Munroe Bergdorf Quits as UK Labour Party’s LGBTQ+ Advisor

Transgender model and activist Munroe Bergdorf quit her position as LGBTQ+ Advisor to the Labour Party after only eight days. Her decision was based on the criticism she received from Conservatives and tabloid magazines about various controversial comments.

"I refuse to be painted as a villain or used as a pawn in the press' efforts, especially those at the Daily Mail, to discredit the Labour Party and push their transphobic rightist agendas," Bergdorf said in a Twitter post explaining her decision. "I wanted my appointment to be something positive and exciting for the community, but instead it has turned into nasty tabloid fodder, blown out of all proportion."

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Bergdorf was criticized for comments she made last year about the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville-- comments that L'Oreal ended its partnership with her over--in which she stated in a since-deleted Facebook post that "most of ya'll don't even realise or refuse to acknowledge that your existence, privilege and success as a race is built on the backs, blood and death of people of colour." She was also called "abhorrent" by the Conservative Party's Helen Grant after Bergdorf called gay Tory activists a "special kind of dickhead."

"I will not allow myself to be centered in this negative narrative but more importantly I don't want to stand in the way of the board serving as a positive catalyst for change within the UK's LGBT communities," Bergdorf said. "I refuse to be used as a distraction from the upcoming discussions concerning the Gender Recognition Act and the Conservative party's lack of action on the Racial Disparities Audit."