Ahead of the release of their new album You May Offend, Scottish duo The Proclaimers have publicly criticised transgender legal recognition reforms and gender policy changes in Scotland.
The band, comprising brothers Charlie and Craig Reid, is best known for its 1988 hit I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles). Over their career, the duo has released a string of albums, with You May Offend marking the thirteenth entry in their catalogue.
In interviews promoting the album, the brothers voiced opposition to Scottish gender recognition reforms that would have simplified the process for some transgender people to change legal gender markers. They also expressed support for campaigner Graham Linehan and criticised actors associated with the Harry Potter film series for publicly disagreeing with J.K. Rowling’s views on sex and gender.
Speaking to British newspaper The Telegraph, Craig Reid said he was not transphobic, while arguing that people had lost careers for expressing views about biological sex.
Charlie Reid described the impact of the controversy around Linehan as a tragedy.
“None of his pals stood up for him. I wouldn’t agree with everything Linehan says any more than I would do with JK Rowling, but you’ve got the right to stand up for science and logic.”
“And in his case, it’s a tragedy. He lost his career for telling the truth.”
Charlie Reid also criticised actors Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, referring to them as “f****** bairns” and arguing they should have defended Rowling’s right to express her views.
“It was not necessary that each of them stood up and agreed with her. But you would have thought someone would stand up and say, ‘We live in a free country … I do not necessarily support it. But I support her right to say something.'”
The brothers said the album reflects concerns about what they view as cancel culture and a reluctance among some people to express controversial opinions.
Craig Reid said: “I’m not transphobic. I’m not against a man identifying as a woman, dressing as a woman. I’m not against any of that. All I’m against is saying that he actually is a woman when he’s not a woman.”
He also criticised people who, in his view, reject biological definitions of sex.
The statements have certainly lost the band some of their fans, with one former supporter taking to social media to proclaim that the brothers could “F*** O**, at least by 500 miles”. Another branded them as “Gobsh*tes on Leith.”, reworking the title of their most famous album Sunshine on Leith.
Broadcaster India Willoughby, who is herself transgender, said the statements from the Reid brothers were “a disappointment”.
“People born trans are a naturally occurring part of humanity,” she said. “Trans hate is not a ‘point of view’ or ‘opinion’.”
