A retired South Wales Police officer says she was the subject of an inquiry by her former force after referring to a transgender activist by her birth name on social media.
Cathy Larkman, who served more than 30 years with South Wales Police and is a former superintendent, told reporters she was told a visit to her home was linked to a complaint about possible "malicious communications". The alleged visit followed a series of posts on the social platform X in September 2024 directed at the account of transgender campaigner Freda Wallace, according to news reports.
Larkman said she was not at home when officers called at her address. The posts in question, published in September 2024, included the lines "Fred blocked me" and "Fred, put that drink down," according to accounts of the case. Observers and campaign groups describe the practice of calling a transgender person by their birth name instead of their chosen name as "dead-naming," a term used to denote an act that can be experienced as disrespectful or harassment.
Her comments were described in the reporting as linked to an ongoing debate about police strip-searching policy. The accounts do not indicate whether any formal charges were brought or whether the force took further action after the initial visit.
Larkman has been a public figure in policing circles for decades; details of her claim were carried in national reporting this week. The matter highlights tensions that can arise at the intersection of social media commentary, policing procedures and transgender rights, subjects that have been the focus of sustained public discussion in recent years.
The reporting did not include a statement from South Wales Police about the investigation or the reasons for the home visit. It also did not state whether the complainant in the case pursued criminal proceedings.
Legal experts and campaign groups have previously debated how laws governing communications and harassment are applied to online speech, particularly in cases involving gender identity. Such debates have involved questions about what constitutes lawful criticism or commentary and what amounts to targeted abuse or harassment under existing statutes.
This episode follows a wider national conversation about policing practice, transgender rights and the handling of online complaints, and comes amid scrutiny of how forces balance free expression with protection from harassment. The available accounts are based on Larkman's statements and contemporaneous news reporting; further details about any formal investigation or outcome have not been reported.