Feminist and LGBT+ students picketed outside Jenni Murray’s Off the Shelf event

BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour presenter wrote an article saying trans women shouldn’t call themselves ‘real women’


Students from the LGBT+ society at the University of Sheffield protested outside Firth Court against Jenni Murray's Off the Shelf talk on Sunday.

In an article for The Sunday Times titled, 'Be trans, be proud — but don’t call yourself a real woman', the presenter of BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour wrote: "Can someone who has lived as a man, with all the privilege that entails, really lay claim to womanhood? It takes more than a sex change and make-up."

Leaflets distributed by LGBT+ students

Feminist and LGBT+ students protested outside the venue, distributing leaflets and informing those attending, many of whom were unaware of Murray's article written March this year. The students encouraged attendees to head to the LGBT+ society's own event, held at the Student's Union at the same time as Murray's talk.

In a statement on their Facebook page, the LGBT+ society said:

"The dehumanisation of trans people and trans women in particular is transphobia and transmisogny. We want to affirm loudly and clearly that trans women are 'real' women, and the platform that Jenni Murray has been given to talk about women's issues must be questioned."

Tickets sold out for the Off the Shelf event, sponsored by The University of Sheffield, in which Murray discussed her book, A History of Britain in 21 Women.

Murray's article already sparked protest when she spoke at Oxford University in April.

We've approached the LGBTQ+ society for comment.