Sydney Trans Rights Activists Protest UK TERF Kellie-Jay Keen: In Pictures

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Sydney Trans Rights

Sydney trans rights activists and antifascists gathered in Victoria Park on Saturday to rally against an event put on by prominent UK transphobe and far-right figure Kellie-Jay Keen, who’s currently on the Australian Let Women Speak Tour, which involves a series of public outdoor speakouts.

Known as Posie Parker online, Keen is known for her divisive comments about trans people, which encourage hate and attempt to erase trans identities, while she also adheres to a checklist of other ultraconservative concerns, such as removing the right to abortion and contraception for youths.

With her local tour sponsored by Binary Australia, Posie Parker is known as an outspoken TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) and SWERF (sex worker-exclusionary radical feminist).

The pro-trans, antifascist demonstrators gathered in the park argued that Keen and her supporters are so steeped in far-right racist, classist and misogynistic ideology that they’re obviously misapplying feminist thought to progress their own agenda.

Sydney Criminal Lawyers was in attendance at the counteraction staged by Pride in Protest, National Union of Students Queer/LGBTI, University of Sydney’s Women’s Collective, LGBTI Rights Australia and USYD Queer Action Collective.

The Protest Kellie-Jay Keen and the Far-Right rally descended upon Sydney’s Victoria Park on 11 March
The Protest Kellie-Jay Keen and the Far-Right rally descended upon Sydney’s Victoria Park on 11 March
Speakers outlined the hypocrisy of the far-right using feminism to progress its agenda
Speakers outlined the hypocrisy of the far-right using feminism to progress its agenda
Posie Parker also targets sex workers in her diatribes
Posie Parker also targets sex workers in her diatribes
Dykes on Bikes were in support
Dykes on Bikes were in support
And the rally was solid
And the rally was solid
However, so was the NSW police presence
However, so was the NSW police presence
Indeed, the police presence was fortified
Indeed, the police presence was fortified
But over at Keen’s event, the difference in police presence was stark, even though it basically resembled that of the counterprotest
But over at Keen’s event, the difference in police presence was stark, even though it basically resembled that of the counterprotest
Having travelled from the UK, Keen addressed her attendees in the park
Having travelled from the UK, Keen addressed her attendees in the park
And she was accompanied by a few friends in suits
And she was accompanied by a few friends in suits
One of Keen’s supporters expressing his opinion about “private areas” on a hat placard
One of Keen’s supporters expressing his opinion about “private areas” on a hat placard

Paul Gregoire

Paul Gregoire is a Sydney-based journalist and writer. He's the winner of the 2021 NSW Council for Civil Liberties Award For Excellence In Civil Liberties Journalism. Prior to Sydney Criminal Lawyers®, Paul wrote for VICE and was the news editor at Sydney’s City Hub.

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