Graham Linehan

[[File:Graham Linehan - 2013 (8735745502) (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|165px|Linehan in 2013]]
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'''Graham Linehan''' {{lived|1968}} ('''Glinner''' on [[Twitter]] and other social media) is an [[Republic of Ireland|Irish]] comedy writer, self-styled [[feminist]] and [[Transphobia|transphobic bigot]]. As a comedy writer he is co-responsible for the sitcoms ''Father Ted'' (1995-98), ''Black Books'' (2000-2004), and ''The IT Crowd'' (2006-2013), as well as writing sketches and routines for other shows.<ref>{{wpa|Graham Linehan}}</ref><ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0512627/ Graham Linehan], IMDb</ref> ''Father Ted'' in particular, which he co-wrote with Arthur Mathews, is hailed as one of the highlights of Irish or [[United Kingdom|British]] comedy (it was made for British company [[Channel 4]] predominantly by Irish talent).<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/apr/20/father-ted-legacy-20-years-on-up-with-this-sort-of-thing Father Ted’s legacy, 20 years on: up with this sort of thing], Andrew Harrison, ''[[The Guardian]]'', 20 April 2015</ref>

Linehan is a prolific [[Twitter]] user, and in recent years focused his energy on attacking [[trans]] people and being a general [[TERF]]. He opposed the pro-trans [[charity]] Mermaids in a rather transphobic post on [[Mumsnet]] (a parenting website known for rabid transphobia), and was called out for this by [[Hbomberguy]] in the latter's famous marathon charity livestream to raise money for Mermaids, which raised over $340,000.<ref name=bbchbomberman>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-46961883 Gamer Hbomberguy hands funding row charity Donkey Kong boost], [[BBC]], 22 January 2019</ref> 

On June 27 2020, Graham Linehan was permanently banned from Twitter, due to violating several of their hateful conduct policies.<ref>Independent. (June 27, 2020). [https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/graham-linehan-glinner-twitter-ban-suspended-account-trans-a9588721.html]. ''Independent''. Retrieved June 27, 2020.</ref> That permanent ban turned out to be less than permanent; it was lifted after [[Elon Musk]] acquired the platform.<ref>Henry Giardina (December 23, 2022). [https://www.intomore.com/culture/infamous-transphobe-graham-linehan-unbanned-twitter-nobodys-happy/ "Infamous Transphobe Graham Linehan Has Been Unbanned From Twitter, and Nobody's Happy About It"]. ''INTO''.</ref> On March 9, 2021, he announced that his anti-trans activism had caused "such a strain that my wife and I finally agreed to separate".<ref>https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/5236fc59-47ae-41c9-93f7-4ea16b5782c3</ref>

==Twitter policeman==
Linehan was prominent in the early 2010s on Twitter and was actively involved in campaigns on progressive issues, opposing [[Brexit]] and the [[misogynistic]] [[troll]]s of [[GamerGate]].<ref name=richardhcooper>[http://richardhcooper.blogspot.com/2012/05/look-at-conduct-of-graham-linehan-and.html A Look at the Conduct of Graham Linehan and Others on Twitter], Richard H Cooper, May 2012</ref> However he also took the point of view that being a famous internet [[celebrity]] means you should defend other internet celebrities facing criticism. When tiresome right-wing journalist Giles Coren responded to a mild criticism by a Twitter user with the message "Go fuck yourself, you barren old hag", Linehan defended Coren's misogynistic response.<ref name=richardhcooper/>

The editor of British comedy website Cook'd and Bomb'd (C&B) has criticised celebrities including Linehan and fellow British celebrity transphobe Ricky Gervais, for aggressive behaviour on social media. Cookd and Bombd popularised the epithet "Twitter policeman" for Linehan, referring to his desire to lay down standards of right and wrong. Neil C&B said, "it now seems that many celebrities – like afore-mentioned Twitter policeman Graham Linehan – simply place themselves above any kind of criticism. This accounts for the devaluing of the term 'troll' in the wider media – the phrase was originally coined to refer to people who post inflammatory messages in order to sidetrack discussion, and generate negative attention. Now, it frequently seems to mean 'anyone with the chutzpah to publicly disagree with a celebrity or media figure.'"<ref name=cookdandbombd>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120920162743/http://comedychat.co.uk/2012/09/05/comedians-using-their-fans-for-co-ordinated-safety-in-numbers-bullying/ Comedians using their fans for co-ordinated, safety-in-numbers bullying], Neil, ''Cook'd and Bomb'd Comedy Chat'', 5 Sep 2012, now on archive.org</ref>

There was some self-awareness of his unpopularity in his use of the name "Beloved Internet Personality" on Twitter.

==Transphobia==
In recent years the focus of his internet outrage has moved on from people disagreeing with celebrities to anything involving trans rights and the idea that trans women are women. On Dec 16, 2016 he got involved in a row over a ''National Geographic'' cover story about trans people, which seems to have been when the shit really hit the fan.<ref name=alexaephemera>[https://medium.com/@AlexaEphemera/its-time-to-call-out-graham-linehan-s-ugly-transphobia-30b15be317a5 It’s Time to Call Out Graham Linehan’s Ugly Transphobia], Alexa Ephemera, Medium, Dec 22, 2016</ref> According to the ''Irish Times'', Glinner accepts that [[gender dysphoria]] is real but "has a problem with widening the definition of transgender" and opposes self-identification (where people get to decide they are transgender without needing a doctor to diagnose it as a clinical condition) and "early diagnosis" of trans or gender non-conforming children.<ref name=irishtimes/> While he sympathises with trans people and believes that they need medical care (something many of them would disagree with), he has a problem with the idea that trans women are women. He claims to oppose "privileged white people saying you must accept anyone who says they are a woman", although evidently it's ok if a privileged white man lectures on who is and isn't a woman.<ref name=irishtimes>[https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio-web/graham-linehan-trans-activists-don-t-realise-the-damage-they-do-1.3765979 Graham Linehan: Trans activists ‘don’t realise the damage’ they do], Deirdre Falvey, Irish Times, Jan 21, 2019</ref>

It has been suggested (including by the ''Irish Times''<ref name=irishtimes/>) that this antipathy to trans people flared from a somewhat transphobic 2008 episode of sitcom ''The IT Crowd'', which attracted criticism and led to Linehan becoming interested in the subject of trans people. Alexa Ephemera summarises it:

{{quotebox|In 2009 [sic] he penned a particularly transphobic episode of the ''IT Crowd'' called "Fight" in which the character of Douglas Reynholm starts dating a woman. Early on in the episode, she informs him that she is trans, but he mishears her, leading her to wrongly conclude that he accepts her for who she is. For the rest of the episode we see her fulfil numerous male stereotypes such as enjoying action movies and drinking pints of beer which leads Douglas to believe that he has found the perfect woman. The "comedy" concludes with Douglas learning the truth and the titular "Fight" plays out.<ref name=alexaephemera/>}}

Initially Linehan defended it saying that the character was transphobic but the episode was not.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20190702210654/https:/twitter.com/Glinner/status/415627078625533952 "@roseofwinter A transphobic character is not a transphobic episode. Learn the difference!"] by Glinner (3:36 PM, 24 Dec 2013) ''Twitter'' (archived from July 2, 2019).</ref>
However this ignores the fact that the episode offers a ridiculous caricature of a trans woman far beyond what one transphobic (and generally unpleasant) character says about her. Even as recently as 2008 there was not the same awareness that trans women are women deserving of basic human dignity, and there's a long tradition especially in British comedy of [[Cross-dressing|female characters played by men]] for comedic effect, but Glinner's defence is both inaccurate and insulting to trans people, and rather than apologise he insulted his critics (many of whom were trans or [[cis]] women).

