Leicester University students’ union faces backlash after ‘insulting’ rebranding of International Women’s Day to include trans women

A university has come into criticism after it rebranded its International Women’s Day to include trans women.

Leicester University’s student union has renamed its celebration as International Womxn’s Day, in reference to what it called a ‘more inclusive spelling of “women”‘.

However the name change has been branded ‘insulting’ by some who claimed it was a disservice to suffragettes who fought for female equality during the 20th century.

It comes after the student body elected trans woman Dan Orr to the position of women’s officer, a role that requires her to speak out on issues such as sexism.

One student said her appointment had left her ‘very upset’ but that she felt unable to speak out publicly through fear of reprisals from the university.

She told The Times: ‘I am sure Dan Orr will try her best, but she has not grown up with the same prejudices that face girls and women [and] the stereotypes they have had to deal with that are related to the female body.

Read more: Leicester University students’ union faces backlash after ‘insulting’ rebranding of International Women’s Day to include trans women