The LGBTQ+ community is speaking out in opposition to a new trans-exclusionary lesbian bar in London. The venue, named L Community, is due to open later this year as a private members club so that it can “legally restrict” entry to cisgender women only, as per The Telegraph.

The bar is being set up by Jenny Watson, who previously faced criticism for excluding trans women from a lesbian speed-dating evening in September 2023. The 32-year-old regularly has her events refused or cancelled by venues, but said her new “members club” shouldn’t face the same issue.

“It will be for biological females only and this is why we’re making it a members-only club so we can legally restrict it to women,” she stated.

Additionally, Watson said the decline in lesbian bars in the UK influenced her decision to set up L Community, and voiced her disapproval over the existing establishments allowing trans and non-binary patrons. While it is true that lesbian spaces are few and far between, experts have said that being inclusive of gender-diverse customers is “essential”.

Speaking to PinkNews in 2023, Gary Henshaw, owner of the Ku Group which runs She Soho, shared, “There are people in our community who won’t find that safety net in other venues, who aren’t comfortable in a non-LGBTQ+ environment, so I think it’s absolutely essential that we always have safe spaces.”

Following the news of the new trans-exclusionary lesbian bar, members of the LGBTQ+ community have been taking to social media to voice their opposition to it.

Journalist and broadcaster Shivani Dave issued a call out on Instagram, saying “I wanna make out with you all. Literally all of you. If this opens, show your love for trans+ people and let’s go old school and have a big ole snog with each other. Kiss in at the door of the TERF bar, dolls, lesbians, bi+ women, dykes, tbois a big T4T make out. Cis people welcome, no chasers, no terfs, no cops.”

In a follow-up post, they wrote, “YOU THINK I’M JOKING? We are gonna go and make out in front of this TERF bar every single day until it closes. Lol that is if it ever even opens. Bigots be bigoting? Trans+ people are gonna be snogging.”

 

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Despite the emergence of ventures such as L Community, a YouGov poll from 2023 shows that 84% of cisgender bisexual and lesbian women have a very positive or fairly positive view of transgender people.