He has focused quite heavily on [[children]] being rushed into gender realignment and the use of hormone blockers which prevent puberty. This has occasionally been controversial, with concern that clinics are not devoting enough time to evaluating children, but the consensus is that most services are too slow in providing care to children who are often depressed or [[Suicide|suicidal]], rather than rushing into life-altering decisions.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/nov/03/tavistock-centre-gender-identity-clinic-accused-fast-tracking-young-adults Gender identity clinic accused of fast-tracking young adults], ''The Guardian'', 3 Nov 2018</ref> However he has gone well beyond concerns over children, criticising adult trans rights campaigners and their demands for self-identification.<ref name=irishtimes/>

He is opposed to the term "TERF", which he considers misogynistic.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20190702210622/https:/twitter.com/Glinner/status/811558220858793984 "don't use misogynistic terms like terf please"] by Glinner, (5:05 AM, 21 Dec 2016) Twitter'' (archived from July 2, 2019).</ref> It's not clear why a term mostly used by women in defence of other women would be misogynistic, but Glinner knows best.

He changed his Twitter handle to Magdalen Berns Forever in 2019 in response to the TERF activist and self-styled transphobe's terminal illness and death.<ref>[https://twitter.com/Glinner "Magdalen Berns Forever"], Glinner (Graham Linehan), Twitter profile page, Twitter, accessed 23 September 2019</ref><ref>[https://www.indy100.com/article/jk-rowling-twitter-transphobe-magdalen-berns-terf-lgbt-8974041 JK Rowling criticised for following a "famous transphobe" on Twitter], The Independent, 25 Jun 2019</ref><ref>{{wpa|Magdalen Berns}}</ref> He has hounded a number of comedians off Twitter when they failed to endorse his position opposing trans rights, including {{wpl|Robin Ince}} and {{wpl|Cariad Lloyd||.}}<ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1110868098679271425 "Speaking of which, did you ever decide whether you agree with the dictionary definition of ‘woman’, Robin? Fairly simple question to answer, I would have thought."], Glinner (Graham Linehan), Replying to @robinince, Twitter, 27 Mar 2019</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1110450365336641537 The funniest example was when Robin Ince LEFT TWITTER rather than say whether he agreed with the dictionary definition of ‘woman’.], Glinner (Graham Linehan), Twitter, 26 Mar 2019</ref><ref>[https://mobile.twitter.com/michaellegge/status/1111379263444287488?lang=en Graham Linehan has now hounded Cariad Lloyd and Robin Ince off Twitter. But sure, let’s not say anything. Ah, you won’t, you won’t, you won’t.], Michael Legge, Twitter, Mar 28, 2019</ref> He also called TV presenter and journalist Jon Ronson "pathetic" for similar reasons.<ref>[https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1133001075492085760?s=20 Jon, I stood up for you at a Norwich event where you got antisemitic abuse, to such an extent that the person in question followed me out onto the street afterwards, shouting at me, and you don’t even have the guts to stand up for me when I’m defending women. You’re pathetic.], Glinner (Graham Linehan), Twitter, 27 May 2019</ref>

===Downward spiral of life and career===
Linehan's unhealthy fixation with trans people and constant use of Twitter<ref>[https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1176494857017286662 Sorry! I am on a break, but this was too hilarious not to post.], Glinner (Graham Linehan), Twitter, 24 September 2019.</ref> had evidently affected his personal life for the worst, with even the people closest to Linehan becoming alienated by his fanaticism before cutting off all contact with him entirely. On Jan 31, 2020, comedian Frankie Boyle tweeted: "I've already told you. I'm going to have to block you. I think you're neurotically obsessed with some stuff that is doing you no good/ worry you have some kind of internet addiction. All the best with it."<ref>[https://twitter.com/frankieboyle/status/1223301704675885058 I've already told you. I'm going to have to block you. I think you're neurotically obsessed with some stuff that is doing you no good/ worry you have some kind of internet addiction. All the best with it.], Frankie Boyle, 31 Jan 2020</ref> Adding to this, James Serafinowicz (Linehan's ex-brother-in-law) has been publicly distancing himself from Linehan, as well as stating that his sister (Linehan's ex-wife) does not share his views<ref>[https://twitter.com/flidby/status/1232785869704224768 Tweet by James Serafinowicz, 26 Feb 2020]</ref>, and has (in a now deleted tweet) stated that his extreme views and monomaniacal obsession with transphobic "activism" are causing his family to disassociate from him. Adding some credence to this, his ex-wife has also reverted back to using her maiden name of Serafinowicz online; un-sourced rumours floated around that they have divorced, and Linehan eventually confirmed their separation in 2021.<ref>https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/5236fc59-47ae-41c9-93f7-4ea16b5782c3</ref> 

Due to the controversy associated with his widely publicized anti-trans views, individuals and cultural institutions that had collaborated with Linehan in the past have also begun canceling any new project involving his work and have started to distance themselves from him as well, leading to Linehan's career as a comedy writer to become almost non-existent. One notable example of this is when in May 2022, Hat Trick Productions had informed Linehan that its plans for a musical based on his ''Father Ted'' had been scrapped while he's involved, with Linehan later lashing out during a BBC interview to breathlessly claim that the show's producers had been "rolled over" by the "trans lobby".<ref>https://www.thepinknews.com/2022/05/27/graham-linehan-father-ted-musical-trans/</ref>

===Police warning===
In October 2018 he received a verbal warning from West Yorkshire police for harassing trans activist Stephanie Hayden on Twitter, and a ban on contacting her in future. He [[doxxing|doxxed]] her, tweeting her previous names and old pictures, as well as repeatedly using the pronoun "he" to refer to her. In his defence he claimed that he was retaliating after she published the address of his wife's business, and he didn't want to contact her anyway.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2018/oct/07/graham-linehan-police-warning-complaint-by-stephanie-hayden-transgender-activist-twitter Graham Linehan given police warning after complaint by transgender activist], The Guardian, 7 Oct 2018</ref>

===Mermaids===
He got very angry at trans children's charity Mermaids on the internet forum [[Mumsnet]] (he's not actually a mum, but maybe he identifies as one?), opposing Mermaids receiving funding from the UK National Lottery's Big Lottery Fund. Mermaids provides a range of services for to support trans and gender non-conforming children and their families, but as a result of complaints from Linehan and others on Mumsnet, the Lottery suspended planned funding and launched an inquiry. Mumsnet later deleted the thread. In response, [[Hbomberguy]] set up a charity fundraiser Twitch livestream where he played ''Donkey Kong 64'', chatted with various trans supportive people ranging from [[Contrapoints]], to Representative [[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]], and raised $340,000 (£265,000).<ref name=bbchbomberman/><ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/mermaids-trans-charity-children-big-lottery-fund-support-transphobia-graham-linehan-a8688701.html Campaigning to halt Big Lottery funding for trans support charity Mermaids isn’t noble – it’ll directly harm children], Aaron Hughes, The Independent, 18 December 2018</ref><ref>[https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/12/17/big-lottery-fund-grant-mermaids/ Big Lottery Fund reviews grant to trans kids charity Mermaids], Pink News, 17 Dec 2018</ref> Hbomberguy wrote:

