The head of Amnesty International UK, Kerry Moscogiuri, is facing calls to consider her resignation following the release of a second report by the organization that suggests "gender-critical" feminists pose a threat to human rights.
The report, titled “Like a snowball: the growth and impact of the gender critical movement in the UK,” asserts that individuals who believe gender is determined by biology, rather than self-identification, are part of "a movement against the rights of women and LGBTI people." It labels the growth and influence of this "gender-critical" movement as "worrying" and claims it has been normalized by media coverage.
The document also urges journalists to "qualify GC and explain that it is an ideological stance that seeks to restrict the rights of trans people" in their reporting.
This latest report follows a similar backlash last week when Amnesty removed a briefing that described Beira’s Place, a rape support center founded by J.K. Rowling, as "anti-rights." Rowling subsequently threatened legal action over the report, which she claimed caused significant damage to the center, its staff, and the women it serves, leading to threats and abuse.
Maya Forstater of the human rights organization Sex Matters stated that Amnesty has a history of misrepresenting and denigrating those who recognize the biological and legal importance of the two sexes. "Far from it: Amnesty has been misrepresenting and denigrating anyone who recognises the biological and legal importance of the two sexes for several years now," Forstater said.
Meghan Gallacher, the Scottish Conservative equalities spokeswoman, commented that Moscogiuri should "seriously considering her position" in light of these developments. Claire Coutinho, the shadow women and equalities minister, told The Times that Amnesty "has clearly lost its way" and by undermining organizations that defend women's rights and the law, has become "a group of radical political activists."
Campaigners contend that the new report indicates Amnesty's intent to target gender-critical feminists.
A video posted on Amnesty UK's Bluesky account on June 1 featured Chiara Capraro, Amnesty's gender justice spokeswoman. She stated that new research indicated a rise in "anti-trans organisations" from three in 2017 to 51, and that these groups are part of a global network, adding, "That’s why we’re exposing them."
The Charity Commission watchdog confirmed it is aware of complaints against Amnesty and is assessing the matters to determine its role as a charity law regulator.
An Amnesty International UK spokesperson explained that the "Like a snowball" report examines the role of mainstream media coverage in shaping public debate on trans issues. The spokesperson noted that four major UK newspapers published nearly 17,000 articles on trans-related topics over a five-year period, averaging around nine articles per day, and argued that trans people have become a contested subject in public discourse, with trans voices often underrepresented in coverage.