South Australian comedian Biddy O’Loughlin is searching for a new location to host her comedy show after two venues cancelled her show over her comments about people who are transgender.
The comedian, who is the daughter of well-known Australian comedian Fiona O’Loughlin, was scheduled to perform at Adelaide’s Crown and Anchor Hotel on October 15th but was dumped after the venue received complaints about her material.
O’Loughlin then secured the Duke of York Hotel for a show on October 12 before they too sent her packing. The comedian makes no secret of her views about gender identity regularly posting her thoughts to her social media.
While people were objecting to the comedian views on people who are transgender, others also raised concern about some of her promotional material for her second show which said “No retarded people please”.
The comedian has defended her use of the language which is considered a slur by people who are disabled, saying it was meant as a joke. In another social media post, she claimed that she considered herself as a person with a disability because she suffers from depression and anxiety.
Speaking to the Adelaide Advertiser O’Loughlin said she refused to be cancelled.
““The funny thing about cancel culture is that they actually put a spotlight on you, unwittingly.
“So they should stop cancelling people they hate, because it’s not working.” she said.
In 2023 Biddie O’Loughlin appeared alongside British antitransgender campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen during the Adelaide stop of her Let Women Speak tour.
O’Loughlin told the crowd that as a teenager she’d wished she’d been “born a boy” and wished that her breasts would not develop but stopped experiencing feelings of disliking her body after she passed through puberty.
“All of that normal teenage angst passed, I love being a woman, and I’m so glad I was able to breast feed my daughter.” the comedian said.
O’Loughlin said parents of transgender youth probably felt that they were being kind to their children but argued that they were misguided.
“Unfortunately, many parents are seduced by the social status points you gain in admiring the Emperor’s New Clothes, and they believe they are on the side of kindness, but it is not kind to put the feelings and fetishes of men above the safety of women and children.”
While O’Loughlin is struggling to find venues who want her to perform within their walls, she is gaining support from anti-transgender organisations including Binary Australia, and former Liberal MP Nicolle Flint has also voiced support for the comedian’s views. Flint is hoping to make a return to federal politics at the next election.
Do you need some support?
If you are struggling with anxiety or depression, support and counselling are available from:
QLife: 1800 184 527 / qlife.org.au (Webchat 3pm – midnight)
QLife are a counselling and referral service for LGBTQIA+ people.
DISCHARGED: info@discharged.asn.au / discharged.asn.au
Discharged is a trans-led support service with peer support groups for trans and gender diverse folks.
Lifeline: 13 11 14 / lifeline.org.au
Beyondblue: 1300 22 4636 / www.beyondblue.org.au
