All Together Now Festival: well, everyone but Rachel Moran & Stella O’Malley, that is…

[NitroNine]

Late with this, I apologise (oh & have checked & couldn’t see another thread); but there are absolute scenes over on Twitter as the All Together Now Festival are abasing themselves for platforming authors, speakers & feminists Stella O’Malley & Rachel Moran at their “weekend of freedom and escapism through music, spoken word, comedy, theater, debate, art and workshops”.

I have attached a screenshot of their craven grovelling, the text of which I’ve also reproduced below. Those of you familiar with Twitter will note that the ATN Festival did not provide alt-text. So their hopes about being a “safe, supportive and loving environment for everyone” didn’t even get off the ground to be dashed.

"Today we had two speakers here that do not align with the views of ATN Festival.
We wholeheartedly and unreservedly apologise to all our festival community, artists and supporters for any hurt or anguish caused. We support trans rights. It is as simple as that. Our hopes for this festival is that it is safe, supportive and loving environment for everyone."

Irish Mirror article about it - v brief.

It’s genuinely quite frightening to see the ranting & raving about what should be done to whoever booked them; & how evil Rachel & Stella are; & how their mere presence has done harm to people.

The whole business really is just shameful.

Wow. So they don't support psychotherapy or women being empowered to leave prostitution? Or they do, but only if the people in question are of the same religion?

Outrageous

'craven grovelling' is spot on.

it's all to the good, though, because you know what happens when they go on and on about how evil and awful women are. People idly wonder what the women said/did that was so evil. And then they go and educate themselves.

And here we all are.

Problem is they don’t. It’s women. It’s the witch trials all over again.

I see Rachel isn't having it and has succeeded in getting at least 4 press articles taken down,

Rachel - if you are reading this - you are an inspiration to many of us. You managed to get yourself out of the life, and as someone who volunteered at a charity that stood shoulder to shoulder with women working the streets, I was/am in awe of the strength that this takes, while at the same time mourning the women who died from infected wounds, respiratory problems drug overdoses and male violence. ❤️

I bloody love Stella O’Malley. Could listen to her reading the phone book tbh, but what she actually says is very interesting and always compassionate.

What nobs.

Stella's amazing and extremely professional. I can't imagine any rational person having an issue with her compassionate stance. I hope people do become curious about her work and seek it out.

@chilling19
Am really pleased she’s been able to get so many articles taken down. It’s utterly shocking all through.

@UWhatNow
The mob are absolutely baying for the [metaphorical] blood of everyone involved in unleashing the dreaded wrongthink. It’s really quite frightening.