{{quotebox|I chose Mermaids specifically, because when they were designated some funding via the National Lottery, Graham Linehan, a comedy writer who did some work on a good show 20 years ago, a very normal man who is very angry about trans people all day nowadays, went on Mumsnet and told them to email the National Lottery en masse. [[Streisand effect|Well done, Graham… now, tons of people know about Mermaids, and support them just to spite you!]]"<ref>[https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/20/youtube-star-Hbomberguy-raises-200000-for-trans-charity-mermaids-in-twitch-stream-to-spite-father-ted-creator-graham-linehan-8367283/ YouTube star Hbomberguy raises $200,000 for trans charity Mermaids in Twitch stream ‘to spite’ Father Ted creator Graham Linehan], Metro, 20 Jan 2019</ref>}}

Linehan responded by posting on Twitter about how awful Hbomberguy and his guests were, telling [[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]], "You really need to do more research on these things".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20190703072021/https:/twitter.com/glinner/status/1087223282410143744 "You really need to do more research on these things"] by Glinner (9:40 PM - 20 Jan 2019) ''Twitter'' (archived from July 3, 2019).</ref>

As a result of laying into Mermaids and being called out by Hbomberguy, he also has the distinction of being condemned for transphobia in the Scottish Parliament, in a resolution put forward by Patrick Harvey of the [[Scottish Green Party]]. The motion praised Harry Brewis (HbomberGuy) and trans children's charity Mermaids and criticised Glinner's attempt to remove funding from the charity. The motion noted that Mermaids "was chosen by Harry following pressure from a well-known television and comedy writer to have a planned lottery grant removed from the charity".<ref name=scotparl>[https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx?SearchType=Advance&ReferenceNumbers=S5M-15504&ResultsPerPage=10 Motion S5M-15504: Patrick Harvie, Glasgow, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 21/01/2019: Online Gamer, Harry Brewis, Fundraising for Mermaids UK], Scottish Parliament website</ref>

===Glindr/Substack===
Linehan set up his own TERF social network as a ‘competitor’ to Twitter, called Glindr. He says this was important because Twitter is moderated by "women hating incels".<ref>[https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1205553916676648962 Glindr Launch]</ref> As of April 2023, nobody (not even Linehan) had posted on Glindr since November 2022. Yet the service eerily remains online anyway.

When Twitter permanently banned him in June 2020, he switched to using Glindr, before turning to blogging site Substack, where he posts his thoughts about screengrabs of tweets. [https://grahamlinehan.substack.com/p/youve-turned-off-replies Blog comments are restricted] to those who have paid Linehan for a <strike>£89.99</strike> <strike>£49.99</strike> <strike>£40.00</strike> £30.00 yearly subscription to his blog.

===Conversion therapy===
Not content with sending his mob of TERFs to bully a different person offline for each day of the week, and failing to take money from a charity for children, Linehan is now trying to compile a database of 'gender critical' Irish therapists to perform [[conversion therapy]] on young trans people, something that is illegal in Ireland.<ref>https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/02/04/graham-linehan-database-gender-critical-gay-conversion-therapy-twitter-ban-anti-trans/</ref> Linehan might be seeing a bit more than a police warning if he tries to continue pursuing the award for "worst comedy writer currently alive".

===Invading women's spaces===
[[File:Graham Linehan Her profile.jpeg|thumb|right|165px|Image created by Linehan for his profile on a lesbian dating app. "They're invading women's spaces!"]]
In some sort of misguided attempt to try to spread his transphobic belief that men will pretend to be trans to invade women's spaces, he set up an account on Her, a dating website exclusively for women and queer people. He also doxxed multiple trans people on the platform, saying they should be removed for "not being women".<ref>Patrick Kelleher, [https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/02/21/graham-linehan-women-her-dating-app-trans-transphobia-backlash/ Graham Linehan joined a queer women’s dating app to share trans people’s profiles. It backfired, badly], PinkNews 21 Feb. 2021</ref> Ironically, he only ended up proving his opponents' points when he was kicked out of the platform for not being trans.<ref>Dominic Whitlock,[https://www.globaldatinginsights.com/news/her-defends-trans-women-after-male-writer-joins-platform/ Her Defends Trans Women After Male Writer Joins Platform], GlobalDatingInsights 24 Feb. 2021</ref> Linehan complained to UK newspaper industry regulator IPSO after ''The Metro'' wrote an article on this which claimed Linehan was "known for his anti-trans rhetoric"; IPSO found that this was accurate and also agreed with ''The Metro'''s claim that Linehan had joined Her at least partly "to mock transgender women".<ref>[https://www.ipso.co.uk/rulings-and-resolution-statements/ruling/?id=01958-21 01958-21 Linehan v metro.co.uk], Independent Press Standards Organisation (UK), 21 June 2021</ref>

==Misogyny==
Linehan often justifies his bigotry against trans people by claiming to be a male "feminist" and that his actions are done in the service for gender equality, to the extent of having a blog at glinner.co.uk titled "Women Are Important".<ref>[https://glinner.co.uk/ Women are Important], Graham Linehan, accessed 1 July 2019</ref> Upon closer examination, however, it becomes clear that Linehan actually just feigns interest in feminism and other issues relating to woman's rights in order to give his transphobia a veneer of [[progressivism]]. For example, he is responsible for a lot of rather misogynistic comments directed towards female public figures that he dislikes or disagrees with, such as scolding American country singer {{w|Dolly Parton}} for having plastic surgery work done on her, with Linehan commenting, "Riiight. And how about the fact that she's completely fucked up her face?"<ref>[https://web.archive.org/save/https:/twitter.com/Glinner/status/483250962757595136 "Riiight. And how about the fact that she's completely fucked up her face?"] by Glinner (29 Jun 2014) Twitter'' (archived from July 3, 2019).</ref> and "Amazing how many supposed feminists are OK with women mutilating themselves in order to meet some utterly fucked up beauty standard. #parton"<ref>[https://web.archive.org/save/https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/483271258575233024 Amazing how many supposed feminists are OK with women mutilating themselves in order to meet some utterly fucked up beauty standard. #parton] by Glinner (29 Jun 2014) ''Twitter'' (archived from July 3 2019).</ref> This demonstrates his tendency to divide women up into good and bad (madonna-whore dichotomy), only extending his feminism to the former.

Despite [[Hypocrisy|repeatedly insisting men should refrain from opinion]] that might amount to dictating the terms of feminist issues<ref>[https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1052522972773273601?s=20 "I agree! But as the *far* more privileged group, I think men should listen to women."], Graham Linehan, Twitter, 17 Oct 2018</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1015702231788806144?s=20 "well, let me phrase it a different way. If a bunch of lesbians have a different experience with trans activists to that of a heterosexual middle class man, maybe that man should listen to the lesbians instead of saying who does and doesn't belong at Pride?"], Graham Linehan, Twitter, 17 July 2018</ref> (often as a rebuttal to cis men who question trans exclusionism), he has in the past belittled women-fronted causes that don’t meet his personal standards of worthiness. He once mocked discussion over the extent to which the marketing of feminine hygiene products perpetuate misogynist female grooming taboos, scoffing “"Pouring shame on body parts?" If there was a special soap for cleaning my penis, I'd be all over that shit. I would never go out again”.<ref>[https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/216552249818742785?s=20 '"Pouring shame on body parts?" If there was a special soap for cleaning my penis, I'd be all over that shit. I would never go out again.'], Graham Linehan, Twitter, 23 Jun 2012</ref> When comedian and author Shappi Khorsandi endorsed Let Toys Be Toys, a campaign group promoting non-gendered marketing of toys, he sarcastically sneered “Hugely important issue. Nothing more important going on right now. Great use of energy.”<ref>[https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/791325201132773376?s=20 "Hugely important issue. Nothing more important going on right now. Great use of energy."], Graham Linehan, Twitter, 26 Oct 2016</ref> This is doubly-[[Hypocrisy|hypocritical]] as he often couches his transphobia as gender critical thought, in a manner suggesting he has always cared about this cause.

