'Misgendering' is not a crime: support preacher convicted for 'misgendering'

Did you know you could be fined £620 and forced to do 80 hours of community service for ‘misgendering’ someone?

In June 2021, Dave McConnell was preaching in Leeds when a ‘trans woman’ asked him whether God accepted the LGBT community, answering truthfully and Scripturally.

However, after members of the crowd shouted, swore and made threats towards Dave, the police arrested Dave. He was charged, prosecuted and convicted with a Public Order offence. He was made to pay £620, forced to do 80 hours of community service and was reported to Prevent, the government’s anti-terrorism watchdog.

With the Christian Legal Centre’s help, Dave is appealing this conviction in court this Thursday. He will be aided by expert witnesses Maya Forstater (Sex Matters) and Toby Young (Free Speech Union).

If you’d like to stand with Dave, you can sign and share our petition asking the government to make clear that ‘misgendering’ is not a crime.

Sign and share the petition

Dave represents the first street preacher in the UK to be prosecuted and reported to counter-terrorism for ‘misgendering’ a member of the public while sharing the gospel.

Despite there being no legal obligation to use anyone’s preferred pronouns in the UK, Dave was later convicted by the local district judge and was forced to do 80 hours of community service, reported to Prevent and ordered to pay costs of £620.

While preaching in Leeds, Dave was asked, while speaking about a range of topics, by a biological male that self-identifies as a ‘trans woman’ whether God accepted the LGBT community.

Responding to the question, Dave, who encourages members of the public to ask him questions while preaching, said: “No, God hates sin. So, this Gentleman asked a question…”

Members of the crowd screamed at him: “She’s a woman!”

He replied: “No, this is a man”, to which a female member of the crowd shouted: “She’s just as much a woman as me!”

Continuing to calmly preach about what the Bible says about sexual sin and homosexuality, Dave referred to the individual as ‘this gentleman’ and a ‘man in women’s clothes’.

He continued to preach and during the afternoon was repeatedly verbally abused by members of the public, assaulted, and at one point had possessions stolen, including an amplifier.

However, rather than controlling the crowd, a police officer with pentagram tattoos started collating evidence on how Dave had ‘misgendered’ the ‘trans woman’ before arresting him.

This case represents a disturbing trend in our society which is seeing members of the public and professionals being prosecuted and reported as potential terrorists for refusing to celebrate and approve LGBT ideology or for ‘misgendering’.

Sign our petition to the Home Secretary and Justice Secretary urging them to issue guidance to police which clarifies that misgendering is not a crime and that Christians can hold the belief the foundational Christian belief from Genesis 1:27 that we are born male and female.

Sign the petition to help protect street preachers like David McConnell.

Sign and share the petition

Find out more about Dave McConnell

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