The Observer ‘s editor, John Mulholland, and the papers columnist, Julie Burchill, are facing calls to be sacked following publication of an article which openly attacked transsexuals.
In a controversial opinion piece Burchill described the transsexual community as ‘a bunch of bed-wetters in bad wigs’ and ‘dicks in chicks clothing’, an apparent riposte to criticism of her friend Suzanne Moore, after she was criticised for writing another, seemingly innocuous, remark that modern women were being encouraged to look like ‘Brazilian transsexuals’.
There was no doubting the tone Burchill’s own poison pen however; prompting international development minister Lynne Featherstone to call for her head – and that of her boss.
Featherstone tweeted: “Julie Burchill rant against transgender community is absolutely disgusting – a bigoted vomit for which The Observer should sack her." When pushed by a fellow tweeter to up the ante and call for the resignation of Mulholland, Featherstone concurred, stating: “Goof point – they both can go!”
Burchill claims that her piece was a reaction to the ‘very vociferous transsexual lobby and their grim groupies’ - who had forced Moore off Twitter.
The piece remains online for the moment and is currently the subject of an inquiry by the Observer readers’ editor.