My name is Graham Linehan, I am a writer. I’ve written several comedy programmes, the best-known of which is probably ‘Father Ted’ but I’d ask you today to briefly take me seriously because I believe the stakes could not be higher. Almost four years ago I saw that feminists were being bullied, harassed and silenced for standing up for their rights and their children's rights. I decided to use my platform on Twitter to bring attention to what seemed to be an all-out assault on women, on their words, their dignity and their safety. Also, I saw that vulnerable children were being fast-tracked onto a medical pathway that carried severe long-term implications. My position is very simple. I believe everyone should be allowed to talk about these issues. In fact, I believe it is a moral imperative that we do so.
Thank you so much for fighting our corner, Graham. Your bravery & integrity will never be forgotten. This is such a compassionate & considered statement. You & Helen were formidable today. xx
If someone had told me twenty years ago that the writer of Father Ted would one day be a rare voice of sanity in the House of Lords, speaking out against an ideology that claims that men can be women, I'm not sure what I'd have thought. Strange times.
Thank you Graham. Your statement got me teary eyed and both you and Helen were simply amazing. Thank you for all you do and thank you for providing this platform for others too. I hope I’ll get to buy you a drink someday!
Well done Graham, I think it's appalling that your career and personal life have been damaged, your reputation dragged through the mire, for supporting the rights of women and girls. You deserve a 🏅 for your perseverance in the face of it all.
I'm so grateful to you for speaking out and supporting women and this is a brilliant summary of all that is going on. I thought I was going crazy until JKR spoke out. I freely admit I was too scared to comment on these issues until she did, then I signed up to your Update and Women are Human and found the tribe on twitter - watching as one by one they are silenced in the way you and Helen were. However, you were in HoL today, and Fair Play for Women and the brilliant Dr Jones won the case with ONS, so maybe, just maybe, the tide is turning. Let's hope Allison Bailey and Harry the Owl are also celebrating soon too.
I watched on Parliament TV. Thank you for reading the tweet that got me banned this week. You did a great job speaking and so did Helen. I hope it makes a difference.
You both did an excellent job. Thank you for doing something today which can’t have been easy. You both really exposed the vulnerability of the position you have been placed in for stating your good faith, evidence-based views about women’s, LGB people’s and children’s rights. Today was so very, very important. 👏
Hi Graham. I am late to the party for subscribing, as my employment hasn’t been too secure these last couple of years. But, you’re statement has finally got me here.
I knew all too well what you had lost work-wise. I had also heard the rumours about your marriage coming to an end - I am so saddened to find this to be true. I hope at some point, this can be resolved (assuming that is what you would want).
So, a great big thank you for everything. No one should have to lose this much by simply standing up for women. It’s perverse and so unfair. I will subscribe and support as long as I am financially able.
Absolutely brilliant both of you. Fucking fantastic actually. I’m sure the lump that appeared in my throat was entirely down to the single malt. Helen and yourself were magnificent.
Thank you Graham! You were superb! A moving and articulate account of reality. I feel I can breathe a bit easier knowing that you and Helen have been able to express all our feelings so eloquently at such a high-profile forum of government. Helen was magnificent too. Thanks to both of you! Keep up the good work. Stay strong.
You both were just fantastic, despite the less than warm reception at times. Your speech made me cry. We are so lucky to have the two of you along with us on this 💜
I think this was an important speech. Historically, important, because no one else to date, has bothered to highlight the real threats to our way of life, born out of an American, homophobic cult that has been given a constant spotlight by social media Twitter and Google. How many others would have done the same as you today ? How many have - on the scale of a nation - fallen for the same old predictable tweets demanding everyone to obey to the cult mantras and their cancel culture trends, that are built on terrible lies and real hate ?
My guess is not as many as they think. The cultists, the trans activists are in truth, a minority. They are the ones who will eventually, go down in history to be the real bigots, misogynists and ones who 'fear'. Half of them haven't a clue most of them have brainwashed and those who lead them are some of the most dangerous people in society. Truth will out.
