Let’s be absolutely clear: this isn’t journalism. It’s not “just asking questions.” It’s not “debate.” This is a targeted, hostile message directed at a marginalised community—trans women—framed in the language of fear and division.
The phrase “muscling in” is no accident. It’s a dog whistle designed to paint trans women as aggressive invaders. It’s the same rhetoric that’s been used historically to justify exclusion, violence, and moral panic. It fuels the idea that trans women are a threat, especially in sport, where misogyny and transphobia often meet.
And that final line? “We speak your mind.”
That’s not clever branding, it’s a manipulation tactic. It implies everyone agrees. It tries to manufacture consensus around prejudice. It tells passersby that transphobia is the default, acceptable position.
This ad directly breaches ASA CAP Code 4.1 (Harm and Distress) and promotes indirect harassment of a protected group under the Equality Act 2010.
CAP Code rule 4.1 states that marketing communications must not contain anything that is likely to cause serious or widespread offence. And particular care must be taken to avoid causing offence on the grounds of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age.
Context matters. The Telegraph has published over 1,000 articles in the past 12 months involving trans people, most of them hostile. This billboard isn’t a one-off; it’s part of a sustained campaign of vilification, and it’s spilling from the opinion pages onto our streets.
Trans people deserve to walk down the road without being confronted by this kind of propaganda. We will not let it slide.
We’ve submitted a complaint to the ASA. You can too.
It takes 2 minutes, and it matters. If you believe public ads should not be used to legitimise hate, now’s the time to act.
https://www.asa.org.uk/make-a-complaint.html
Solidarity with every trans person exhausted by this endless scapegoating. You are not the problem. You are not a debate. You belong.
