I have been served with a High Court defamation claim arising from a livestream about what I regard as the medical abuse of children.
I have always said that transitioning children is profound abuse. The claimant works in a "gender clinic", that gives hormones to children, and describes themselves as a gay man.
If you know my campaigning, you'll understand why this case touches directly on the issues I have spent years speaking about: children, biological sex and free speech.
I dispute the meaning the claimant says my words conveyed. One of the first issues is expected to be precisely that: what did my words actually mean when the livestream is viewed in its proper context.
Right now, I need to raise enough money for the first specialist legal advice on defending the High Court proceedings and the anticipated preliminary issue of meaning.
I cannot afford that advice myself.
If necessary, I will defend myself in the High Court as a litigant in person. But I want the best specialist advice I can obtain before doing so.
At this time, without legal advice, I cannot give any more details as some cases like this have used crowdfunding wording to claim further harm.
Free speech cannot be reserved for people wealthy enough to afford lawyers.
If you can help me take this first step, please donate.
An update — and an enormous thank you
I am incredibly grateful to everyone who has donated, shared this fundraiser or sent me a message of support. We are already close to the £10,000 first target, and I genuinely do not take a penny of your money for granted.
I want to explain exactly what that money is for and where things stand.
I did not seek this litigation and I remain extremely reluctant to enter into an expensive legal fight.
When I was first contacted about the livestream, I ensured that it was removed from public view and offered an apology and clarification concerning the disputed implication.
I believe disputes over speech should, wherever reasonably possible, be resolved proportionately and without exposing ordinary people to potentially ruinous legal costs.
I tried to resolve this without the need for it to be pursued through the High Court. Despite those efforts, proceedings have now been issued and served on me.
I am the defendant. I dispute the meaning attributed to my words, and I now need specialist advice to understand my position and decide how best to defend myself.
The immediate target is £10,000.
That money is to get the specialist defamation advice I need now: to assess the claim and evidence properly, advise me on my Defence and the proposed preliminary issue of meaning, and help me make an informed decision about what comes next.
Finding the right specialist lawyer willing and able to take the case is proving difficult, but I am working on it.
If the case then proceeds to a fully represented High Court hearing on meaning, the next stage could cost up to around £30,000 in total. I don't yet have a firm quote, so I am not asking people to fund that entire stage now.
I am taking this one step at a time.
If I can secure representation, I want the best specialist people I can afford putting my case before the court. If I cannot, I am prepared to attend the High Court and defend myself as a litigant in person.
What I will not do is surrender simply because litigation is too expensive for an ordinary person to defend.
That matters to me far beyond this particular case.
I have always said that transitioning children is profound abuse. I will continue to speak about what I regard as the medical abuse of children. Robust criticism of medicine, institutions and those exercising professional power must not become something only wealthy people can afford to express.
Free speech isn't much of a freedom if the financial cost of defending what you said is enough, by itself, to silence you.
I don't want a legal fight. I didn't seek one. I tried to resolve this one.
But now that proceedings have been brought against me, I will defend myself.
Every donation towards this first £10,000 gives me a better chance of making the next decision with proper specialist advice rather than trying to navigate High Court defamation proceedings entirely alone.
For years I have asked women to speak.
Thank you for helping me keep speaking.
Truly, thank you.
UPDATE:
A lawyer contacted me last night and is looking at my case, I'll let everyone know in due course what this means.
UPDATE
I have now found a law firm and they estimate stage one is nearer £40,000. I'm waiting for advice on how much I can say in this crowdfunder to let you all know exactly what this case is about. My view is that I have not said the things I am accused of saying.
