SNP MP says she's been 'cancelled' over gender views after Edinburgh Fringe event scrapped

The SNP's Joanna Cherry claims she has been "cancelled" from appearing astatine an Edinburgh Festival Fringe lawsuit for being a "lesbian who holds gender-critical views".

The MP was owed to look astatine The Stand successful August arsenic portion of an In Conversation With bid of events organised by Fair Pley Productions.

However, the drama nine has said it is nary longer capable to big the amusement aft cardinal operational unit said they were "unwilling" to enactment it.

Speaking connected Radio Scotland's Drivetime programme connected Tuesday, Ms Cherry said: "I deliberation I'm being cancelled and no-platformed due to the fact that I'm a lesbian who holds gender-critical views - that is to accidental that I deliberation [somebody's] enactment is immutable. Somebody's sex individuality is not much important than the enactment that they're born.

"I person made those views wide implicit a fig of years. I person ne'er said that trans radical shouldn't person adjacent rights."

Ms Cherry, the MP for Edinburgh South West, has been a vocal professional of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, which aims to simplify the process for radical to alteration sex successful the eyes of the law.

The bill, which volition spot the Scottish and UK governments conflict it retired successful court, has been a contentious contented with critics arguing it undermines women's rights and single-sex spaces.

Ms Cherry, who was invited by Fair Pley Productions to instrumentality portion successful the event, planned to speech astir a fig of topics including her vocation successful authorities arsenic good the independency question and the current controversies surrounding the SNP.

She said: "But due to the fact that a tiny fig of radical don't similar my lesbian and feminist activism, I'm being prevented from talking astir each of those things successful the festival of my location metropolis wherever I americium an elected politician."

She added: "I deliberation it says that something's gone precise incorrect successful Scotland's civic space.

"Small groups of activists are present dictating who tin talk and what tin beryllium discussed."

Other events acceptable to beryllium held this twelvemonth arsenic portion of the In Conversation With bid see interviews with the likes of Scottish Labour person Anas Sarwar and The Bluebells laminitis Bobby Bluebell.

Ms Cherry said: "I would anticipation The Stand would spot consciousness here. Staff shouldn't beryllium framing The Stand's editorial and creator policy."

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In a connection made earlier successful April, The Stand said it "did not endorse oregon enactment the views" of immoderate subordinate successful the In Conversation With series.

A spokesperson said: "Whilst we whitethorn disagree with a peculiar viewpoint, we judge that radical should person the close to explicit views that others mightiness find arguable oregon powerfully disagree with, providing this is done wrong the instrumentality and does not interruption our codification of conduct."

The nine noted that immoderate unit had expressed interest implicit the lawsuit and their views would beryllium "respected".

In a caller connection issued connected Monday, a spokesperson said: "Following extended discussions with our unit it has go wide that a fig of The Stand's cardinal operational staff, including venue absorption and container bureau personnel, are unwilling to enactment connected this event.

"As we person antecedently stated, we volition guarantee that their views are respected.

"We volition not compel our unit to enactment connected this lawsuit and truthful person concluded that the lawsuit is incapable to proceed connected a decently staffed, harmless and legally compliant basis."