Norwich Trans Pride to hold protest at Millennium Library

Members of Norwich Trans Pride will gather at the Millennium Library, in Norwich's Forum, on Sunday for the demonstration.

It follows criticism by Kay Mason Billig, Norfolk County Council leader, of an art display at the venue organised by the group.

The exhibition included images of hypodermic needles for injecting testosterone and sculptures of bodies which have undergone gender-reassignment surgery.

Women's groups criticised the displays saying they 'glorified self harm' and promoted the use of surgery and medication among vulnerable young people with gender issues.

One of the pieces of artwork on display (Image: Norwich Women's Rights Group)They said the exhibition was particularly inappropriate in the light of the Cass Review, a landmark report which highlighted huge concerns over the way such children had been treated with drugs in the NHS.

Norwich Trans Pride said that front line staff in the library support them and were angered by criticism from Mrs Mason Billig who has ordered an investigation into how the exhibition was organised.

They also claim staff are cross that a separate poster, declaring the library a "trans-friendly space" has been taken down by managers in the wake of the leader's intervention.

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The poster had been on display since 2022 (Image: Facebook)A spokesman for Norwich Trans Pride said: "It is very sad to see management bowing under pressure from anti-trans hate groups, especially since most of the library’s frontline staff do not agree with this.

"We don’t want to lose the library as a safe space and hope that management will reverse this decision, which currently marks the space as no longer being trans-friendly.

"Norwich Millennium Library have started an internal petition to put the poster back up and in every Norfolk library space but the senior management have categorically ignored them and said it will not be getting put back up."

Protesters will gather outside the Forum on Sunday (Image: Newsquest)In a post about the protest, the group said: "Public places need safe spaces. Show your solidarity with the trans community and library staff. The Millennium Library is a safe space for trans people. Norfolk County Council, shame on you!"