Brianna Ghey: Labour MP Jess Phillips includes trans girl in list of women killed over past year
Jess Phillips reads the names of women killed in the last year (PinkNews)
Labour MP Jess Phillips included trans girl Brianna Ghey in a list of women suspected to have been killed by men during the last 12 months, read out in the House of Commons.
The MP has undertaken the task of reading the names aloud in Westminster during the annual International Women’s Day debate.
It took the MP more than five minutes to read the entire list.
Addressing the markedly empty chamber, the MP said: “The first year I read the list of killed women, women who had been killed by men, none of the women’s names sparked a moment of recognition for anyone other than their bereaved, loved ones.
“This year, there will be names on this list we have all heard of. Women who, following their brutal killings, have become household names.”
At the end of the reading, Phillips said: “This year we also remember Brianna Ghey. A young woman brutally killed where a young woman and man have been charged.”
16-year-old trans girl Ghey, from Birchwood, was found with fatal stab wounds by a member of the public in Culcheth Linear Park, Warrington, on 11 February.
Two 15-year-olds, a boy and a girl who cannot be named for legal reasons, have been charged with murder and are due to stand trial at Liverpool Crown Court on 10 July.
After the reading, anti-trans bigots soon took to Twitter to slam Jess Phillips for including Brianna Ghey’s name on the list.
“Shame on you for politicizing the memory of murdered women. You really are irredeemable,” one Twitter user wrote.
“I can’t imagine how let down some women feel right now. You did not honour them, you used them,” another account said.
Another person suggested Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield read the list next year.
“It seems that you can’t be trusted to not compromise the work @K_IngalaSmith does to honour women & girls,” they said.
However, amid the backlash many more people praised the MP for including Ghey’s name on the list and acknowledging her death.
