Green Party suspends former candidate who shouted ‘transphobic abuse’ during Channel 4’s Genderquake A former Green Party candidate has been suspended after shouting transphobic comments from the audience during Channel 4’s Genderquake debate […]

A former Green Party candidate has been suspended after shouting transphobic comments from the audience during Channel 4’s Genderquake debate that aired on Tuesday.

Olivia Palmer ran in the 2015 & 2017 general elections as the Green Party candidate for Esher and Walton. She was accused of “transphobic abuse” by Dr Adrian Harrop on Twitter after the contentious show aired.

.@CarolineLucas @jon_bartley – do you have any comments re: the conduct of @TheGreenParty local election candidate Olivia Palmer @Olivia4Hersham, a member of @mayday4women, who repeatedly heckled a #trans woman with #transphobic abuse during the #genderquake debate? #LGBT pic.twitter.com/w8aNArWnJr The i politics newsletter cut through the noise Email address is invalid Email address is invalid Thank you for subscribing! Sorry, there was a problem with your subscription. — Dr Adrian Harrop (@AdrianHarrop) May 9, 2018

Palmer suspended

A spokesperson for the party told i: “Following complaints made by the LGBTIQA+ Greens and others Olivia Palmer, a member of the party who engaged in transphobic abuse during the Channel 4 Genderquake debate, has now been suspended.

“We would like to reiterate for everyone that there is no place in the Green Party for transphobia, and we are glad that the Party has been able to demonstrate its commitment to our policy – “The Green Party recognises that trans men are men, trans women are women, and that non-binary identities exist and are valid.” (RR530) – through its actions.

“We would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to report this issue, and encourage people to continue calling out instances of transphobia when they see them.”

Also a member of Mayday4Women

Palmer told i: “I was invited by ITN as a representative of Mayday4Women. We are well known for our uncompromising position that Transwomen are Men. All the participants on the sofas had been invited, many were told they would have an opportunity to speak.”

“The audience were encouraged to be lively and vocal so when Munroe Bergdorf decided to mansplain feminism I had no hesitation in pointing out that he is a man. Munroe encouraged masked men to storm a feminist event in Bristol recently. It was incredibly hypocritical to ask for a woman to be removed from an event simply for disagreeing with him.”

Genderquake controversy

The Genderquake debate was chaired by Channel 4’s Cathy Newman, and featured Caitlyn Jenner, Munroe Bergdorf and Germaine Greer alongside other activists and campaigners.

Audience members interrupted the discussions and heckled many of the trans speakers, resulting in viewers at home calling the show a “mess” and commenting on how “disappointing” it was.

Absolutely appalled that a panelist has asked for a transphobic abusive heckler to be removed and that no action has been taken. Poor management with little respect to the panelists #Genderquake — Megan McCarthy (@megansmccarthy) May 8, 2018