British writer and comedian Shon Faye has defied a wave of criticism and transphobia, taking the stage to host Amnesty UK's Women Making History Festival in in London on the weekend.
Amnesty UK's decision to employ Faye as host was met with a bizarre Change.org petition calling for her to be removed. The petition, which collected over 2,000 signatures, repeatedly misgenders Faye, describing her as a "pervert".
Amnesty UK's LGBTIQ+ division hit back at the attacks, describing the public response as "appalling".
Meanwhile, Faye responded to the petition while addressing her audience at the Women Making History Festival, agreeing with its assertion that she shouldn't be the subject of conversation when it comes to women's human rights.
"It is trans women in sex work, disabled trans women and working class trans women who do not share my advantages who must be centred in women’s human rights work," she said.
She continued: "Instead of answering my critics I pay tribute to those women – because as long as trans women in the UK and around the world are being beaten, being sectioned, being brutalised, being raped, being killed or surviving, thriving, living, laughing, loving, and dying as women are then it is right and just that we are able to access the support and solidarity of feminist and women’s community."
Faye, who works as the Editor-at-large for Dazed, later tweeted that she was "sorry" the petitioners wouldn't be able to get their time back.
