Paris Lees
Paris Lees (born 1998) is a British man who identifies as a woman and is a transgender activist.
Early Life
According to his own statement, he came from a very disturbed background, with parents who split up at his birth, and no stable home. He claims that he was bullied at school, though all British schools have a non-bullying policy.[1] He has admitted that as a teenager he worked as a homosexual prostitute and was convicted of robbing a customer so violently that despite his youth the judge gave him a 2-year prison sentence. He served eight months of the sentence when he was aged 18 [2] He has also admitted to taking illegal drugs and suffering from severe depression. [3] After having facial surgery he started to work as a model.[4]
Controversy
In 2018 his appearance on the cover of Vogue magazine in an issue dedicated to suffragettes was found offensive and inappropriate by many women. [5]
His claim to be a "feminist" is regarded as contentious by many women, particularly radical feminists.
Dislike of Free Speech and Debate
In August 2014, Lees canceled an appearance on BBC Newsnight to talk about the impact of Kellie Maloney coming out as a trans "woman" saying "I'm not prepared to enter into a fabricated debate about trans people's right to exist/express themselves." [6] He apparently equates existence and agreement with his views.
References
- ↑ https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/5273505/paris-lees-first-openly-transgender-model-british-vogue-journalist-activist/
- ↑ Lees, Paris. "'I hope Chelsea Manning gets the help she needs': Paris Lees, transgender former prisoner, on life inside", The Guardian, 23 August 2013. Retrieved on 27 October 2013.
- ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-24538594
- ↑ https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/5273505/paris-lees-first-openly-transgender-model-british-vogue-journalist-activist/
- ↑ https://twitter.com/MrHenryWimbush/status/995039879368265728 2 days ago - 1/ Paris Lees graced the cover of Vogue as a 'new suffragette'. ... a prostitute who had robbed a punter so violently that she'd earned a 2-year ...
- ↑ Paris Lees walks out on BBC interview, gaystarnews.com; accessed 9 December 2014.
