Christian artist sues over 'hate crime' police report for opposition to giving kids puberty blockers
A Christian artist is suing Watford Borough Council in England after being banned from her exhibition and reported to the police for expressing concerns about children undergoing trans procedures. The legal action comes days after the NHS prohibited prescribing puberty blockers to children.
Victoria Culf, 43, an artist with two decades of experience, faced potential arrest after council representatives informed her of a police investigation into her comments, said the rights group Christian Concern, whose legal arm, the Christian Legal Centre, is representing the petitioner.
The Christian artist learned about the investigation after The Times of London asked police about the status of the “hate crime” report, leading to the discovery that a “non-crime hate incident” had been recorded against Culf without her knowledge, the group said. Following a recent High Court judgment, which deemed such recordings an illegal infringement on free speech, the police retracted, stating Culf’s remarks did not constitute a “non-crime hate incident.”
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In June 2023, Culf was setting up her independently funded exhibition at Watford Museum. A council employee, discussing her child’s social transition and pursuit of puberty blockers, was met with Culf’s opposition based on her Christian beliefs and professional experience. Culf’s subsequent refusal to endorse the employee’s views on transgenderism led to an online backlash, labeling her discourse as “transphobic.”
Following the incident, Culf was restricted from accessing her exhibition without prior notice under the guise of protecting the council employee. Her artwork was later damaged, and she was excluded from a community art project by BEEE Creative, allegedly due to council pressure.
Culf is now challenging Watford Borough Council for breach of contract, discrimination and other legal violations, CLC said, adding that she seeks damages, an apology and the lifting of museum restrictions, alongside a retraction of the allegations.
“When I received the call to tell me that the police were investigating me, I was so shocked,” the artist recalled. “I was afraid that the police were going to turn up on my doorstep at any moment and arrest me in front of my children.”
Culf added: “It was just complete madness to me. The conversation I had had was calm and considered and I had expressed care and concern for her family. What I did not do was affirm another child ‘transitioning’ to another gender backed by their parents and getting puberty blockers from the discredited Tavistock Clinic.”
Throughout her career and personal experiences, she has observed children and adolescents often regretting various decisions and changing their minds as they mature, she explained. She pointed out the permanence of medical transitioning as a significant concern, adding that her ethical values and Christian faith compel her to speak out against what she views as harmful practices.
Culf noted that in the current societal climate, even a polite expression of dissent against transgender ideology can result in being reported to the police. She acknowledged that speaking out might be detrimental to her career, but she is unwilling to remain silent on these issues, aiming to prevent similar experiences for others.
“At first what happened really knocked my confidence and made me doubt myself and my sense of reality. I was depressed and as an artist struggled to motivate myself as the strength of the attack made me feel unqualified. My faith has kept me going, and I cannot waiver from what I know to be the truth,” she said.
Culf added, “I am determined to fight for justice and to speak about what has happened to me. I believe there are probably many other Christian artists, and artists from all walks of life, who have been treated similarly and have had to suffer in silence.”
CLC’s CEO Andrea Williams emphasized the case’s significance in defending lawful, evidence-backed beliefs that protect children from potentially harmful medical interventions. “We cannot allow this trans tyranny in our culture to trample over beliefs that are protected in law, backed by expert evidence and which truly safeguard vulnerable children,” she said.