Since 2019 Linehan's social media avatar has been a cartoon of himself as [[Whiteknighting|knight on a white horse]], with the cross-and-circle female icon on his shield.<ref>https://blog.ninapaley.com/2019/06/13/graham-linehans-new-avatar/</ref>

===Attacking women===

Unsurprisingly then, this patriarchal attitude often spills over to his attacks on trans people, where he throws abuse at any cis women who defend trans women. In response to [[Anita Sarkeesian]] stating that feminism is supportive of trans people, [[workers' rights]], [[BLM]], and [[abortion]] rights, Linehan stated: "What is this male-pandering shite? I didn't support you during gamergate so you could give women's rights away to another group of men."<ref>Graham Linehan (May 7, 2020). [https://web.archive.org/web/20200510200628/https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1258350365096935424 "What is this male-pandering shite? I didn't support you during gamergate so you could give women's rights away to another group of men."] ''Twitter'', via the Wayback Machine.</ref> He called the Women's March London "Traitors" for calling themselves "trans inclusive and [[intersectional]]".<ref>"Traitors", Glinner, Twitter, 3:15PM 20 Jan 2019, archived at https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DxaZbs5UYAEObHP.jpg</ref>

He also refers to women who support trans rights or otherwise oppose him as mindless "handmaidens".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20190125200357/https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1088344158404788224?lang=en "Polling results so far! Nearly 5000 people think there is a problem, while over 13,000 woke blokes/handmaidens/incels think everything is just fine."] by Glinner (11:54 PM - 23 Jan 2019) ''Twitter'' (archived from January 25, 2019).</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/save/https:/twitter.com/Glinner/status/1087997373635276801?lang=en "Yep. Woke blokes and handmaidens instead of priests and nuns."] by Glinner (12:56 AM - 23 Jan 2019) ''Twitter'' (archived from July 3, 2019).</ref> Linehan attacked award winning feminist journalist Mona Eltahawy, for being trans-supportive. The absurdity of a white, straight, cis male telling a bisexual Egyptian-American woman (who has literally had her arms broken in defence of women’s rights) that she’s ‘bending the knee to men’ for supporting trans women was apparently lost on him.<ref>[https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1217561225489416198.html Mona Eltahawy responds to Graham Linehan]</ref> He also attacked comedian Josie Long over her views on trans people, leading to Long temporarily deleting her Twitter account to avoid the torrents of abuse.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2019/jul/28/can-comedy-survive-in-an-age-of-outrage-jo-brand Can comedy survive in an age of outrage?], Miranda Sawyer, ''The Guardian'', 28 July 2019</ref> Cariad Lloyd got the same treatment for making a period joke.<ref>[https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/12/12/cariad-lloyd-anti-trans-trolls-twitter/] Cariad Lloyd also deactivated her Twitter account for a time, after anti-trans trolls attacked her for using inclusive language when talking about periods.</ref>

Furthermore, Linehan frequently accuses cisgender women of being men.<ref> https://web.archive.org/web/20230422213459/https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1643176335332851712</ref> In a similar incident, he accused Olympic athlete {{w|Imane Khelif}} of being "a man", stating: "He has XY chromosomes. that's what makes him a man, nothing else."<ref>Graham Linehan (August 4, 2024). [https://archive.ph/SMKAT "He has XY chromosomes. that's what makes him a man, nothing else. Are you hoping to see a woman killed on live TV?"]. ''Twitter'', via archive.today.</ref> Though it was alleged that Khelif was [[intersex]], the circumstances of this allegation were extremely doubtful,<ref>Karolos Grohmann (August 5, 2024). [https://www.reuters.com/sports/olympics/iba-gender-tests-two-boxers-were-flawed-illegitimate-says-ioc-2024-08-04/ "IBA gender tests on two boxers were flawed and illegitimate, says IOC"]. ''Reuters''.</ref><ref>Emma Guinness (August 2, 2024). [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/olympic-boxing-row-khelif-carini-antitrans-jk-rowling-b2590083.html "Liz Truss, Musk and JK Rowling weigh in on Olympic boxing controversy to spread false anti-trans rhetoric"]. ''The Independent''.</ref><ref name="WaPoOlympics">Les Carpenter (August 1, 2024). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/2024/08/01/imane-khelif-algerian-boxer-gender-paris-olympics/ "Olympic woman boxer who faced gender-eligibility claim wins, igniting outcry"]. ''The Washington Post''. Quote: "The IOC, which is overseeing the boxing competition in Paris, does not test for gender, and there never has been evidence that either Khelif or Lin had XY chromosomes or elevated levels of testosterone. They have competed for years, including at the Tokyo Olympics and several world championships."</ref><ref>Greg Beacham (August 3, 2024). [https://apnews.com/article/olympics-2024-khelif-russia-boxing-b53b1edda21139d14a572bd35ca440e6 "Banned governing body that’s fueling outcry on Olympic boxers has Russian ties and troubled history"]. ''The Associated Press''.</ref><ref>Sean Gregory (August 5, 2024). [https://time.com/7008028/iba-boxing-gender-controversy-paris-olympics/ "The IBA Held a Press Conference About Boxing’s Gender Controversy. It Was a Chaotic Mess"]. ''TIME''.</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Carpenter |first=Les |date=2024-08-05 |title=Russian boxing chief fuels Olympic turmoil in bizarre news conference |url=https://archive.ph/mz8UB |work=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> and this would not have made her a man in any case.<ref>Emma Guinness (August 2, 2024). [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/imane-khelif-olympics-boxer-trans-debate-gender-carini-b2590229.html "Inside the tough childhood of Olympic boxer Imane Khelif as she faces groundless accusations of being male"]. ''The Independent''.</ref> (Ironically, if XY chromosomes were all that made one a man, this would mean Linehan agrees that pregnant men exist due to the existence of {{w|Swyer syndrome||,}}<ref>[https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/swyer-syndrome/ "Swyer syndrome"]. ''MedlinePlus''. Quote: "Women with Swyer syndrome do not produce eggs (ova), but if they have a uterus, they may be able to become pregnant with a donated egg or embryo."</ref> a concept he elsewhere mocks.<ref>Graham Linehan (June 3, 2023). [https://archive.ph/mp8er "Men can't get pregnant, 'Doctor' Webberley."] ''Twitter'', via archive.today.</ref>)

Blogger and ex-[[prostitute]] Brooke Magnanti (Belle de Jour) accused him of "whorephobia" (a hatred or fear of prostitutes),<ref group=note>This makes Linehan a potential [[SWERF]] 'n' TERF.</ref> tweeting "Also whorephobia. My Linehan brush was he kept tweeting how much he liked to wank to my writing (eww), so when I asked him to read a sitcom pilot I was working on, he freaked tf out and implied I was trying to destroy his marriage or something."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20190126221840/https://twitter.com/belledejour_uk/status/1002638407812567040 Also whorephobia. My Linehan brush was he kept tweeting how much he liked to wank to my writing (eww), so when I asked him to read a sitcom pilot I was working on, he freaked tf out and implied I was trying to destroy his marriage or something.] by belledejour_uk (Brooke Magnanti) (12:49 PM - 1 Jun 2018) ''Twitter'' (archived from January 26, 2019).</ref>

