Arts Council risks looking ‘mad’ over gender issues, chief was told
BOSSES at Arts Council England were told the organisation risked being seen as “mad or irrelevant” for shunning “common sense” that people cannot change sex.
Darren Henley, the chief executive, received a letter from one of his staff criticising the decision to scrap funding for a gay and lesbian charity because it does not represent transsexuals. The letter, seen by The Sunday Telegraph, was submitted as evidence in the employment tribunal of a grants officer who says she was hounded out of the Arts Council after expressing gender critical views, the belief biological sex cannot be changed.
Denise Fahmy, 54, is seeking compensation for victimisation and harassment over her support for LGB Alliance.
The Arts Council denies she was harassed or victimised.
One of her colleagues wrote to Mr Henley saying that he or she was worried the council was not open to the “default position of more or less the entire population” that people cannot change sex.
The letter, whose author’s name has been redacted, says: “As an organisation we could perhaps even learn from the down to earth common sense of people who have no problem saying what a woman or a man is.
“Too many people in (for example) Barnsley already think we’re mad or irrelevant or both – and if people see we only fund art that comes with a particular set of values then the whole strategy will fail.”
The email adds that the author would be “nervous of expressing” gender critical views for fear of being “vilified by some staff ”, and insists that to say people can’t change sex is not a transphobic view.
It concludes: “I know there is very, very strong feeling about this (particularly from female colleagues who see rights they – and their mothers and grandmothers – fought hard for eroded) and many people feel unable to speak out for fear of the abuse they’ll get.”
It is not known how Mr Henley replied.
A judgment on Ms Fahmy’s employment tribunal case, heard last month in Leeds, is due soon.
An Arts Council England spokesman said: “We are not able to comment on ongoing legal cases however we strive to create a respectful and caring work environment for each of our colleagues.”