Kemi Badenoch, who reportedly once called trans women “men using women’s bathrooms”, has been appointed Minister for Women and EQUALITIES
New Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has today (October 25) announced members of his new cabinet.
Among his appointees, Jeremy Hunt will remain in his role as chancellor, James Cleverely as foreign secretary and Dominic Raab as deputy prime minister.
Sunak has also re-appointed Kemi Badenoch as trade minister, and also given her the role of equalities minister.
Badenoch had backed Sunak in the most recent race to replace outgoing leader, Liz Truss. She was also a contender earlier this year in a Conservative Party leadership contest to replace then Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
To summarise, that is three Prime Minister’s, in as many months. In case you were wondering how things are going.
In her new role, part of Badenoch’s literal job description as Minister for Equalities is “addressing the discrimination and inequalities that LGBT people face”.
In 2021, Vice World News reported that Badenoch, during her former stint as the UK’s Minister for Equalities, can be heard on an obtained recording from 2018 questioning same-sex marriage and asking “what are transsexuals looking for?”
“It’s no longer about minority rights in terms of race any more or nationality,” Badenoch can be heard saying, “it’s now, you know like, it’s not even about sexuality now, it’s now like the whole transgender movement, where, OK well we’ve got gay marriage, and civil partnerships, so what are transsexuals looking for?”
Badenoch can also be heard saying: “Even when, you know, so, people hear about, you know like the whole bathroom thing, it’s actually more of an American thing but they have a similar problem, that, right so now it’s not just about being free to marry who you want, you now want to have men using women’s bathrooms.”
It’s alleged that in the recording, ‘the minister also appeared to mock gay marriage, and the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013’, although no exact wording was detailed in the report.
Sidebar: The word ‘transsexual’ is considered offensive and outdated by many and. as pointed out by Vice in their report, “Misgendering trans women may go against UK equality laws”. In 2019, an employment tribunal ruling concluded that, “Calling a trans woman a man is likely to be profoundly distressing. It may be unlawful harassment.”
I’m sure Kemi Badenoch has her strengths but being a champion for the LGBT community isn’t one of them. Making her Equalities Minister is a really shitty thing to do.
— Emma Kennedy💙 (@EmmaKennedy) October 25, 2022
The audio recording of Ms Badenoch’s comments was not released, but then-government officials claimed the comments were taken ‘out of context’.
At the time, a government spokesperson said: “The Minister for Equalities is working hard to deliver for LGBT people, whether that is modernising the process of applying for a gender recognition certificate, driving forward LGBT rights in the workplace or banning conversion therapy.”
Of course, months after this statement, it was revealed that government had made a double U-Turn decision on banning conversion therapy, with a proposition that excluded trans and non-binary people.
The statement continued: “This 2018 comment has been taken out of context, with the Minister making a clear point about striking the balance for equality and fairness when there are multiple and often competing demands between different groups. It should not be used to misrepresent her views.”
Some Tweets below, to give you an idea of the overall vibe.
I am deeply concerned by @KemiBadenoch‘s divisive appointment as she is very outspoken against #trans people
Indeed, it was her speech in Mar 2021 during a @HoCpetitions debate on need to #banconversiontherapy that led me to resign from @GEOgovuk Advisory Panel & @Conservatives https://t.co/74IcedLDG7— Jayne Ozanne 🇺🇦🏳️⚧️🌈 (@JayneOzanne) October 25, 2022
Appointing Kemi Badenoch as Minister for Equalities is the clearest statement of intent Sunak could make that his Government will act upon his personal trabsphobia and that it will be actively hostile to trans people.
This is a danger, and we must fight it.— Owen J Hurcum 🏴🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈🟠🌤 (@OwenJHurcum) October 25, 2022
Kemi Badenoch appointed Minister for Women and Equalities pic.twitter.com/zT3El8EQjO
— Arthur Webber 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (@BernieTranders) October 25, 2022
With the deeply homophobic Kemi Badenoch now Equalities Minister, Sunak is showing us exactly who he is and how he thinks deserves equality.
— Steve 🏳️🌈🇬🇧 🍑 (@_wohyeahwohyeah) October 25, 2022
A week ago today, Kemi Badenoch voted against buffer zones for abortion clinics, which would prevent the harassment, obstruction, or interference of women are attending a clinic. https://t.co/69babqipqc https://t.co/AeV0BPm322
— David Chipakupaku 🏴🇿🇲 (@David_Chippa) October 25, 2022