On June 17, Britain’s Royal Academy of Arts published a post on Instagram, saying:
“Thank you to all those for bringing an item in the RA Shop by an artist expressing transphobic views to our attention. We were unaware of the artist's stated views, and their work will not be stocked in the future. We appreciate you holding us to account on this issue, and we would like to reiterate that we stand with the LGBTQ+ community.”
They were talking about artist Jess de Wahls, a textile artist who explores woman-centered themes through embroidery.
But after the Royal Academy attempted to cancel her, Jess refused to sit down and shut up, and instead spoke out. Thousands defended her, including much of the UK media.
In this episode, Meghan Murphy speaks with Jess about her background, her art, and her failed cancellation.