His possible nadir was when a woman (and sexual assault survivor) asked him to stop calling women ‘females’ and pointed out that she had been assaulted by men, not trans women. He responded that “it’s not all about you.”<ref>https://twitter.com/TheOnlySprout/status/1205920537010040832/photo/1</ref> Because nothing says feminism like talking over a rape victim with abuser rhetoric. Similarly, he appeared to downplay a lesbian who told him of her experience with being raped by another cis woman. He responded to her: "I'm very sorry that happened to you, Amy, that's terrible. It has nothing to do with the fact that men *as a class* rape women *as a class* and I don't know why you would pretend it does. I'm not sure anyone who would blind you to that fact is a 'friend'."<ref>Graham Linehan (April 13, 2020). [https://web.archive.org/web/20200413191411/https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1249773999137132552 "I'm very sorry that happened to you, Amy, that's terrible. It has nothing to do with the fact that men *as a class* rape women *as a class* and I don't know why you would pretend it does. I'm not sure anyone who would blind you to that fact is a 'friend'."] ''Twitter'', via the Wayback Machine.</ref> This was in reference to the idea of "sex classes",<ref>Graham Linehan (April 15, 2020). [https://web.archive.org/web/20200417063055/https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1250475644389072899 "so there are no sex classes? this is hysterical. Hey @FondOfBeetles you'll enjoy this one"]. ''Twitter'', via the Wayback Machine.</ref> and his conception of it is a vulgarization of ~1960s–1970s [[radical feminist]] class theory, which proposed "sex class" is an oppressive [[social construct]]. It was not intended as a rhetorical bludgeon against people who were raped by a woman.

==Other insanity==
===Promotion of pseudoscience===
By September 2022, Linehan had [[crank magnetism|also begun questioning]] [[COVID-19 vaccine]]s and the science behind [[global warming]] [[persecution complex|"because I’ve been lied to so conclusively by all the people I used to trust"]].<ref>{{cite web|date=1 October 2022|title=Anti-trans activist Graham Linehan says he's no longer sure about COVID vaccines or climate change|url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2022/10/01/graham-linehan-covid-transphobia-climate-change/|author-last=Wakefield|author-first=Lily|access-date=2 October 2022|work=PinkNews}}</ref>

===Racism===
In August 2024, he saw a post highlighting "Catholics and Protestants … marching shoulder to shoulder in Belfast, [[Northern Ireland]] as they demand an end to [[Mass immigration|Mass Immigration]]." Linehan reacted: "I never thought I would live to see something so extraordinary. [[Elite]]s and their lickspittles better stop ignoring people because this is what history looks like. Stop ignoring and demonising the white working class."<ref>Graham Linehan (August 3, 2024). [https://archive.ph/BQ0Hr "I never thought I would live to see something so extraordinary. Elites and their lickspittles  better stop ignoring people because this is what history looks like. Stop ignoring and demonising the white working class. They have as many rights as Stewart Lee or Owen Jones."] ''Twitter'', via archive.today. ([https://ghostarchive.org/archive/a0jAL Second archive]). ([https://x.com/Glinner/status/1819848949861363860 Original link]).</ref> This was amidst an outburst of racist violence across the United Kingdom,<ref>Thomas Mackintosh and Lucy Clarke-Billings (August 5, 2024). [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpwddpzyxpzo "No 10 to hold emergency Cobra meeting after weekend of violence"]. ''BBC News''.</ref> including Northern Ireland,<ref>Christopher Leebody (August 5, 2024). [https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/calls-for-people-to-stay-away-amid-reports-of-further-far-right-belfast-protests/a850231319.html "Calls for people to 'stay away' amid reports of further far-right Belfast protests"]. ''The Belfast Telegraph''.</ref> with assaults by far-right mobs against people for simply being non-white.<ref>Nadine White (August 5, 2024). [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/riots-uk-muslim-asians-rotherham-manvers-hotel-b2591159.html "Street beatings, stabbing and mosques under siege: the horrifying racist attacks carried out by far-right mobs"]. ''The Independent''.</ref><ref>Jeremy Armstrong and Ryan Carroll (August 4, 2024). [https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/rioting-thugs-throw-rocks-filipino-33392232 "Far-right thugs throw rocks at Filipino NHS nurses on way to work"]. ''Daily Record''.</ref><ref>Anders Anglesey (August 4, 2024). [https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/middlesbrough-rioters-stop-traffic-check-33393888 "Middlesbrough rioters stop traffic to check if drivers are 'white' in shocking footage"]. ''Daily Mirror''.</ref>

===Russell T Davies===
On 26 April 2024, Linehan used Twitter to respond to comments made by {{wpl|Russell T Davies||.}} A tweet quoted Davies, the original showrunner and head writer of ''{{wpl|Doctor Who}}'' from 2005 to 2010, saying his incarnations of {{wpl|The Doctor (Doctor Who)|The Doctor}} "weren’t exactly the straightest men in the past" and that their personalities chimed "with queer energy".<ref>{{cite web |work=Variety |title=Variety on X: "#DoctorWho showrunner and writer Russell T Davies says his Doctors "weren’t exactly the straightest men in the past. You’re talking about someone who does have a lightness and a joy about him that, to me, chimes with queer energy."" / X |url=https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1783507255188660283 |website=[[Twitter]] |language=en |date=25 April 2024}}</ref> Linehan responded to these comments by quote tweeting the tweet in which they were posted and saying "Fuck off, you sweaty [[Alt-right_glossary#Groomer|groomer]]."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Linehan |first1=Graham |title=Graham Linehan on X: "Fuck off, you sweaty groomer." / X |url=https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1783818295873008104 |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=26 April 2024 |language=en |date=26 April 2024}}</ref> Linehan has [https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1738282356157321656 historically] [https://grahamlinehan.substack.com/p/the-oxford-elite-vandalising-womens made] [https://grahamlinehan.substack.com/p/glinners-twitter-fdd many] [https://grahamlinehan.substack.com/p/brilliant-video-on-russel-t-davies similar] [https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1776356854903476451 comments] [https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1728555515687424385 about] [https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1729986736338424285 Davies] in the past. Since Davies is openly (very) gay, Linehan's tweets accusing Davies of being a so-called "groomer" was instantly branded as [[Homophobia|homophobic]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Stokes |first1=Rose |title=Rose Stokes on X: "@Glinner Sorry, why does this make him a 'groomer'? Are you openly linking paedophilia to homosexuality now?" / X |url=https://twitter.com/RoseStokes/status/1783868503168110763 |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=26 April 2024 |language=en |date=26 April 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=🏳️‍⚧️Social Mania🏳️‍⚧️ |title=🏳️‍⚧️Social Mania🏳️‍⚧️ on X: "@Glinner Branching out from transphobia into overt homophobia. Bigotry is invariably intersectional." / X |url=https://twitter.com/waslottie/status/1783856159859900493 |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=26 April 2024 |language=en |date=26 April 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=_IpsumLorem |title=_IpsumLorem on X: "@Glinner You're a very unpleasant man, aren't you? Attacking homosexual men online and stating that they are paedophiles? Its like the worst of the 80's homophobic scaremongering all over again." / X |url=https://twitter.com/_ipsumlorem/status/1783861279947386977 |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=26 April 2024 |language=en |date=26 April 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> It was also pointed out that his comments had much in common with [[Laurence_Fox#Distinctively_homophobic|Laurence Fox's recent libel case]],<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bad Writing Takes 🖊️🏳️‍🌈 |title=Bad Writing Takes 🖊️🏳️‍🌈 on X: "Disgraced former comedian and transphobe Graham "Glinner" Linehan has publicly smeared Russell T Davies as a "sweaty groomer".  Davies could do enormous good for the entire LGBTQ+ community by suing Linehan. Especially given the recent successful case against Laurence Fox. / X |url=https://x.com/BadWritingTakes/status/1783904761189728545 |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=26 April 2024 |language=en |date=26 April 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=She Guevara |title=She Guevara on X: "Graham Linehan is gunna end up being ordered to pay for so many peoples transitions..." / X |url=https://twitter.com/No7Sammy/status/1783505729048973415 |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=26 April 2024 |language=en |date=26 April 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Louis 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 〓〓 💙 Defend the right to vote |title=Louis 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 〓〓 💙 Defend the right to vote on X: "Only yesterday Laurence Fox was ordered to pay £180,000 (on top of his legal costs) to two people he accused of being pedophiles  I hope Russell T Davies takes Graham Linehan to the cleaners for calling him a 'sweaty groomer' / X |url=https://twitter.com/LouisHenwood/status/1783912318016885242 |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=26 April 2024 |language=en |date=26 April 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> in which Fox had to pay £180,000 in damages to two people after calling them "paedophiles" in what the judge said was "distinctively homophobic" libel.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Topping |first1=Alexandra |title=Laurence Fox ordered to pay £180,000 to two people he called ‘paedophiles’ |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2024/apr/25/laurence-fox-ordered-to-pay-90000-pounds-to-two-people-he-called-paedophiles |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=26 April 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.ph/4j1Ic |archive-date=26 April 2024 |language=en |date=25 April 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Culley |first1=Jeremy |title=Laurence Fox told to pay £180,000 in libel damages |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-68899248 |website=[[BBC News]] |access-date=26 April 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.ph/UDlxB |archive-date=26 April 2024 |language=en |date=25 April 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> Around 8 hours and 200,000 views<ref>{{cite web |title=Mukhtar on X: "The Internet never forgets @Glinner / X |url=https://twitter.com/I_amMukhtar/status/1783956454082261422 |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=26 April 2024 |language=en |date=26 April 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> later, Linehan deleted the tweet, presumably after realising he was libelling Davies.

