‘Not a great look’ for National Lottery in the UK
The National Lottery Community Fund has deemed fit to donate money to UK ‘anti-trans’ pressure group the LGB Alliance.
The Alliance, which purports to be an organisation built to advance the rights of LGB (not T) people, has been referred to as a ‘hate group’ by some public figures and came under fire in May after suggesting the UK Government should close ONLY gay/bi male saunas and spaces (over Pride Month) to combat the Monkeypox outbreak.
A controversial suggestion for numerous historical reasons and not least because the United Nations’ Aids agency (UNAIDS) had only JUST condemned media reporting of monkeypox, which is currently considered non-life-threatening, for delivering reports on the virus that encourage racist and homophobic misinformation over fact.
Anyway, the lottery donation…
Given the aggressively non-inclusive position of the LGB Alliance with regards to trans people, many on social media were quick to question the thoroughness of NLCFs vetting process for such contributions, especially given the large amount of press coverage the Alliance has garnered, in recent months particularly.
Others pointed out that there are several, reputably LGBTQ-inclusive, phonelines already available to vulnerable individuals in need of support and questioned whether having one manned by an organisation that is publicly ‘gender-critical’ could be a concerning prospect.
“This is a very worrying development”, said one account. “an organisation that compared the LGBTQ+ community to bestiality and claims openly that “there is no LGBT+ community”, has been given lottery funding to set up a phone line to talk to vulnerable young people. A shocking decision.”
Just imagine you’re a vulnerable #trans teenager & decide to call a new youth helpline funded, inexplicably, by @TNLComFund & run by the sinister ‘LGB Alliance’. You could end up talking on the phone to someone who thinks you’re as unnatural as a ‘vegan cat’. pic.twitter.com/4CUVgafBv2
— JOHN NICOLSON M.P. (@MrJohnNicolson) June 10, 2022
Author and LGBT+ activist Owen Jones tweeted condemning the move, saying: ‘The “LGB Alliance” was founded purely to fight against trans rights. It is abhorred by the vast majority of LGBTQ people who know anything about it.”
Adding, “That @TNLComFund has given them a grant to set up a “helpline” – in Pride month! – is trolling LGBTQ people on a grotesque scale.”
Background
For those not in the know, the LGB Alliance is a trans-exclusionary group formed of a relatively small but vocal group of gay, lesbian and bisexual people in the UK, who have proven controversial to the wider LGBTQ+ community for a number of reasons.
One such reason being that several queer activists and campaigners claim many LGB Alliance subscribers… aren’t actually gay or lesbian or bisexual, rather that they’re just really, really against trans people having equal rights.
Whether that’s true or not remains to be seen, however what is fairly transparent is that its agenda is very much not about helping advance trans equality – in any way, at all.
As horrific videos like this show.
The LGB Alliance, despite the aggressive exclusion of trans people from its agenda, was awarded charity status by the UK Charity Commission in April last year, sparking a strong backlash from the wider LGBTQ+ community and supporters.
Mermaids, the trans youth charity, set out to appeal the decision, along with the support of several LGBTQ+ groups including LGBT+ Consortium, Gendered Intelligence, LGBT Foundation and TransActual. A full hearing is scheduled for September.
In April, the London Community Foundation (LCF) confirmed it had “suspended” a grant to the LGB Alliance, which had been announced as part of celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
LCF, which was the distributing partner that awarded the funding to LGB Alliance, said it suspended the grant after being made aware of concerns about the charity.
“As of 11 April 2022, we have become aware that the charitable status of the organisation is being questioned. In line with our usual practice where a grantee is under investigation or review this grant is suspended.”
LGB Alliance returned the money to the London Community Foundation (LCF), but reportedly confirmed plans challenge the decision.
The @TNLComFund giving a grant to this anti-trans group is horrifying. How did this pass through your system @TNLUK?!
They’re opposed to a conversion therapy ban for trans children, they’re openly campaigning against our human rights, they’re going to lose charity status soon pic.twitter.com/vM3krEKGQO
— Katy Montgomerie 🦖🦕 (@KatyMontgomerie) June 10, 2022
The “LGB Alliance” was founded purely to fight against trans rights.
It is abhorred by the vast majority of LGBTQ people who know anything about it.
That @TNLComFund has given them a grant to set up a “helpline” – in Pride month! – is trolling LGBTQ people on a grotesque scale. https://t.co/vwqekH3hoW
— Owen Jones 🌹 (@OwenJones84) June 10, 2022
This is a very worrying development. LGB Alliance, an organisation that compared the LGBTQ+ community to bestiality and claims openly that “there is no LGBT+ community”, has been given lottery funding to set up a phone line to talk to vulnerable young people. A shocking decision. pic.twitter.com/2Kh1yN92mQ
— LGBT+ Glitterati (@LGBTglitterati) June 10, 2022
The National Lottery Community Fund is one of the most important funders in the LGBTQ space. It funds a huge number of local prides to national projects. It’s deeply concerning to see the so called ‘LGB Alliance’ which has repeatedly attacked LGBTQ orgs receive funding. https://t.co/Dzrox52CCx
— Scott Cuthbertson (@ScotCuthbertson) June 10, 2022
This is shocking @TNLComFund – got to rescind this award. The LGB Alliance is a hate group that campaigns against trans people, opposes a ban on conversion therapy, and gay marriage. It’s a front! Please don’t be conned. Dread to think what anyone ringing this line will be told pic.twitter.com/3ZzbeF38UJ
— India Willoughby (@IndiaWilloughby) June 10, 2022
Here’s more info on how to complain. pic.twitter.com/bk7lVm4nGB
— LGBT+ Glitterati (@LGBTglitterati) June 10, 2022
The LGB alliance is hate group that fights not only against trans rights, but crucial sexuality-based rights and a ban conversion therapy. For the National Lottery to give them a grant is absolutely unacceptable.
— Jack Duncan 🏳️🌈 (@JackDunc1) June 10, 2022
How can LGB Alliance qualify for @TNLComFund funding to support LGBTQ+ youth when they have publicly stated:
" LGBTQ+ theory is regressive & homophobic"
"There is no LGBTQ+ community"
"The rainbow flag doesn't represent us"
"We are not queer" pic.twitter.com/klmvyiUqgi— LGBT+ Glitterati (@LGBTglitterati) June 10, 2022
As a former Grants Officer at the BIG Lottery Fund (the predecessor agency), I’ll be raising my concerns with the fund. I don’t see how this award to this organisation has come about. https://t.co/mAmVxnlpLZ
— Rob McDowall FRSA (@robmcd85) June 10, 2022
Eyebrows raising at what this says about the @TNLComFund's decision-making processes.
Not only funding a charity of LGB Alliance's ethos and questionable status, but @switchboardLGBT @LGBTfdn and @TheProudTrust run helplines and chatlines. Good ones. What need to duplicate? https://t.co/Ej9iIBc4wK— Nicole Sykes (@NicoleSykes_) June 10, 2022