The trans-hostile organisation Sex Matters.Org has been accused of being associated with “terrorism and hate” after having its website blocked by Swedish company Icomera acting on behalf of Great Western Railways. Icomera provides integrated connectivity solutions for trains, trams, buses, and coaches. They are the world’s leading provider of these solutions, serving millions of passengers and tens of thousands of vehicles daily.
Sex Matters claim they are a “human-rights organisation”, but this is disputed by many LGBT+ people who say they are seeking to reduce the human rights of trans people by making changes to the Equality Act 2010.
Sex Matters launched a government petition to change the Equality Act even though there is scant evidence that any changes are required. The Director of Advocacy at Sex Matters is Helen Joyce, who caused massive controversy after holding aloft an LGBT+ progress flag with the section representing trans people being ripped out and trampled on.
Joyce has also been accused of wanting to reduce the number of trans people after saying, “in the meantime, while we’re trying to get through to the decision-makers, we have to try to limit the harm, and that means reducing or keeping down the number of people who transition“.
In a letter to Great Western Railway, dated 8th August 2023, the Executive Director of Sex of Matters, Maya Forstater, rejected that they are associated with terrorism and hate. However, in a BBC interview on The Politics Show, she admitted that any change in Equality Act would affect trans people who had held a Gender Recognition Certificate. She also said she saw the trans woman and esteemed Barrister Robin Moira White “as a man”.
Our CEO, Steph Richards, said, “Human rights are precious but are under massive threat in some countries, especially those with right-wing governments embarked on a culture war against LGBT people. In the UK, trans people have been under enormous attack, resulting in hate crimes against trans people rising by 56% in just one year. I dont know why it would appear Icomera has identified Sex Matters as an organisation associated with terrorism and hate, but they certainly dont advocate to improve the lives of trans people; in my opinion, quite the opposite. The process of gaining a Gender Recognition Certificate in the UK is already one of the most arduous in Western Europe, and to seek to devalue it is utterly reprehensible”.
