Nicola Coughlan has raised over £60,000 for transgender women following a ‘stomach-churning’ Supreme Court ruling over the legal definition of a woman.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that per the 2010 Equality Act, the legal definition of woman is based on biological sex, which will have varying effects on transgender people.
Transgender people still have protections against discrimination under the same law.
Various transgender stars and allies alike have spoken out against the ruling in support of trans people, including Derry Girls star Nicola, 38, who was left ‘completely horrified’ by the legal change.
Speaking in an Instagram video, the Bridgerton actor said: ‘To see an already marginalised community being further attacked and attacked in law is really stomach-churning and disgusting and to see people celebrate it is more stomach-churning and disgusting.’
She urged cisgender people to ‘speak up’ and ‘make their voice heard’ as allies to the trans community.
‘Make your voice heard and let your trans and non-binary friends and the community at large know that you are there for them and will keep fighting for them,’ she continued.
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Nicola shared the video to launch a fundraising campaign in support of trans charity Not A Phase, committing to matching donations up to €10,000 (£8,573).
This target was reached within an hour, with the total now sitting at €76,982.56 (£65,999.84).
In another post on the platform, Nicola criticised those who saw the ruling as ‘a win’ while making a dig at JK Rowling, who was among the financial backers of For Women Scotland, the campaign group behind the court case that ultimately led to the Supreme Court’s decision.
‘I have never been made to feel unsafe by a trans person in my life. The only people I’ve been made feel unsafe by are cis people. You’re not fighting for women’s rights. You don’t speak for me. Bigotry is bigotry,’ she wrote.
She also slammed the actors who have recently been cast in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series, saying: ‘Keep your new Harry Potter lads. Wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot pole.’
In an interview this morning, head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission Baroness Kishwer Falkner said trans women would no longer be welcome in women’s bathrooms or changing rooms.
And the British Transport Police has announced searches of trans women in custody will now be carried out by male officers.
Who’s in the confirmed cast list for the Harry Potter TV series so far?
- Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch
- John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore
- Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape
- Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall
- Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid
- Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell
In a statement after the decision was announced, the EHRC – which applies to England, Scotland and Wales – said it was developing a revised Code of Practice and expected it to be laid before Parliament ahead of the summer recess in July.
It said: ‘We will be working at pace to incorporate the implications of this judgment into the updated Code, which supports service providers, public bodies and associations to understand their duties under the Equality Act and put them into practice.’
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