Trans rights protest disrupts Green Party women’s pelvic health event
A Green Party Women event on female pelvic health was interrupted by trans rights protesters at the party conference. The protest matters because it has sharpened disagreement within the party over who should be heard in discussions of women’s health and trans rights.
Physiotherapist Elaine Miller spoke by video about pelvic health and the environmental impact of disposable incontinence pads, while protesters unfurled a trans flag and tried to stop the talk. The LGBTIQA+ Greens called Miller’s appearance unacceptable, citing her views on trans rights; Green Party Women described the protest as intimidation. One protester, Dylan Lewis-Creser, is a co-chair of the LGBTIQA+ Greens and sits on the party’s executive. The dispute follows the reported exclusion of the Green Women’s Declaration from the conference.
- Protesters interrupted a Green Party Women event on pelvic health.
- The speaker’s views on trans rights were central to the dispute.
- The incident highlights divisions within the party.
New here? Start with this
The Green Party has experienced internal tension over women's health discussions, particularly regarding who should participate in conversations about issues affecting women's bodies. A Green Party Women event at the party's conference, featuring physiotherapist Elaine Miller speaking on pelvic health, prompted trans rights protesters to object to her participation, citing her views on trans rights.
The protest was supported by the LGBTIQA+ Greens, a group within the party representing lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex and queer members, who said Miller's involvement at a women's health event was unacceptable. Dylan Lewis-Creser, one of the protest organisers, is co-chair of LGBTIQA+ Greens and sits on the party's executive committee. Green Party Women described the protest as intimidation.
This dispute reflects a broader debate within the Green Party about how to balance women's rights and trans rights. The controversy follows the reported exclusion of the Green Women's Declaration from the conference, suggesting these tensions are part of a wider pattern within the party's structures.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The trans rights protesters contended that a speaker perceived as dismissive of trans identities should not receive an unchallenged platform at a party conference claiming to champion diversity and inclusion. They viewed their action as necessary political advocacy to ensure trans people's voices are heard within party spaces and to hold the party accountable to its stated commitment to LGBTIQA+ inclusion, rather than allowing marginalisation through selective visibility.
The case against
Green Party Women argued that pelvic health is a legitimate medical topic deserving serious discussion, and that expertise in women's physiology is distinct from positions on other political matters. They contended that peaceful assembly and free speech include the right to hear from subject-matter experts without disruption, and that protest tactics represent an attempt to silence discourse through intimidation rather than engage with ideas substantively.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “Trans activists gatecrash Green women’s event to protest discussion about female health”.