However, he still doubled down, posting a new tweet at around the same time he deleted his first one, in which he said "When Russell T Davies promotes queer theory in a children's TV program, he is engaging in ideological grooming. This is queer theory."<ref>{{cite web |title=Graham Linehan on X: "When Russell T Davies promotes queer theory in a children's TV program, he is engaging in ideological grooming. This is queer theory." / X |url=https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1783946181703520475 |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=26 April 2024 |language=en |date=26 April 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> Thereafter, Linehan links to a YouTube clip of a lecture (nothing to do with Davies) about paedophilia being a foundational part of "queer theory". This isn't legal advice Graham, but that's not much of an improvement. He then tripled down, saying he deleted his original tweet because he "realised he's [Davies is] not actually that sweaty" when another user suggested he had because Davies is not, in fact, a groomer.<ref>{{cite web |title=Graham Linehan on X: "@QuietXPerson @The_3rd_Seat @alecsgrrr No I realised he's not actually that sweaty https://t.co/2S5kkWCI1M" / X |url=https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1784077281025314857 |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=27 April 2024 |language=en |date=27 April 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> Masterful gambit, sir.

He also repeatedly tweeted out a screenshot taken from [https://rts.org.uk/article/comfort-classic-queer-folk this article] by the Royal Television Society discussing troubling sex between an adult and a child in ''{{wpl|Queer_as_Folk_(British_TV_series)|Queer as Folk}}'', which Davies created, seemingly to try to substantiate that Davies is a groomer (another genius legal move).<ref>{{cite web |title=Graham Linehan on X: "It certainly doesn't https://t.co/8jfwNLaibr" / X |url=https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1784156700209189084 |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=27 April 2024 |language=en |date=27 April 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Graham Linehan on X: "@AidanTheJester This guy? https://t.co/YpJGc3uC97" / X |url=https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1784125675714257338 |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=27 April 2024 |language=en |date=27 April 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Graham Linehan on X: "@hxll_mxtt Ok groomy https://t.co/Dpc48Lls0e" / X |url=https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1784113524517859484 |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=27 April 2024 |language=en |date=27 April 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> It did genuinely generate controversy,<ref>{{cite web |title=Queer As Folk lands Stateside |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1050177.stm |website=[[BBC News]] |access-date=27 April 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/PNX4k |archive-date=27 April 2024 |language=en |date=2 December 2000 |url-status=live |quote=The depiction of a sexual relationship between an adult man and an underage teen has provoked outrage in America as it did in Britain.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Gibson |first1=Janine |title=Gay programme upsets viewers |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/1999/jun/22/mondaymediasection.broadcasting |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=28 April 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.ph/Rw3OZ |archive-date=28 April 2024 |language=en |date=22 June 1999 |url-status=live}}</ref> however the plot point has been praised for providing authenticity<ref>{{cite web |last1=Nast |first1=Condé |title=An oral history of Queer as Folk, the groundbreaking gay series that changed British TV for good |url=https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/queer-as-folk-oral-history |website=[[British GQ]] |access-date=28 April 2024 |archive-url=http://archive.today/PFKA5 |archive-date=2024-04-27 |language=en |date=17 April 2024 |quote=Uncompromisingly real, its central relationship is between a 15-year-old and a man twice his age. |url-status=live}}</ref> given that similar relationships [https://www.reddit.com/r/gaybros/comments/wsn5q1/are%20queer%20as%20folk%20age%20gaps%20problematic/ were fairly common at that time]. Furthermore, a fictional TV show, and its creators, don't necessarily endorse everything the show depicts. Consider the results of applying this same logic to ''{{wpl|Breaking Bad}}'', ''{{wpl|Top Boy}}'', or even, dare it be said, ''{{wpl|Father Ted}}'', which depicts [https://archive.ph/byUi5 racism]. He continued with various weird attempts to attack Davies and paint him as "a groomer" on 28 April.<ref>{{cite web |title=Graham Linehan on X: "RT @Jebadoo2: A good question I think" / X |url=https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1784463773006455102 |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=28 April 2024 |language=en |date=28 April 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Graham Linehan on X: "Yes that's rather the point, Dan. Queer theory should not be fed to an audience of children as its principal proponents were nonces. Also take those "they/them" pronouns out of your bio they make you appear thick." / X |url=https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1784546289440714952 |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=28 April 2024 |language=en |date=28 April 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Graham Linehan on X: "Queer theory has no place in children's television." / X |url=https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1784551628823310440 |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=28 April 2024 |language=en |date=28 April 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===David Tennant===
In July 2023, on Twitter, Linehan began a personal vendetta against ''Doctor Who'' actor David Tennant (best known for playing the {{wpl|Tenth Doctor|Tenth}} and {{wpl|Fourteenth Doctor}}) for wearing a t-shirt saying, "Leave trans kids alone, you absolute freaks", describing him as "disgusting, ignorant, reckless"<ref>[https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1678532612598407168 Disgusting, ignorant, reckless @David_Tennant] (whilst tagging a fan account), Graham Linehan Twitter account, 10 Jul 2023</ref> and calling him an "abusive groomer".<ref>[https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1678786093364158464 Only disgraced among the ranks of abusive groomers like yourself and Tennant.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 11 Jul 2023</ref> Later that year, in October, he was dropped by Independent Talent for his attacks on Tennant and falsely accused the actor of getting him cancelled<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/graham-linehan-agent-dropped-david-tennant-attack-b2424343.html Graham Linehan ‘dropped by his agent’ after attacking Doctor Who star David Tennant], Isobel Lewis, ''The Independent'', 5 Oct 2023</ref> (when the agency happened to represent them both by sheer coincidence!).

