I'm just composing another letter to the Booker. What do you all think?
Anyone else you think it's worth sending it to?
Regarding Baroness Nicholson and your disgraceful treatment of this great lady who has dedicated her life to public service, particularly striving to improve the lives of vulnerable children, refugees and victims of sexual violence. A woman who set up and worked for a number of charities and is particularly well-known for her humanitarian work in the Middle East.
In recent months Baroness Nicholson has been a vocal opponent of gender identity ideology, speaking up for women's sex-based rights and spaces and arguing against the medicalisation of vulnerable children. I’m sure you’re aware she co-founded a charity with JK Rowling, another woman who has been vilified for publishing an essay about the harm of gender politics.
After a couple of poorly worded tweets her critics took to social media and urged followers to make a complaint about the Baroness, .Munroe Bergdorf and Damian Barr smelt blood. That’s the same Bergdorf who had to step down from their role on the Labour Party’s LGBT advisory board after it emerged they had made homophobic comments.
These modern day witchfinders were now able to label Baroness Nicholson a homophobe and petition the Booker Prize Committee accordingly.
Author Damian Barr spearheaded a group of writers baying for the Baroness' blood, in a most disgusting and sanctimonious fashion, demanding that she be removed from her Booker Prize role. Their faux outrage based on the fact she voted against equal marriage in the same-sex couples marriage bill. Barr also made accusations that Baroness Nicholson was making an "Ongoing attack on the LGBT community" and "Propagating homophobic views". None of these accusations he substantiated of course.
Baroness Nicholson voted against same-sex marriage. SEVEN YEARS AGO. Even Stonewall was split on the subject at the time. While I may not agree with Baroness Nicholson, she was entitled to vote in the bill however she chose. It's how our democracy works.
Lord Willetts voted against making the age of consent for gay men equal to that for heterosexual couples. In 2002 he voted several times against allowing same-sex couples to adopt children. In 2003 he voted to delay the repeal of the notoriously homophobic Clause 28. A BOOKER PRIZE TRUSTEE. Why did Barr not demanding his expulsion from the foundation I wonder?
And voila, the Booker caved, Baroness Nicholson was expunged from the literary foundation her late husband helped establish.
This is a woman who I have watched on twitter counselling a young lesbian, whose wife died suddenly and unexpectedly with such care and tenderness. It’s so easy to see what kind of woman she is, if only people had looked before jumping on this purity roundabout.
I say all this as a woman who campaigned against section 28, spent years campaigning for LGB rights, and who does not agree with Baroness Nicholson on same sex marriage.
I find it incredible that she was ‘cancelled’ for a badly worded tweet or her views on same sex marriage which comes from her religious beliefs, a protected characteristic under UK law. I may not agree with her but she is allowed to hold her view as many people do.
I despise cancel culture. But then we come to the fragrant Damian Barr. A man who never even thought he might be troubled by someone going through his own twitter history. Why would he? He’s a man on the side of the righteous. His twitter history contained transphobic, misogynistic, racists tweets. Truly unpleasant stuff that the Baroness would have been appalled by. He spent yesterday locking down his twitter account deleting his twitter history as fast as his little, sweaty fingers would go. Unfortunately for him they were archived first.
I’m sure he will portray himself as a victim. However there is only one victim in this, Baroness Nicholson.
You owe this Lady who has only shown utter class and dignity throughout this shabby affair a massive apology. You have discredited her and your own organisation by your cowardly actions.
Women will not forgive and forget.
Shameful.