British writer and comedian Shon Faye hosted Amnesty UK's Women Making History Festival in in London this weekend, appearing amidst a Change.org petition calling for her removal from the event.
With over 2000 signatures, the transphobic petition misgendered Faye, calling her a "pervert" and labeling her as "abusive." Rather than giving space to the attacks against her during her remarks, Faye chose instead to honor Naomi Hersi, a 31-year-old black trans woman who was stabbed in London in March.
"I remember Naomi now along with all my black and brown trans sisters and siblings across the world who are experiencing an epidemic of violence because they are trans, women and of colour," said Faye. "I think of the trans woman of colour in my hometown of Bristol, so badly brutalised by Avon and Somerset Police in the hours after attempting to take her own life in 2015, the force ultimately had to pay out damages."
Faye agreed with the petition's statements that she should not be centered in conversations around 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 explained. "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."
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