Northern Irish campaign group attacks press watchdog ruling over transgender author Juno Dawson who complained about being described as a man

In a move which could have UK-wide implications for the ability to report on transgender matters, IPSO (the Independent Press Standards Organisation) handed down a ruling on Tuesday against conservative magazine The Spectator, after it published an article in which Juno Dawson was described as “a man who claims to be a woman”.

Originally going by the name James, in 2018 Dawson – who writes books about transgenderism aimed at children – obtained a Gender Recognition Certificate from the government.

This means the holder is legally recognised as having swapped gender, though the certificates can be given out to applicants without them having to any undergo hormone treatment or surgery.

Dawson complained the Spectator article was inaccurate, amounted to harassment, and was discriminatory.

IPSO threw out Dawson’s first two complaints of inaccuracy and harassment, but upheld the third one about discrimination, saying the wording was “personally belittling and demeaning” to Dawson.

IPSO (which referred to Dawson as female throughout) also ordered The Spectator to publish its verdict on its website.

The IPSO ruling has been condemned by The Spectator’s editor Michael Gove, among others.

Now James Kennedy, policy officer at the Northern Irish wing of The Christian Institute, has added his voice, saying: “Journalists are right to say what everyone knows – that a man cannot become a woman, no matter what a piece of paper from the government says.

"Indeed, on this point, the press regulator said The Spectator had not been inaccurate, and that it was relevant to the story. But IPSO should not be policing politeness as it appears to have done in this case.

"Courtesy should of course be shown to our trans friends and family, but no one should be punished for stating the truth.

“One of Dawson’s own books infamously tells young children that those who disagree with a trans viewpoint ‘need to chill’. But encouraging children towards lifelong medicalisation is astoundingly dangerous.

"It is vital that journalists who write about these topics can respond with the necessary frankness and candour, without fear of being censored for expressing a legitimate view.”

Mr Gove had called the IPSO verdict an “outrageous decision, offensive to the principle of free speech and chilling in its effect on free expression”.

He added: “Dawson may have a Gender Recognition Certificate but no piece of paper, whatever it may say, can alter biological reality. Parliament may pass laws, but they cannot abolish Dawson’s Y chromosome.”

Dawson’s work had been mentioned in the News Letter earlier this year, as part of an investigation into the slew of transgender-themed books aimed at children which are now stocked in Northern Irish libraries.

These include 'You Need to Chill' by Dawson (described as being for ages four to seven by Amazon).

It is about a boy called Bill who disappears from school one day.

Bill's classmates quiz his sibling as to his whereabouts, to which the sibling replies: "Your hysteria is silly, the truth is that my brother Bill is now my sister Lily.

"She's really rather brill. And if people have a problem, we shout: 'Hun, you need to chill.'"

The book ends with a picture of rejoicing children waving transgender flags.

Dawson also wrote This Book is Gay (listed as suitable for ages 13+ by Amazon), which has chapters about "coming out trans", how to argue against Christians and Muslims, tips on giving “blowjobs” and "handjobs” (described as “perhaps the most important skill you will master as a gay or bi man”), massaging men's anuses, and "how sex apps work".