For those who continue to poke at a tigers with short sticks... The end is inevitable.
Thank you so much for fighting our corner, Graham. Your bravery & integrity will never be forgotten. This is such a compassionate & considered statement. You & Helen were formidable today. xx
This is a statement and a half, in my view.
This text should now be required reading in schools, Universities, workplaces, Parliament...
and definitely the f***ing Guardian offices.
This is spot on. Very well said.
If someone had told me twenty years ago that the writer of Father Ted would one day be a rare voice of sanity in the House of Lords, speaking out against an ideology that claims that men can be women, I'm not sure what I'd have thought. Strange times.
Thank you Graham. Your statement got me teary eyed and both you and Helen were simply amazing. Thank you for all you do and thank you for providing this platform for others too. I hope I’ll get to buy you a drink someday!
Well done Graham, I think it's appalling that your career and personal life have been damaged, your reputation dragged through the mire, for supporting the rights of women and girls. You deserve a 🏅 for your perseverance in the face of it all.
I'm so grateful to you for speaking out and supporting women and this is a brilliant summary of all that is going on. I thought I was going crazy until JKR spoke out. I freely admit I was too scared to comment on these issues until she did, then I signed up to your Update and Women are Human and found the tribe on twitter - watching as one by one they are silenced in the way you and Helen were. However, you were in HoL today, and Fair Play for Women and the brilliant Dr Jones won the case with ONS, so maybe, just maybe, the tide is turning. Let's hope Allison Bailey and Harry the Owl are also celebrating soon too.
I watched on Parliament TV. Thank you for reading the tweet that got me banned this week. You did a great job speaking and so did Helen. I hope it makes a difference.
You both did an excellent job. Thank you for doing something today which can’t have been easy. You both really exposed the vulnerability of the position you have been placed in for stating your good faith, evidence-based views about women’s, LGB people’s and children’s rights. Today was so very, very important. 👏
Hi Graham. I am late to the party for subscribing, as my employment hasn’t been too secure these last couple of years. But, you’re statement has finally got me here.
I knew all too well what you had lost work-wise. I had also heard the rumours about your marriage coming to an end - I am so saddened to find this to be true. I hope at some point, this can be resolved (assuming that is what you would want).
So, a great big thank you for everything. No one should have to lose this much by simply standing up for women. It’s perverse and so unfair. I will subscribe and support as long as I am financially able.
Sending love and gratitude x
Absolutely brilliant both of you. Fucking fantastic actually. I’m sure the lump that appeared in my throat was entirely down to the single malt. Helen and yourself were magnificent.
Thank you Graham! You were superb! A moving and articulate account of reality. I feel I can breathe a bit easier knowing that you and Helen have been able to express all our feelings so eloquently at such a high-profile forum of government. Helen was magnificent too. Thanks to both of you! Keep up the good work. Stay strong.
Bravo Graham. Bravo. Thankyou. And thank you to Helen and all who are standing up in this fight. Magdalen Berns would applaud you.
You both were just fantastic, despite the less than warm reception at times. Your speech made me cry. We are so lucky to have the two of you along with us on this 💜
I think this was an important speech. Historically, important, because no one else to date, has bothered to highlight the real threats to our way of life, born out of an American, homophobic cult that has been given a constant spotlight by social media Twitter and Google. How many others would have done the same as you today ? How many have - on the scale of a nation - fallen for the same old predictable tweets demanding everyone to obey to the cult mantras and their cancel culture trends, that are built on terrible lies and real hate ?
My guess is not as many as they think. The cultists, the trans activists are in truth, a minority. They are the ones who will eventually, go down in history to be the real bigots, misogynists and ones who 'fear'. Half of them haven't a clue most of them have brainwashed and those who lead them are some of the most dangerous people in society. Truth will out.
For those who continue to poke at a tigers with short sticks... The end is inevitable.
Power to us.
You were both amazing! Passionate and clear. Your statement felt like a bit of a mic drop 👏
Sorry it's all been so hard on you. The work you're doing is so incredibly important and many understand that.