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Lisa Proctor

Jan Rivers

Christina Lamb

Emma Narraclough

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Mandy Tatton

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Kaycee Mack

Mei Chan

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Deborah Vale

Annie Bishop

Sarah Oldfield

Clare Osborn

Katherine Milne

Mary Walsh

Sophie Cowgill

Trudy Lynch

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Juliet Siriema

Frances Barber

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Eleanor Milne

Marie Verite

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Rowan Martin

Dawn Laker

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Kate Taylor

Camille Loftus

Eliza Petch

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Ali Melville

Mickey Finn

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Tess Tickle

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Sarah Cummings

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Julie Dunne

Rebecca Mott

Alex Pringle

Hilda Palmer

Anne Butler

Susanne Buxton

Tessa Redig de Campos

Emily Watson

Elizabeth Wilds

Anne-Marie Duchet

Ash Robertson

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Emma Lewis

Maggie Wellington

Laura Tyrell

Melanie Parkin

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Jas Never

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Marie Quellette

Joanna Green

Ruth Gilmour

Louise M Thorburn

Margaret Pennington

Mary Fernandez

Eleanor Wylie

Frances Vick

Yvonne Lake

Elizabeth Hamilton

Liz Bessant

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Tace Jones

Helen Smith

Jess Duncan

Jennifer Irving

Zoe Rolt

Claire Cooke

Michelle Shaw

Kerri Clarke

Emma Grover

Shirley Wishart

Mel Ryan

Stephanie Moses

Emma Hamilton

Alison Forrest

Brenda Ellis

Alison Kelly

Diane Landy

Frankie Rickford

Amanda Salt

Alice Huggins

Mary Holliday

Alice Palmer

Angela Cook

Hannah McMahon

Keri Pettigrew

Wendy Robertson

Liz Houchin

Aurora Starita

Elizabeth Lucas

Donna Buckley

Emma Procter

Emma Payne

Jacqueline Askew

Louise Amantani

Lia Mariani

Emma Aynsley

Ann Robinson

Kathryn Pope

Denise Prideux

Milly Robbins

Sarika Holden

Heather Tasoren

Brenda Brooks

Elizabeth Gregory

Sue Bromby

Navahra Lindsay

Julia O’Toole

Louise Bush

Noele Pace

Joanna Chivers

Nikki Whitelock

Julia Dear

Rebecca Smith

Lisa Rogan

Laura Clarke

Ann Godridge

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Miranda Reading

Rachel Hardy

Kate Bentley

Mary Buttolph

Fiona Mottershaw

Natasha Telfer

Jo Morley

Maya Forstater

Lucy Heakin

Amanda Heslegrave

Beverley Dale

Alice Corbett

Jess Dawson

Julie Murphy

Janine Green

Rebecca Roberts

Heather Leask

Vicki Owen

Laura Curran

Teresa Hewitt

Deborah McFadyen

Jean Scales

Sarah Dyer-Hall

Anna Bluman

Annette Catherine

Laura Williams

Tessa Sheridan

Caroline Smith

Helen Stokes

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Thank you to everyone who has signed on in support. The signee list is now closed.