Graham Norton receives outpouring of support from LGBTQ+ community after being hounded off Twitter
Graham Norton. (Getty)
“I stand with Graham Norton” began trending after the presenter was forced off Twitter for suggesting the world listen to trans people.
Norton appeared to quit Twitter on Monday (17 October) after a weekend of abuse over his response to a question on John Cleese, cancel culture, trans rights and JK Rowling.
The presenter aired his thoughts at Cheltenham Literature Festival, saying cancel culture was simply “accountability.”
When the discussion turned to discourse around trans rights, Norton continued: “Talk to trans people, talk to the parents of trans kids, talk to doctors, talk to psychiatrists, to someone who can illuminate this in some way.”
As the clip went viral, JK Rowling took to Twitter to suggest it was evidence of “a spate of bearded men… [throwing] their support behind rape and death threats to those who dare disagree”.
Very much enjoying the recent spate of bearded men stepping confidently onto their soapboxes to define what a woman is and throw their support behind rape and death threats to those who dare disagree. You may mock, but takes real bravery to come out as an Old Testament prophet. https://t.co/V3WFS31gAQ
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 13, 2022
The subsequent harassment of Norton by anti-trans Twitter users led to the presenter’s account disappearing.
But since then an inspiring trend #IStandWithGrahamNorton has emerged.
Under the hashtag people have been tweeting their support for Norton and his views, including journalist Owen Jones who wrote: “It is trans people who are suffering the horrendous consequences of an anti-trans moral panic stoked by media outlets and politicians who will be damned by history.
“But anti-trans activists have made it clear that they’ll hound other LGBTQ people, too.”
TV writer Sara Gibbs added: “Graham Norton’s comments were *so* mild that I was initially critical, thinking he could have done more and he still got hounded off of twitter – for saying people should listen to trans people on trans issues.
“He attacked no one. He expressed no view.”
This is what he said, educated, thoughtful and sensible.
J K Rowling came back spewing more hatred, more trolls got involved and Graham Norton left Twitter.
We need more Graham Norton’s@in the world #IStandWithGrahamNorton https://t.co/zqEZM3Zjrx— Vicki (@kiwivicki) October 17, 2022
#IStandWithGrahamNorton
Graham Norton basically repeated what trans people have said for years "nothing about us without us". I fail to see the controversy here. I was taught bullying was wrong.— Jedi Avenger ?✊??️??????????♿?? (@avenger_grey) October 18, 2022
Graham Norton asked us to listen to trans people. That is ALL he asked.
Got a problem with that? Ask yourself why. Why does the existence of trans people anger you so much?
I mean, I KNOW why, but have a think anyway. Ya might learn something.#IStandWithGrahamNorton— Joe Worthington (@MarchionJoe) October 17, 2022
I cannot believe that Graham Norton has had to come off social media after being reasonable and sensitive in response to a provocative question. Just who are the extremists here? #IStandWithGrahamNorton
— Bennie Kara FCCT ?? (@benniekara) October 17, 2022
Most of the reaction has been centred around the shock that such a mild and rational suggestion – to listen to experts on the issue – caused such a volatile response.
“[To bully] a gay man off of Twitter for simply saying ‘talk to trans people, not me’ shows how far these hateful bigots have fallen.
“They are not pro gay they are far right bigots who peddle hatred & don’t care who they stamp over,” one user wrote.
Good on Graham Norton. They try to cancel him so he removed himself from their Twitter tirade. A step better than a mass block. Fantastic boundaries.
He said nothing controversial but the response to his comments were unhinged. Says it all.#IStandWithGrahamNorton— Karen Adam MSP (@KarenAdamMSP) October 17, 2022
if you want to see what cancel culture really looks like, look no further than graham norton being cancelled by a mob of extremists after a billionaire falsely accused him of condoning rape and death threats, simply because he said “talk to trans people.”#IStandWithGrahamNorton
— julian ??️⚧️?️? (@rojocomo) October 17, 2022
Another added: “His comments were not controversial in any way. They were very, very non-confrontational. And still he, a gay man, was bullied off Twitter by a straight woman.”
