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"When the feminist movement started in the 60s and 70s, lesbians were often excluded, because we were told that we would make the movement less palatable. I have been excluded myself, so how could I do that to someone else?"
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Sandi ToksvigSandi Toksvig
Sandi Toksvig
Sandra Birgitte Toksvig is a Danish-British broadcaster, comedian, presenter and writer on British radio, stage and television. She is also a political activist, having co-founded the now-defunct Women's Equality Party in 2015. She has written plays, novels and books for children. In 1994, she came out as a lesbian.
"When the feminist movement started in the 60s and 70s, lesbians were often excluded, because we were told that we would make the movement less palatable. I have been excluded myself, so how could I do that to someone else?"
"There are only two countries in the world where representatives of the state religion automatically get a seat in the legislature: the UK and Iran. Obviously, there are fundamental differences between the two countries and in the religious representatives’ views, but it is symbolic all the same. How can it be that our democratic system draws parallels with an Islamic theocracy?"
"[On teaching her children to have good manners.] Its mainly because I wanted to send them out in the world and have everybody like them."
"[On men who take off their shirts in public.] Theres an awful lot of lard out there. No woman would do that."
"[On working in television in the early 1980s.] I cant remember the number of times I was told, Dont you worry about that, you pretty little thing. Wow. Ive got a first-class degree from Cambridge, but OK."
"[Guests have been asked to say their favourite thing about Denmark]."
"I dont want anybody to say to me, Im fine with it, I accept you. You think, wow, thanks so much, because if you hadnt I would have killed myself."
"[Objecting to "radical feminists" opposition to trans people] How could you be so white and privileged and heterosexual and never marginalised in your life yet you decide to punch down on people?"
"[The issue of safe spaces for biological women] I dont get this. Im in my 45th year in showbusiness, travelling the country touring. Ive been to every service-station toilet in the country. Every one has a sign up saying male cleaners in attendance. I dont recall anybody saying, "We need to group up against these male cleaners." Why would someone dress as a woman when they could just pick up a cleaning cloth? If it really bothers you theres a toilet some place else. Go there. Shut up. Lets join together and fight stuff that actually needs fighting. Why are they talking about this when women in Afghanistan are not allowed to sing or to look a man in the face? Who is benefiting from all this? The patriarchy. It makes me so sad."
"[Homophobic hostility is being caused by the] intemperate language on social media around the trans discussion. Thats opened the door to people thinking its now fair to have a general go at diversity, that the world is too woke. I dont know how you can be too woke — woke means being awake to the dangers that are around you. Mental health within the LGBTQ community is not good and thats not because youre not comfortable with who you are. Its the way society treats you."