Scope is punishing women for wrongthink - Whole choir cancelled from London Marathon because of personal GC views of one person

[singthing]

Choir dropped from London Marathon over founder’s ‘gender-critical views’
Charity cancels singers who raise runners’ spirits owing to Janet Murray’s opposition to gender ideology

A choir has been dropped from the London Marathon over a member’s gender-critical views.

The Singing Striders are frequently booked to stand on the sidelines and raise the spirits of runners, and the group had been invited to support the upcoming marathon by Scope, a leading disability charity.

However, the amateur ensemble was dropped because a single member had been critical of gender ideology.

This is the view that gender is defined by self-identification, rather than biological sex, meaning that those born male can become women.

Janet Murray, the choir founder, was informed that her opposition to this worldview went against Scope’s “commitment to diversity and inclusion”.

Charity bosses also told her “we are concerned about your views because we don’t agree with your views”.

As a writer and journalist, Murray has publicly expressed concerns about the inclusion of biological males in women’s sports and organisations such as Girlguiding.

It is understood that the decision to cancel the choir, which was to perform for no fee, came after Scope received two anonymous complaints about these opinions.

The charity has since defended its stance as it is “committed to the equality and inclusion of trans and non-binary disabled people”.

Janet Murray, the writer
Murray says it is ironic that Scope should bring politics into a space that was simply about supporting charity runners Credit: Belinda Jiao
Ms Murray told The Telegraph: “When cancel culture finds its way into something as joyful as a choir singing for marathon runners, it’s a sobering reminder of how insidious it can be.

“My choir exists to lift people up, helping them through the hardest moments as they raise money for charity. I’ve run the London Marathon myself, and I know how much that support means.”

The writer said that while she did have gender-critical views, they did not enter into her work with the choir, adding: “I leave politics at home when I’m with the choir – and so does everyone else.

“Ironically, it’s Scope that’s brought politics into a space that was simply about supporting charity runners – effectively silencing a choir in the process.”

The cancellation came despite the Singing Striders performing for Scope at past marathons without incident.

The London Marathon has several “cheer points” along the route to boost the morale of runners, and Scope has two dedicated spaces this year, at Tower Hill and Woolwich

The London Marathon will take place on Sunday
The London Marathon will take place on Sunday Credit: Karwai Tang/WireImage
The Singing Striders were set to raise a chorus at the mile-three cheer point in Woolwich, performing from 8.30am to 1pm, with minor expenses for travel covered by Scope.

The choir had practised for months ahead of the marathon, and members were understood to be surprised and disappointed by the decision, and hopeful that an organisation might come forward to offer them a space at the event on Sunday.

Critics of gender ideology have been subjected to cancellation since the issue of transgender identities emerged into public consciousness, with figures such as Graham Linehan, the Father Ted co-writer, being an early victim of censoriousness.

Graham Linehan on the trans debate and new Father Ted material
Read more
In 2024, the debate shifted again when the Cass review cautioned against rushing children into life-changing gender transitions, particularly with the use of potentially harmful puberty blockers.

Scope has defended its decision to cancel the marathon choir, stating that the move “reflects where we stand as an organisation and our commitment to our colleagues, volunteers and supporters”.

John McLachlan, Scope’s chief executive, said: “Concerns were raised to us about the views of the founder and director of Singing Striders, a choir who were due to volunteer to perform for us at the London Marathon. After consideration, we took the decision to not have their choir perform on our behalf.

“We understand and respect the right for people to hold different views about inclusion. At Scope, we are committed to the equality and inclusion of trans and non-binary disabled people. We have trans and non-binary colleagues, volunteers and supporters.

“Scope is committed to equality and inclusion. Our EDI policy sets out our commitment to be an inclusive employer and inclusive charity.”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/04/24/choir-dropped-london-marathon-founder-gender-critical-views/
https://archive.ph/LXP0N

I’d be interested to hear the response from Scope to the people who cancelled their DD and told them why.

Love the “bananarama” argument. We can hold our views, we just have to “be kind” while holding them… aka don’t say them, don’t think them, allow men into women’s spaces.

Oh yes

You can think what you like, but unless we agree with you, you’d better STFU and not actually express it.

I note they’ve turned off their SM comments, fucking cowards

Excellent post @OpheliaWitchoftheWoods . Much appreciated. Concise, eloquent and spot on. I copied and pasted it. X

Also predictable – see second marathon runner highlighted: https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/145742/london-marathon-sunday-highlighting-some-amazing-people-running-for-scope

Can / will she take legal action? I knew about scope as I used to work in the disability field. Very captured.
What about the other choir members? Does she need their permission or something to pursue anything?
I'd like to see more charities, especially disability charities, pulled up for letting down some of the very people they are meant to help (disabled women).

