Wednesday 23 June 2021

If You Won't Listen To The Public, Will You Listen To The Experts?

A feminist artist has been cancelled by the Royal Academy after trans activists complained about her 2019 blog in which she called a woman 'an adult human female' and criticised LGBT charity Stonewall.

That's the charity that's being dropped like a hot potato by government. 

She had also warned that the 'ideology' of gender politics enforced censorship akin to that found in her birthplace - the East German police state - and had a detrimental impact on the rights of women and girls.

A warning from personal history of the victim's own country? That sounds rather familiar, doesn't it? 

In a statement published on Instagram today, the RA said it had received complaints for selling works 'by an artist expressing transphobic views' and said that Miss de Wahls's work 'will not be stocked in future'.
The academy added: 'The RA is committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and does not knowingly support artists who act in conflict with these values. We would like to reiterate that we stand with the LGBTQ+ community'.

No, you're standing with a tiny minority who shout the loudest and who are now finding that cancel culture can be used against them, as well as by them. 

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

As the term 'Royal' implies imperialistic connections, perhaps this organisation should just be referred to as the 'Academy', or even 'The Rainbow Rooms', thereby promoting it's support for the LGBGT community?
Penseivat

Fahrenheit211 said...

It looks like the RA might be climbing down over this issue. Whether they are climbing down in whole or just partially remains to be seen. But according to Nick Cohen the RA have issued an apology which states that not only should they not have removed this artist's work but also that they have a policy that is supportive of freedom of expression. See https://twitter.com/NickCohen4/status/1407628554452586497

Umbongo said...

Just as a matter of information: I was driving up Finchley Road in North London on Monday and decided to stop off at the Sainsbury's in Golders Green. As I was turning into the car park i noticed a (very) large notice in the shop's window stating thet Sainsury's "particularly welcomes members of the LGBT+ community". Call me Mr Sensitive but I took that as implying that non-members of that community are "particularly UNwelcome" at Sainsbury's.

I drove further up the road to Waitrose (which although on the woke bandwagon didn't have a totally egregious, not to say offensive, notice in its window) and shopped there instead. I regret that Sainsbury's will not notice my failure to purchases HulaHoops and Hellmanns Mayonnaise but there are millions of people excluded by Sainsbury's "particular" welcome who, on reflection, might do the same as me.

TomJ said...

You're a smidge behind the curve here - the RA has today apologised. One wonders whether it was the number of people cancelling "Friends of" memberships or the threat of being sued that prompted the apology.

JuliaM said...

"..or even 'The Rainbow Rooms', thereby promoting it's support for the LGBGT community?"

Heh!

"It looks like the RA might be climbing down over this issue."

Sense at last. Though I suspect these people simply bide their time for another opportunity.

"... i noticed a (very) large notice in the shop's window stating thet Sainsury's "particularly welcomes members of the LGBT+ community". Call me Mr Sensitive but I took that as implying that non-members of that community are "particularly UNwelcome" at Sainsbury's."

Yes, my local store had that too. No dooubt on orders from Head Office.

"One wonders whether it was the number of people cancelling "Friends of" memberships or the threat of being sued that prompted the apology."

Let's hope so - these people need to learn that 'outrage' is a knife that can cut both ways.