In 2018, Maya Forstater was subject to an internal investigation at her place of employment, the Center for Global Development, after complaints about her social media commentary, notably a tweet questioning Pip Bunce’s inclusion on the Financial Times’ list of the Top 100 Women in Business. Bunce is male, and Maya was trying to push a conversation about his identity and celebration as a “woman.” She lost her job as a result, accused of “transphobia.”
Maya took the case to the Employment Tribunal, which resulted first in a judgment saying her “belief” that sex is real was “not worthy of respect in a democratic society.”
Maya recently co-founded Sex Matters, a UK-based not-for-profit that works to promote clarity about sex in public policy, law, and culture, as well the “Respect My Sex if You Want My X” campaign.
I spoke with Maya about the tribunal, the campaigns she is working on in the UK, and her lunch with JK Rowling.