UK: Radical feminist warned to use transgender defendant’s preferred pronoun in court

Maria Maclachlan, 61, was giving evidence against Tara Wolf, 26, whom she alleges tried to attack her at a rally.

At Hendon Magistrates’ Court, she said a hooded figure ran past her and knocked her down.

District Judge Kenneth Grant had to warn Ms Maclachlan to use the pronoun “she” when referring to Ms Wolf.

But Ms Maclachlan said she was in the habit of thinking of Ms Wolf as male, because, in her opinion, she is male.

The incident occurred at Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park before a gender recognition talk, which had to be cancelled due to safety concerns.

The talk was arranged by trans-exclusionary radical feminists (Terfs), who think that trans women should not be afforded the same recognition as other women.

Ms Maclachlan, who describes herself as a gender-critical feminist, was filming a group chanting “When Terfs attack, we strike back”, and says she was hoping to get some footage she thought would be funny.

Ms Wolf claims to have acted in self defence and said Ms Maclachlan had been shaking her partner.

The trial is expected to last for two days.