Lesbian Project: New trans-exclusionary group ‘accidentally’ uses trans couple’s photo for launch
The Lesbian Project has used images featuring trans and non-binary people to promote itself (PinkNews)
A group created exclusively for cisgender lesbians – in reaction to trans inclusion in LGBTQ+ spaces – has unintentionally used trans and non-binary people in its promotional material.
The Lesbian Project was launched on 9 March by Kathleen Stock and Julie Bindel, with tennis legend Martina Navratilova serving as a patron for the new group.
The organisation describes itself as a new initiative which “highlights and champions the experiences, insights and sensibilities of lesbians in all their diversity”.
Since the project’s launch, Stock and Bindel have spoken across the media – including LBC, Woman’s Hour, The Telegraph and GB News – to explain how they, and other lesbians, are being silenced and erased from society.
In one example, which caused outrage on social media, Bindel told GB News that lesbians were being “lumped in” with “minor-attracted persons” in the “rainbow coalition”.
Both the website and social media for The Lesbian Project includes a number of stock images which intend to showcase the rich diversity of the lesbian community.
However, it has been discovered that – likely unintentionally – the group has used images of a non-binary and trans masc couple to promote itself.
It’s a move at odds with The Lesbian Project’s message that it is a space solely for lesbians who are not trans or non-binary.
Research by Manchester performer Joanna Cuddle – who spoke with the couple pictured – shows the couple are Tomboy Girls, (whose name is not listed on their Instagram), and Alexander Grey.
Grey is a photographer who shares their work on image resource Pexels, which features themselves and their family, and has amassed 694 million page views for their images.
Both Tomboy Girls and Alexander Grey have been contacted for comment by PinkNews but have yet to respond.
Cuddle explained in a Twitter thread that they reached out to Tomboy Girls to let them know the pair’s image had been used by the group.
“I identify as a non-binary queer individual. My spouse is FTM trans,” Tomboy Girls told Cuddle, shown in screengrabs of the conversation. “I will be reaching out to this group to request they remove any images of me from their hateful social media pages.
“In the current political and world climate, I feel that we all need to stick together and support all of the members of our unique and beautiful family.”
Both Stock and Bindel have often courted controversy for their views on the trans community.
The Lesbian Project has been contacted for comment by PinkNews but has yet to respond.
