British Feminism Needs Reshaping: Kate Nash on Her New Single about Trans Rights
In a bold move, British musician Kate Nash has released a new single that has sparked a heated debate about feminism and trans rights. The song, titled “Germ”, features lyrics that directly challenge the views of some feminists who exclude trans women from their definition of womanhood. According to Nash, these views are misogynistic, regressive, and exclusionary.
The song was written in response to a recent supreme court ruling that defined “woman” based on biological sex. Nash, who has many trans friends, took the ruling personally and felt compelled to speak out. “This feminist-trans ‘debate’ – it’s not a debate to me,” she said in an interview with The Guardian. “A friend of mine was the victim of a hate crime last year. I took the ruling very personally.”
Nash’s lyrics have been praised by LGBTQ+ advocates and allies for showing support for trans people at a time when their rights are being eroded. However, some gender-critical voices online have suggested that Nash is “enabling abusers” by calling for trans women to be admitted into single-sex spaces. Nash finds the accusation “absurd” and believes that critiquing different ideologies is important, but not at the expense of trans people’s rights.
“I’ve been trolled since I was 18,” Nash said. “Bring it on. I’m OK with whatever insults people want to throw at me – I can handle it. It’s not going to be as difficult as what a trans person is having to go through at this moment.” Nash hopes that her song will encourage others to speak up despite the divisive nature of the subject.
Nash has long been an advocate for women’s rights and has identified as a feminist since her early days as a musician. However, she is concerned that the label has been hijacked by a gender-critical group who are “very vocal and very organised”. Nash believes that resources would be better spent finding solutions to more pressing problems faced by women, such as sexual violence and femicide.
“Taking away the rights of vulnerable people who are not a threat is obviously the wrong thing to be doing,” Nash said. “I’m not willing to trample on people that have less autonomy over their bodies and less safety in the world than me in order to ‘protect myself’. I do not think cis women are more important or better than trans people.”
Nash also made headlines earlier this year by announcing that she was selling photos on OnlyFans to help subsidise her tour. This move was part of her efforts to highlight the ways in which the music industry is failing artists, particularly those from working-class backgrounds. Nash believes that the industry has been structured in a way that exploits artists and that streaming services have been built unethically.
The musician has personal experience of the shadier side of the business, having had her former manager misappropriate large amounts of her money during the mid-2010s. Nash had to move back in with her parents during a lengthy legal battle. However, she believes that this experience has informed her and given her a unique perspective on the issues facing artists.
The decision to sell her pictures online drew criticism, with some accusing Nash of being a bad influence on young girls. However, Nash counters that she is a fantastic influence for young girls and that she has fought her entire career for young women – representation is extremely important to her.
Nash premiered “Germ” at the Mighty Hoopla festival along with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and will headline Glastonbury’s Left Field stage on the Saturday night. She is excited to play the song in front of an audience and believes that it will be a punk, exciting moment in the set.
As Nash said, “I wanted to leave a record in musical history of a feminist who is outspoken as a cis woman: this is my opinion, and I don’t want the loudest cultural voice in the room to be anti-trans. That is not what feminism has taught me.” The Guardian contacted Nash for a statement, and she stood by her views.
This article is based on an interview with Kate Nash, as published by The Guardian on June 3, 2025. The original article can be found at The Guardian.
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