UK Mom Charged for Trolling Trans Activist Online

Transphobia comes with a price, as many are beginning to find. A UK woman who was arrested after she deadnamed and misgendered a trans activist on Twitter, has now been charged.

Kate Scottow was arrested at her home in December, in front of her children. The arrest came after complaints about transphobic comments she made toward Stephanie Hayden, a trans campaigner, online. At the time, she was reportedly detained for seven hours and for at least two months, police held her cellphone and laptop as a part of the investigation.

According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) , Scottow has now been charged for the 'persistent' messages which were intended to cause 'annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety' to another person, over a number of months Essentially, she was taken to court for being a troll and we have to stan.

"We made the decision to charge Katherine Scottow after reviewing a file of evidence from Hertfordshire Police relating to social media posts," a CPS spokesperson said."The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Ms Scottow are now active and that she has a right to a fair trial."

Harassment of transgender people on social media is nothing new. According to a study from GLSEN (formerly the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network), LGBTQ+ people experience high levels of harassment online, at much higher rates than their non-LGBTQ+ peers (42 percent vs. 15 percent).

Just last Saturday, YouTube decided to drop Youtube gamer TheRealKenzo, over transphobic remarks on Discord that he made against a trans player.

Scottow is due to appear in Stevenage Magistrates' Court on September 18.

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