On 25 June 2024, Linehan's hatred towards Tennant intensified when the actor told {{wpl|Kemi Badenoch}} to "shut up".<ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1805627764617195718 This man cost me my agent because I objected to him calling women who stood against transitioning of children 'freaks'. No apology since the #CassReview either.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 25 Jun 2024</ref><ref>[https://x.com/icanseeforever1/status/1805636467030479105?s=61 Still upset that you lost your agent after calling David Tennant a "groomer" are we Graham?], ''On a clear day'' Twitter account, 25 Jun 2024</ref>

On 31 July 2024, he posted an unhinged Substack article smearing Tennant<ref>[https://grahamlinehan.substack.com/p/skin-in-the-game Skin in the game], The Glinner Update, 31 Jul 2024</ref> and promoted it on his Twitter account.<ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1820466159667548498 My piece on David Tennant and his 'skin in the game' is now up for free subscribers! (link follows)], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 5 Aug 2024</ref><ref>Graham Linehan Twitter account, archived at https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GUTHv5RXEAIZ-Vx.jpg</ref>

On 1 September 2024, Linehan praised Kemi Badenoch's Conservative Party leadership campaign launch video for her personal attack against Tennant.<ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1830361169481359795 Gettem, Kemi. David Tennant, Stewart Lee, Owen Jones... get all them posh boys.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 1 Sep 2024</ref> He later called Tennant a "creep" when Badenoch won the leadership contest.<ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1852721040532644122 Kemi's going to keep kids safe from you, you creep.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 2 Nov 2024</ref>

===''Doctor Who''===
Nope, Linehan has never written for the long-running [[science fiction]] TV series (and he never, ever will), despite proposing something crass on Twitter:

{{quotebox|My series arc would be an malevolent and homophobic alien race using a kids TV show to promote body dysphoria.<ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1728534063219146953 My series arc would be an malevolent and homophobic alien race using a kids TV show to promote body dysphoria.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 25 Nov 2023</ref>}}

Linehan's hatred towards ''Doctor Who'' predates his personal vendettas against Russell T Davies and David Tennant,<ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1786034264032907354 Go and Google what John Money did to the Reimer twins. Then listen to Russel T Davies rhapsodising about 'queer energy' in Doctor Who.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 2 May 2024</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1787016958539661504 This is what Russell T Davies and David Tennant are wishing upon young Doctor Who fans. This is 'trans joy'.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 5 May 2024</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1898878288581611845 Love these warnings when Russell T Davies is using Doctor Who to tell children that people can be born in the wrong body.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 9 Mar 2025</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/2005933520389300510 Neil Gaiman friendship, telling his kids they're non-binary now, welcoming into the country terrorists who literally want to kill us, ruining Doctor Who...what next for David Tennant!?], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 30 Dec 2025</ref> beginning with him defending transphobic actor {{wpl|James Dreyfus}} who voiced an incarnation of {{wpl|The Master (Doctor Who)|the Master}} (the Doctor's archenemy) in a few ''Doctor Who'' audio dramas, and was allegedly "dropped" by {{wpl|Big Finish Productions}} after expressing support for J. K. Rowling.<ref>[https://grahamlinehan.substack.com/p/the-dreyfus-affair The Dreyfus Affair], The Glinner Update, 15 Sep 2020</ref> He tagged the official Big Finish account whenever the issue was brought up.<ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1607864335484715008 I often wonder what @KathyBurke feels about her co-star being cancelled for signing a letter that called for less toxicity in the gender debate. How he hasn't worked much since doing so. How @bigfinish removed him from a Doctor Who special for it.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 27 Dec 2022</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1627074327454826497 James you've behaved with total class throughout the whole thing. You'll come out smelling of roses and @bigfinish will be remembered with disgust.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 18 Feb 2023</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1627075781267685378 Here's what @bigfinish and others did to James Dreyfus. All for signing a letter asking Stonewall to do something about the toxicity of the debate], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 18 Feb 2023</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1627276030040850439 Hey @unloveablesteve and @bigfinish when are you going to apologise for your treatment of James Dreyfus?], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 19 Feb 2023</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1640697525786013696 Don't forget @unloveablesteve's part in this. His company @bigfinish did what they could to disappear a gay man from Doctor Who. Homophobia but make it woke.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 28 Mar 2023</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1743035809312215113 I don't want anyone to forget that it was @unloveablesteve of @bigfinish who treated @DreyfusJames  so disgracefully.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 4 Jan 2024</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1779162955533410646 That's right. Ruth Hunt's Stonewall issued a flat 'no' within the day. @DreyfusJames also signed the letter and has hardly worked since. @unloveablesteve and @bigfinish treated him like dirt because he asked for a respectful debate.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 13 Apr 2024</ref>

As part of his ''Doctor Who''-hating agenda,<ref>[https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1732144523533222099 The attempts to shame those of us who are trying to make safeguarding more robust is very telling. Pay very close attention to the sort of people who engage in it.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 5 Dec 2023</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1732144991554675193 Like this bloke. Posts nothing but Doctor Who memes but stops off to twist the poster's words.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 5 Dec 2023</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1732161679352328368 The shilling for Doctor Who part is what interests me. It reminds me of this extraordinary tweet (and tweet within a tweet) from @ginacarano who was fired from The Mandalorian by uberwokenMaus Disney.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 5 Dec 2023</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1751778796645282019 HAHA!], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 29 Jan 2024</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1784551306436432322], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 28 Apr 2024</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1831064121338704275 What's not to love? The grooming.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 3 Sep 2024</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1916663203368518004 Let's see the latest NPC talking point!], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 28 Apr 2025</ref><ref>Graham Linehan Twitter account, archived at https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Gs_SCkSWIAAvsIs.jpg</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1989250999056310570 Also, none of the stories on the Cass report or the Tavistock were followed up on as much as they should’ve been by other parts of the BBC. The stories were just allowed to quietly wither away while Doctor Who/Only Connect/Women’s Hour etc got on with the serious business of grooming the nation], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 14 Nov 2025</ref><ref>Graham Linehan Twitter account, archived at https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G8mVG1yWoAAmdfE.jpg</ref> he has repeatedly wished for the show to be cancelled<ref>Graham Linehan Twitter account, archived at https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fs2pOxxWcAAfB76.jpg</ref><ref>Graham Linehan Twitter account, archived at https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F_26lLfWAAAYEDn.jpg</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1806699117743112403 Lowest figures in the history of Doctor Who. Go woke, go broke.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 28 Jun 2024</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1926766940527165915 And this is why it's being cancelled.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 25 May 2025</ref><ref>Graham Linehan Twitter account, archived at https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GsOfQ6AXsAA4jyW.jpg</ref> and bullied cast<ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1637871972360101888 Apparently a Vichy feminist is behind this so expect lots of non-binary aliens and similar ideological grooming. If you're a parent, maybe not the best time to get the kids into Doctor Who.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 20 Mar 2023</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1638147288252948482 Is it appropriate that a person who lied about puberty blockers and trans surgeries is producing content for children? She also smeared JK Rowling and attacked an organisation for LGB people.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 21 Mar 2023</ref><ref>Graham Linehan Twitter account, archived at https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FrvkAdBWAAAbyAl.jpg</ref><ref>[https://x.com/glinner/status/1642947303420952579?s=61 Oh fuuuuuuuuuuuck off], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 3 Apr 2023</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1642963582173192213 I'm sure he's very talented, but I am sick of the BBC grooming the British public without ever having had a proper debate about these issues], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 3 April 2023</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1782692994417827866], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 23 Apr 2024</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1806321796930482472 They're sterilising and maiming children. Why do you and men like you ignore this horror?], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 27 Jun 2024</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1841179848468754497 Thanks for reminding me of my favourite Sooz moment. Criiiiiiingge], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 1 Oct 2024</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1890540175949807884 300,000 years of human development has ended with "durrr, people who look like a thing are that thing".], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 14 Feb 2025</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1895000551232020966 Haha, of course he does. Do you see what I mean? There aren't many trans-activists, but they all know each other and they all have influence in different areas], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 27 Feb 2025</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1932051512089583932 "Blame my mother!"], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 9 Jun 2025</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1951226839269068968 Oh no not Jinkx Monsoon!], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 1 Aug 2025</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1951357308539461856 lol], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 1 Aug 2025</ref> and crew<ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1883910400535888194 Doctor Who is becoming a lifeboat for men who hate women and gay people. If you don't want your kids groomed, don't let them watch it.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 27 Jan 2025</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1884001691089146338 Isn't there a word for adults trying to normalise this sort of thing?], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 27 Jan 2025</ref> members on Twitter; even going to extreme lengths to instigate targeted harassment against fans.<ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1789745600252043455 With sadness, I'm going to have to mute Robert. Another father of a daughter who doesn't seem to care that the ideology being pushed by the groomers who make Doctor Who is hostile to the rights of women and girls. What about the Cass Report, Robert? What about men in womens sports, prisons and changing rooms? How could you not want to fight against all that?], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 12 May 2024</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1806354032757182497 Because Doctor Who fandom is famously one of the most toxic communities online, and it is entirely captured by gender ideology from the top down.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 27 Jun 2024</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1830594021204558037], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 2 Sep 2024</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1830644533425799415], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 2 Sep 2024</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1831341092962251222], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 4 Sep 2024</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1834142249719910636], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 12 Sep 2024</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1923141249357214174], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 15 May 2025</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1945208821925994867 Its 'fans' form, notoriously, the most toxic fan base on the internet.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 15 Jul 2025</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/2005814830612058366 Another posho.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 30 Dec 2025</ref>

