UK trans activist group Bash Back has released leaked donor data from the Free Speech Union, revealing financial backing for legal campaigns tied to prominent anti-trans figures. The disclosures include large contributions from wealthy individuals and public personalities, prompting debate over transparency, privacy, and the role of money in amplifying anti-trans rhetoric. The Free Speech Union has not publicly responded to the leak.
The Free Speech Union was founded in 2020 by Toby Young and describes its mission as defending freedom of expression for individuals who face professional or legal consequences over controversial speech. Critics have long argued that the group disproportionately focuses on defending gender-critical and anti-trans voices...
...They also immediately
worked with the tories (and anti-trans crackpot then-tory MP miriam cates) who set up a “freedom of speech” department in the office for students. The FSU’s media manager (arif ahmed, a jordan peterson fanatic and part of the
peter “thiel network”) was given the head role and his first act was fining sussex university for having an anti-bullying policy against transphobia. He said that it was unthinkable that a university would prevent transphobia on campus and ask staff to use trans students’ names.
They came to the conclusion by looking at the policy and interviewing notorious transphobe kathleen stock, who left sussex uni on her own accord after being called out for her bigotry, to sell books and go on the terf podcast/conference circuit. They didn’t interview or consult sussex uni or any members of staff, just stock. They’ve since warned universities around the country that they should allow transphobia on campus and remove protections for trans and other marginalised groups, redefining anti-radicalisation and anti-bullying policies, as students “should be exposed to other points of view” like targeted bigotry from staff and other students..."
