Download Festival blasted by artists over ‘unsafe’ trans toilet policy

Two acts have called out the organisers of the Download Festival for their policy on toilet access for trans fans.

The rock and metal festival, scheduled to take place in Donington Park, Leicestershire, between 13 and 15 June, is set to feature performances from Green Day, McFly, Sleep Token and Korn, as well as the likes of Weezer, Bullet for my Valentine and Steel Panther.

However, six weeks after the UK Supreme Court ruled the legal definition of the protected characteristic of “sex” in the 2010 Equality Act was based on biology, trans pop-punk artist Noahfinnce called out the festival’s reaction to the verdict.

In a post on X/Twitter, the singer asked: “Hey @DownloadFest what the f**k are you doing? How have you got the gall to invite trans people like me to play your festival, then ban them from using the toilet? If the only way we can p*ss is by outing ourselves, then you’ve created an unsafe environment.

“I had a great time playing last year but will not be attending again if I have to queue up for the ladies’ and my trans sisters have to risk outing themselves in the men’s. All this does is put trans people in danger.”

He also shared what appeared to be a screenshot regarding the festival’s toilet policy, which read: “We are proud of the reputation the Download community has in terms of diversity, and will always look to promote the safety and comfort of all festival attendees, including transgender and non-binary customers.

“We will be following the guidance issued by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) on 25 April, [which] states that ‘trans women (biological men) should not be permitted to use the women’s facilities, and trans men (biological women) should not be permitted to use the men’s’.”

Following the court ruling, the EHRC published interim guidance which called for access to single-sex spaces to be based on biology, meaning that a trans woman must not be allowed to use a female toilet, and a transgender man cannot enter a male one.

In addition, the EHRC said that in “some circumstances” trans women should also be banned from the men’s facilities, and trans men from women’s.

Hey @DownloadFest what the fuck are you doing. How have you got the gall to invite trans people like me to play your festival and then ban them from using the toilet? If the only way we can piss is by outing ourselves then you’ve created an unsafe environment… pic.twitter.com/W0oLIa5P4U

— NOAHFINNCE👹 (@noahfinnadams) May 27, 2025

A number of public bodies and organisations, including the Scottish parliament, have already updated policies to bar trans people from single-sex spaces.

Download’s response was also called out by American rock band Pinkshift.

“Playing @downloadfest was fun last year but what f*cking music festival policies gendered bathrooms?” band members asked on Instagram. “That’s crazy and so unsafe.

“Thanks Noahfinnce for being the only artist [we’ve] seen talk about this. If Download is part of your life, speak up. They think they can get away with discrimination in the year of 2025.”

Download Festival said in a statement to PinkNews: “Download Festival has always been and remains for everyone.

“At the heart of Download is acceptance – we stand with all members of our community and want everyone to feel safe, supported and welcome at the festival.

“We want to reassure all of our customers that the majority of the toilets across the site are gender neutral.”

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.