On 6 October 2023, he harassed and intentionally misgendered a fan who was temporarily suspended from Twitter,<ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1710254778603683979 Fuck him and fuck you. Great to see Twitter finally cracking down on psychotic, violent trans rights activists.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 6 Oct 2023</ref> and tried to get actor and writer {{wpl|Mark Gatiss}} involved by tagging him.<ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1710255214320558180 And @Markgatiss it's long past time you addressed the toxic, misogynist, anti-feminist mess that Doctor Who fandom has become.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 6 Oct 2023</ref>

When the ''Doctor Who'' 60th anniversary specials aired in November and December 2023, Linehan launched a series of attacks on the show.<ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1728535020489277518 "Propaganda supporting an expansion of male rights is working."], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 25 Nov 2023</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1728555515687424385 Russell T Davies will never live down his support of this evil, grooming movement.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 25 Nov 2023</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1728719818914726378 This is a description of grooming.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 26 Nov 2023</ref><ref>Graham Linehan Twitter account, archived at https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F_26lLSWcAApGwZ.jpg</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1729110766715015216 Russell T Davies is grooming his audience of children to expect and tolerate men in women's changing rooms, shelters and sports. He risks putting many of them on a road to puberty blockers, sterilisation and endless hospital visits. A grave, reckless use of an iconic BBC title.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 27 Nov 2023</ref><ref>Graham Linehan Twitter account, archived at https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F_8pRdjXUAAYeEE.jpg</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1729316269503971665 Stick it up your fucking arses], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 28 Nov 2023</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1731101062352777288 Vichy gays.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 3 Dec 2023</ref><ref>Graham Linehan Twitter account, archived at https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GeX8DVbWcAA0IRy.jpg</ref> This also gave him an opportunity to harass David Tennant<ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1728565324314755395 Tennant is dangerously stupid.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 26 Nov 2023</ref> and his family.<ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1729046207719420191 The child in the T-shirt announcing his sexuality is ten years old.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 27 Nov 2023</ref><ref>Graham Linehan Twitter account, archived at https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F_8pRdiXUAADklx.jpg</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1729049215308067250 What would motivate a parent to buy a t-shirt for their pre-pubescent child broadcasting their nascent sexuality? Gender ideology rots the brain.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 27 Nov 2023</ref>

In 2025, Linehan instantly fell for ''[[The Sun]]'''s misleading clickbait articles about rumours of {{wpl|Fifteenth Doctor}} actor {{wpl|Ncuti Gatwa}} departing the show.<ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1892018271010029776 One thing about the WWW (white woke wankers) is that they leave their diverse cast members hanging out to dry by using them to act as T-shirts for whatever cause is currently fashionable. They become the face of bad decisions, bad writing. Russell T Davies should apologise to Ncuti Gatwa if this story is true.], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 19 Feb 2025</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1925951152408924468 Ahahahahaaaaa], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 23 May 2025</ref>

On 29 Oct 2025, after the BBC ended their partnership with Disney+,<ref>Graham Linehan Twitter account, archived at https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G4aUoBdW8AAEoI6.jpg</ref> Linehan accused Russell T Davies of turning ''Doctor Who'' into "misogynist propaganda"<ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1983328435876573621 Hey @russelldavies63 you ruined a beloved show by turning it into misogynist propaganda. Oh, well! At least thousands of gay boys were told they were girls and sterilised! (this one's for you too @Markgatiss)], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 29 Oct 2025</ref> and hurled transphobic bigotry at Rose Noble actor {{wpl|Yasmin Finney}} (whilst tagging Davies and Mark Gatiss).<ref>[https://twitter.com/glinner/status/1983329486197404019 Let this be an end to womanface and to putting gay boys back into a closet made of their own bodies. @russelldavies63 @Markgatiss], Graham Linehan Twitter account, 29 Oct 2025</ref>

==See also==
*[[Transmisogyny]]
*[[Hbomberguy]]
*''[[The Critic]]''

==External links==
* [https://twitter.com/Glinner Beloved Internet Personality] on Twitter, account 
suspended
 
unsuspended
 
suspended
<ref>Harriet Williamson (April 16, 2023). [https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/04/16/anti-trans-graham-linehan-suspended-twitter-again/ "Anti-trans mouthpiece Graham Linehan suspended from Twitter … again"]. ''PinkNews''.</ref> unsuspended

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note|80%}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Linehan, Graham}}
[[Category:Comedians]]
[[Category:Clogosphere]]
[[Category:Crank magnetism]]
[[Category:COVID-19 denialists]]
[[Category:Doxers]]
[[Category:Global warming denialists]]
[[Category:Internet kooks]]
[[Category:Ireland]]
[[Category:Leftists who turned right with age]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Pseudoscience promoters]]
[[Category:Purity culture]]
[[Category:Sexists]]
[[Category:TERFs]]
[[Category:Trolls]]

Categories: Comedians, Clogosphere, Crank magnetism, COVID-19 denialists, Doxers, Global warming denialists, Internet kooks, Ireland, Leftists who turned right with age, Living people, Pseudoscience promoters, Purity culture, Sexists, TERFs, Trolls