Author: Steph

Avatar photo

(Pronouns - she/her) - Steph Richards is a 72-year-old 'post-op' trans woman with a Gender Recognition Certificate and works as a human rights activist. She is a former Women's and LGBT Officer at Portsmouth Labour Party, CEO of Translucent.Org.UK, winner of the LGBT Organisation of the Year at the National Diversity Awards in 2022, co-founder of Women's Action Network (Portsmouth) and a volunteer at a Women's health charity. Steph has been platformed live on BBC Radio 4 three times, including Women's Hour. She has also appeared on Times Radio, LBC Radio and Channel 4 News. In 2023, Steph debated trans human rights at an American university event alongside Harvard biologist and author Carole Hooven, PhD. Steph (an intersectional feminist) is passionate about the inclusion and acceptance of trans people in society. She advocates for women in prison, specifically pregnant women and calls out the mounting concern that abortion rights are at risk in the UK. She was the recipient of an Inspirational Women of Portsmouth Award in March, 2023.

The Scotsman Sarwar and Swinney

The Scotsman article reinforces transphobic discourse by framing the gender debate as a conflict between trans rights and women’s rights, employing moral panics, exclusionary rhetoric, and “othering” of trans people.
Continue Reading The Scotsman Sarwar and Swinney must now accept the circle cannot be squared on gender debate – a response.

Read More
Trade Unions Have A Woman Problem - A Response to Paul Embery's Blog

Paul Embery’s blog (21st February 2025) post raises concerns about the trade union movement’s stance on sex-based rights and transgender issues. While Paul positions himself as a defender of women’s rights, a closer look at his arguments may reveal potential transphobic undertones. Continue Reading Trade Unions Have A Woman Problem – A Response to Paul Embery’s Blog

Read More
Trans Lives - a poem by Steph Richards

Trans Lives – A Poem Trans lives begin with names assigned, yet our souls within are differently inclined; through dysphoria’s depths, our battles rage, our true self sought, a new path staged. With judging eyes, the world outside inflicts wounds and shouts their lies, our struggles we face with grace and might, to live as our true self in truth…. and light. In hushed reverence, we gather here, hearts heavy with sorrow and filled with fear for trans folk in the United States, a future so bleak, we can’t contemplate. Sixteen years young, with dreams to pursue, a life full…

Read More
Debunking the Fifty-fold Increase in Gender Dysphoria

A Fifty-fold Increase in the number of Children suffering from Gender Dysphoria reported in the media. On the 24th of January, various British media outlets headlined the statistic that there has been a fifty-fold increase in the number of children suffering from gender dysphoria since 2011. Debunking the Fifty-fold Increase in Gender Dysphoria It’s crucial to remember that statistics can be used to shape a narrative, potentially leaving out other important figures. Questioning the source of the statistics is also important. Is it a scientific paper that has been peer-reviewed? Such scrutiny can help us discern the reliability of the…

Read More
Response to UnHerd - Oxford Literary Festival faces growing trans backlash

Response to UnHerd – Oxford Literary Festival faces growing trans backlash On the 12th of January, that bastion of online free speech that never appears to want to publish articles that support the trans community, UnHerd was at it again. This time, authored by Joan Smith, her short blog claims that the Oxford Literacy Festival has, and I quote “discovered a backbone, inviting the gender-critical author Helen Joyce and the feminist campaigner Julie Bindel to take part in this year’s programme. Cue the predictable outrage”. Cleverly sidestepping the real issues here, Joan fails to mention why there is outrage. Naturally, Joan…

Read More
Jo Bartosch Journalist And Transphobe

Jo Bartosch Journalist and Transphobe – Opinion Jo Bartosch describes herself as a journalist and feminist campaigner. She has written numerous articles for Spiked Online, Hot Air, and occasionally for more prestigious titles. She is also the “Memo Editor” at Sex Matters, a trans-hostile “human rights” organisation.  Self-identifying herself as a “terf” in her Spiked article published on 19th September 2024, with the headline “The new Fourth Plinth is a monument to trans narcissism” – Bartosch rants about an artwork in London’s Trafalgar Square, highlighting the global discrimination and marginalisation of the trans community, which in the UK is around…

Read More
Judy Murray and I'm not transphobic.png

Judy Murray and “I’m not transphobic” Out canvassing for the Labour Party before this year’s General Election, I often encountered a common phrase – “I am not racist, but.” Then came a monologue about stopping the boats, how people from other countries were a drain on our economy and were intending to “steal our jobs”. So, when I read an article published in The Telegraph with Judy Murray (mother of the tennis players Andy and James Murray) calling out trans women in female sport while insisting she is not transphobic, I wondered if she knows what the definition of transphobia…

Read More