transgender flag lgbqt
© Getty Images / Drew AngererL.G.B.T. activists and their supporters rally in support of transgender people on the steps of New York City Hall, October 24, 2018 in New York City.
The long-running gay magazine Boyz has endured a blistering attack and a loss of supporters, after some innocuous activity on social media gravely upset a few members of the militant trans lobby.

We seem to have blinked and opened our eyes to a different world. That's Planet Trans, where gender identity is forcibly injected into any situation. As a byproduct, a nasty army of activists are lying in wait to bite any person or platform who refuses to submit to their self-serving ideology.

Distilled down, it's that trans-sexuals are the most important part and pinnacle of the movement to end discrimination. These zealots really are fanatical, as seen by their attack on Boyz, a monthly gay magazine which has existed since 1991.

As a non-reader of Boyz, it would be foolish of me to claim an in-depth knowledge of their content, but a perusal online shows they delve into HIV, Gender Dysphoria, BLM, gay holiday destinations, along with theatre and book reviews. They also have the usual social media channels and it's there that the magazine committed a grave misstep, according to The Trans Army.

The crime?

The retweeting of posts by LGB Alliance, one of which was "Welcome to #lgballiance, the home of people who know that lesbians are women who love other women, and gay men are men who love other men. On the basis of #SexNotGender. We are here to defend the rights of LGB people. This is a personal struggle for us."


Boyz also retweeted a post about a webinar, discussing if gay men are getting lost in the gender identity debate and featuring a panel of speakers.


The tsunami in response was shocking, to say the least.

One reply was "F*ck Boyz magazine. F*ck that hate group" and another "This is a fantastic example of how to completely destroy your brand in less than 24 hours and ensure that no right thinking LGBTQ organisations will ever work with you again." Famous London LGBTQ venue, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, announced it would no longer stock Boyz or have any connection to it. That stance was also adopted by Pride in London.

The row was so fervent that it had Boyz, a niche publication, trending on Twitter.

For those not steeped in agenda politics, you may be wondering why seemingly mundane posts on social media have precipitated such a backlash. It's because there's no T in LGB Alliance. It's a group of gay men, women and bisexuals who believe biological sex is observed in the womb and/or at birth, and not assigned. They feel that the interests of gay and bisexual people is under threat from efforts to confuse sex and gender. One of their arms is "to promote respectful freedom of speech and informed dialogue."

Sadly, not everyone subscribes to that principle.

All of us are never going to agree on issues around sexuality, gender and identity - that's obvious. But what is alarmingly insidious is how certain groups are attempting to turn transphobia into the primary concern of the LGBTQ community. Frankly, their stance is childish and amounts to the old 'my dad is bigger than your dad' trope. They have adopted the attitude that they are the 'chosen ones' and have been wronged to a greater extent than 'normal' gay people, so are allowed to shout louder and more bitterly.

They are also placing a heinous expectation on their peers, by demanding they mirror their ideology.

In the same vein, celebrities Kanye West and Ice Cube were criticised for being black and showing support for Donald Trump. The assumption was - you are black, so you're a Democrat, which is racial profiling. And that is something that no progressive or just society should be indulging in.

That's what The Trans Army are doing to anyone who doesn't assume their cause. How can you say with any integrity to a gay person who endured the rampant discrimination of the 60s and 70s that they are espousing hatred by not agreeing with you? Why is the left-wing bible The Guardian losing award-winning journalists because they assume a trans point of view that goes against what some people think?

There's no strong voice emanating from the trans community to shut this down and some platforms are intimidated to speak out, for fear they will become the next point of attack.

My view is, bring on the insults and all the obscenities you want to broadcast. It's time you were revealed for what you are; a shadowy group who aren't interested in diversity, who simply want to light fires and let things burn. Instead of stonewalling anyone who doesn't subscribe to your edicts, why not join these types of webinars and offer your opinions?

The public probably aren't as well-informed about trans issues as they could be, but that's no justification for cavorting about like a bunch of jackals. In my own professional experience right-wing groups are far more likely to engage in debate and discussion. I don't know why that is, but The Trans Army is only confirming that opinion. They should cease demanding that others comprehensively adhere to their beliefs. Respect goes both ways and without that, we will never get anywhere.

Everyone should be entitled to a life free from persecution or judgement - and that applies to anyone, inside or outside of the LGBTQ sphere.
Chris Sweeney is an author and columnist who has written for newspapers such as The Times, Daily Express, The Sun and Daily Record, along with several international-selling magazines. Follow him on Twitter @Writes_Sweeney