I was just about to post this.
How sad that their totally captured actions will now affect donations. They really haven’t thought about the people they are supposed to be supporting, at all.

Another example of how things get destroyed when infected by trans ideology. I'll be so glad when it eventually dies out.

Does anyone know why you can’t click on the bbc article about this? When I click on it it just takes me to the sports pages. Hoping it’s just my phone and not the BBC with their selective news

I also note that of the five London Marathon runners they featured.... not a single woman.

Fucking hell, Scope. Never another penny in any of your collecting tins ever again. Because you're bunch of pathetic craven cowards.

The article is on the Sport's page. Try this:

https://archive.ph/K0yCR

The charity has since defended its stance as it is “committed to the equality and inclusion of trans and non-binary disabled people”.

But not women.

From the BBC article (my bold):

London marathon event director Hugh Brasher said he didn't know about Murray's specific case, but said "the London Marathon is incredibly protective of women's rights, and we do that through the elite event".
He added: "When it comes to the mass, we are as inclusive as we can be and therefore we try and get that mix right."
The London Marathon does not allow transwomen to compete in elite, championship and 'good for age' female races, in accordance with World Athletics guidelines introduced in 2023.
Transwomen are able to compete in the mass participation event and can self-select which sex category they want to compete under on the ballot.

So unless you are one of the ~3600 elite/championship/good for age women running, you can get fucked.
(In 2025 there were almost 25,000 women in the general category)

I suspect Brasher is yet another one of those men who deliberately didn't ask questions so he can now say he "didn't know". Sick of them.

I can't even begin to express how I feel about that. I have real second hand embarrassment for the woman who wrote that piece (if she is indeed a woman).

It has definite 1950s vibes for me- 'Women! Know Your Place and write about men doing man things, because we're manly men and women are an underclass'.

Bleugh.

Someone earlier made the excellent point that the rest of the Choir members have effectively been 'cancelled' without Scope even knowing what their views are. What they hell are people that nasty doing in charge of a charity? (Rhetorical question)

And to add a further point:

What are they protecting in those elite categories exactly? Is it possible the know fine well that there is a vast difference between male and female runners? And why doesn't that matter or be relevant unless you are the cream of the crop?

For ref, the course record times:
Men: 2:01:25 - Kelvin Kiptum, 2023
Women: 2:15:25 - Paula Radcliffe, 2003
(Also note that the fastest time in the men's mass event 2025 was 02:16:26, so some relatively fit amateur bloke would have been hot on the heels of the elite female course record holder)

Hmm, what a puzzler.

We’ve had an all staff email about this with links to our employee assistance programme and other wellbeing resourses saying something along the lines of ‘this is may be difficult for colleagues, especially our trans and non binary colleagues’

but not women obviously.

I’m going to flag this to HR on Monday. Also going to request some clarity on the statement about ‘how views are communicated’ and what ‘alienating others’ actually means.

Can you tell them that non-binary isn't even a fucking thing?! FFS.

(I mean, I don't think trans is either, but NB is just beyond absurd)

We have trans and non-binary colleagues, volunteers and supporters.

They didn’t say if the complaints were external or internal but going by their trans supporting men working there in positions of seniority, it’s not surprising that they’ve cancelled a pesky woman insisting that sex matters.

But surely the way that Scope has communicated their views has alienated a large group of people? Drawing attention like that might be lawyerly by they simultaneously seem to be admitting that they themselves hold controversial views that many would find unpleasant - and sacking someone is a grim manifestation isnt it?

You're a star @SisterBliss . Do what you can from the inside, but don't feel pressured to do anything that is going to cause you unmanageable stress.⭐

I'm not sure that cancelling the choir would count as a sacking? I don't know how the law works in that area.

Yep! Given how relentlessly the civil service has pushed the TRA agenda and how intransigent the dept of education has been about weeding out pushing gender ideology in school which mr seddon appears to have been a big part of, it's no surprise Scope are full on beee kiiind/TWAW you bigots especially as one of the other trustees is jennie kermode

However utterly miserable as this is for Janet, one of the big charities fucking up like this is wonderful sunlight

We’ve had an all staff email about this with links to our employee assistance programme and other wellbeing resourses saying something along the lines of ‘this is may be difficult for colleagues, especially our trans and non binary colleagues’

There does seem to be an awful lot of deliberate riling up of the 'trans community' that goes on in these organisations. Almost as if some of the elite are using the trans community for their own ends.

very angry email just been sent-this is disgusting

It makes them seem very intolerant and not very inclusive. I would not agree with a charity that cancelled a trans choir if one of its members spoke up about their belief that TWAW. This is equally wrong and it is sad that the charity can't see that.