A SPEAKER WHO appeared at last year’s All Together Now festival is suing the organisers.

Rachel Moran, an author and former sex worker, had addressed the festival in Co Waterford last July.

She has now lodged papers with the High Court this week against organisers POD Festivals Ltd.

In the aftermath of her talk at the festival, there was some criticism of the organisers for having her speak because of her stance on trans issues.

She has been vocal on certain trans tropics, describing herself as a campaigner for “women incarcerated with male sex offenders” and claiming there was carnage caused by the 2015 Gender Recognition Act. She believes that the legislation removed rights from Irish women.

After the initial backlash, organisers of the festival issued a statement in which they said that they had speakers “here that do not align with the views of ATN Festival”, and apologised for “hurt or anguish” caused. 

Throughout the weekend, expressions of solidarity with the trans community were made by music acts performing on stage. 

Moran maintained repeatedly at the time that there was “no mention of trans issues at all” during her 45-minute talk, which she said was attended by hundreds of people.

Moran’s solicitors, Dublin-based firm Lavelle Partners, were contacted for comment but did not respond.

When The Journal contacted Pod Festivals and asked about the case in relation to Moran’s appearance last year, a spokesperson for the company told The Journal: “We have no comment to make at this time.”

Timeline

Social media posts from Moran over the festival weekend last year document the unfolding controversy.

On 30 July, she expressed “huge thanks” to the festival for “refusing to capitulate to demands from online bullies”, adding that the talk “went really well”.

However, the statement from the festival organisers came an hour later. In it, organisers said they “support trans rights” and offered apologies to attendees and artists.

“We wholeheartedly and unreservedly apologise to all our festival community, artists and supporters for any hurt or anguish caused,” it read. 

“We support trans rights. It is as simple as that. Our hopes for this festival is that it is a safe, supportive and loving environment for everyone.”

While Moran was not mentioned by name, she shared the organisers’ statement on Twitter and asked which views of hers did not align with the festival’s. 

“Which views are you attributing to us so appalling that you must publicly apologise for an association with us & believe likely to have caused ‘hurt or anguish’?”

During their set, Dublin band Pillow Queens seemed to address the controversy stating: “Trans rights are human rights, trans women are women.”

Musician CMAT also spoke out strongly in support of trans rights during her set on Sunday afternoon of the festival. 

Referencing the ATN statement in another tweet, Moran claimed that organisers had issued a “sniveling capitulating apology” that led to reporting that she was anti-trans rights.

This year’s festival is to go ahead next month for the August Bank Holiday weekend. Lorde, Iggy Pop and Sugar Babes are among the headline acts announced to date.