The NSPCC has cut ties with transgender activist Munroe Bergdorf following safeguarding concerns.
Bergdorf – born male, but who has undergone extensive surgery to appear female – announced himself last week as Childline’s “first LGBT+ campaigner”.
But the children’s charity said the gender activist would have “no ongoing relationship with Childline or the NSPCC”.
Risk to children
Many complained to the charity that Bergdorf was not a good role model for children, having previously posed for Playboy, and frequently presenting an oversexualised image of women.
Others were concerned about widely-publicised racist remarks, which led to him being dropped from working for L’Oreal and stepping down as a Labour Party LGBT ambassador.
Last year, when a Twitter user raised concerns that transgender activists were inciting violent and intimidating behaviour against women who disagree with them, including posting photos of their children online, Bergdorf responded: “Nobody cares.”
It was also claimed that Bergdorf was a safeguarding risk, for allegedly inviting minors to contact him directly to speak confidentially.
Astonishing
Campaign group Safe Schools Alliance said: “Bergdorf encourages children to make contact privately on the internet, which goes against child safeguarding principles, and can create mistrust between parents and their children.”
Janice Turner, a columnist for The Times, called the original decision to use Bergdorf as an ambassador for Childline “astonishing”.
But Bergdorf dismissed the concerns as a “transphobic hate campaign” and encouraged supporters to respond by donating to Mermaids – the controversial transgender lobby group which encourages the use of hormone treatment and surgery for children.