Lyndsey Telford<\/span>BBC News NI<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n A woman who claims she was unlawfully discriminated against for her beliefs by her former employer has told a tribunal she was not opposed to transgender rights.<\/p>\n Sara Morrison has brought a case against Belfast Film Festival (BFF) where she worked as an inclusion and audience development coordinator.<\/p>\n In her claim, she says she was forced out of her job after she joined a rally for Let Women Speak in 2023. The BFF launched an investigation into her attendance and she left work citing stress.<\/p>\n During a speech she made at the rally, Ms Morrison outlined concerns around protecting women’s safety and privacy.<\/p>\n The BFF has denied her claim of discrimination.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n It is Ms Morrison’s view that a person cannot change their biological sex.<\/p>\n Ms Morrison, who has received funding for her case from Harry Potter author JK Rowling, says she attended the event in a private capacity and that her beliefs had no bearing on her ability to do her job.<\/p>\n The rally in Belfast city centre was also addressed by Kellie-Jay Keen – a campaigner for women’s rights.<\/p>\n A counter event by local LGBTQ+ groups and activists opposed to her views was held at the same time nearby.<\/p>\n Ms Morrison submits that following her attendance at the rally, she was subjected to online abuse and harassment, which she reported to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).<\/p>\n She was subsequently informed by her employer that it would be carrying out an investigation on the back of complaints made by the LGBTQ+ community.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The BFF also confirmed it was investigating the matter in a social media post, in reply to an LGBT organisation, adding: “We want to reassure you that the Belfast Film Festival passionately supports your values. We will celebrate and defend them.”<\/p>\n In her claim, Ms Morrison says she viewed the BFF as aligning itself to those who had harassed her, which was detrimental to her receiving fair and impartial treatment.<\/p>\n During a short hearing on the first day of her employment tribunal in Belfast, a barrister for the BFF put it to Ms Morrison that her speech at the Let Women Speak rally had the potential to cause reputational damage to her former employer.<\/p>\n She said she accepted that, but made clear that her comments were not about “trans people”.<\/p>\n “What I want has nothing to do with trans people,” Ms Morrison told the tribunal.<\/p>\n “I want single sex places for women.”<\/p>\n She said she believes that a person cannot change sex and that that position was “not anti-trans rights”.<\/p>\n In her speech, she was critical of organisations within the women sector, who she believes had failed to protect women.<\/p>\n The tribunal continues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"BBC](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/1fab\/live\/9c9d41b0-be78-11f0-a1c9-cdc161b5067a.jpg.webp\")
BBC<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![](\"https:\/\/static.files.bbci.co.uk\/bbcdotcom\/web\/20251105-121702-1a3e907763-web-2.33.1-3\/grey-placeholder.png\")
![\"A](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/19cd\/live\/c7e0d940-be78-11f0-a1c9-cdc161b5067a.jpg.webp\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n