Katherine Deves clashes with trans activists at Brisbane conference

Controversial former Liberal candidate Katherine Deves has been caught in a fiery clash with trans activists after she demanded to know what “human rights” they lack.

Ms Deves, who unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the 2022 federal election, shared a video of the confrontation as part of her appearance at a conference organized by radical feminist group International Women’s Day (IWD) Brisbane Meanjin.

The conference on Saturday protested a new bill due to be passed in Queensland that would allow transgender and gender diverse people to change the gender on their birth certificates without undergoing sex reassignment surgery.

IWD Brisbane Meanjin opposed the move, calling on the government for ignoring feminists who oppose ‘gender ideology’.

Counter-demonstrators flocked to the conference in Brisbane’s King George Square, many waving the blue, pink and white transgender flag.

“Let me ask you a question, can you explain to me what human rights you don’t have?” Mrs. Deves asked after confronting the group.

Katherine Deves (above) controversially fought against trans women participating in female competitive sports during the 2022 federal election

Don’t all people have the right to human rights? What are you asking for, because no one has ever answered why…”

Ms Deves was then cut off by the group who started shouting ‘boo’ while another started chanting ‘trans rights are human rights’.

“Don’t spread hate, how hard is that?” cried one, after saying they had no rights “apparently when using the toilet.”

Police kept a close eye on the confrontation as the counter-demonstrators chanted ‘trans rights are human rights’.

Ms Deves later shared footage of the meeting on Twitter.

Pictured from left to right: Northern Territory Senator Jacinta Price, founder of Giggle, a women-only app, Sall Grover, Ms. Deves, and Rachael Wong, CEO of the feminist think tank)

Ms. Deves (above) struggled to answer her question before protesters chanted ‘trans rights are human rights’ over her

IWD Brisbane Meanjin shares the same political views as trans-exclusive radical feminists (TERFS), which is considered a derogatory term by opposing groups and was recently used against Harry Potter author JK Rowling.

The group’s gathering on Saturday was expected to draw at least 40 guests, including Northern Territory Senator Jacinta Price, founder of Giggle, a women-only app, Sall Grover, and CEO of feminist think tank Rachael Wong.

Placards hung around their makeshift stage read ‘Women’s rights mean nothing if men can legally become women’, ‘Sexual self-identification erases women’s rights’ and ‘Trans-identified men have no place in women’s prisons’.

Tellingly, IWD Brisbane Meanjin founder Anna McCormack started the group in 2017 The Australian that seeing trans women speak on International Women’s Day made her realize ‘feminists need to take this back’.

IWD Brisbane Meanjin founder Anna McCormack (above) said she founded the group after seeing trans women speak at International Women’s Day events

Just now. Similar spokeswoman Sally Goldner weighed in on the debate after hearing several TERFS groups fear that “predatory” men could take advantage of the self-identification system.

“Arguments about predators and pedophiles stem from the same scare tactics that were leveled against gay people years ago and such ideas are overwhelmingly baseless,” she said.

A parliamentary committee presented a similar argument, saying the bill “does not indicate a systemic risk to girls and women.”

Ms Deves campaigned against transgender athletes during the election last year.

She sparked controversy after describing trans children as “surgically mutilated and sterilized” in a series of deleted tweets.

She later apologized.