Choir sues charity for discrimination after it dropped them from London Marathon performance because of founder's 'gender-critical views'

Published: 14:49, 17 May 2026 | Updated: 14:51, 17 May 2026 A choir has sued a charity for discrimination after it dropped them from performing at the London Marathon because of its founder's 'gender-critical views'. The Singing Striders group has often appeared on the sidelines of races and had been booked to do the same at this year's London Marathon by the charity Scope. However, the choir was dropped by the charity because of the way one member communicated their views on gender ideology - the idea that gender is not defined by biological sex, but rather self-identification. Janet Murray - the choir's founder - was told her communication of gender-critical views was against Scope's 'commitment to diversity and inclusion'.  Ms Murray, a journalist and writer, has formerly expressed her concerns regarding the inclusion of biological males in women's sports and organisations like Girlguiding.  Now, she and three other group members are taking legal action against Scope over their decision to axe the choir.  It is said they are also seeking a formal apology, as well as damages. Ms Murray said she believes she was 'unlawfully discriminated against' by the charity because of her 'lawfully held' beliefs.  Janet Murray (pictured) and three other group members are taking legal action against Scope over their decision to axe the choir from the London Marathon The Singing Striders group (pictured) has often appeared on the sidelines of races, cheering on participants Speaking to The Telegraph, she said Scope's decision 'raises much wider questions about whether women who state basic biological realities, or advocate for female-only spaces and sport, are increasingly being treated as unacceptable by organisations that claim to value equality and inclusion.' She said: 'I hope Scope now reflects seriously on how this situation was handled, not just for my sake, but for everyone connected with the charity, including disabled women and girls, for whom access to single-sex spaces, services and care is vital.' Scope received two anonymous complaints regarding Ms Murray's gender-critical views, leading them to inform her she could no longer sing at the charity's 'cheer spot' at the marathon.  The charity initially defended its position, saying it is 'committed to the equality and inclusion of trans and non-binary disabled people'. However, after an outpouring of criticism about their decision, the charity backed down, saying they would like to 'restore' the group's invitation. In a statement, John McLachlan, chief executive of Scope, said: 'On reflection, we would like to restore our invitation to the Choir to attend the marathon tomorrow and perform for runners if they choose to do so.'  Lawyers acting for Ms Murray and the other singers allege Scope's decision to axe the group 'discriminated' against Ms Murray's belief in the immutability of biological sex.  Ms Murray, they also argued, has a right to express her views and are in the public interest because they relate to the 'rights of women and girls'. Ms Murray (pictured) said she believes she was 'unlawfully discriminated against' by Scope because of her 'lawfully held' beliefs  Gender-critical beliefs are protected from discrimination under the Equality Act 2010, however, critics of gender ideology have faced public and professional repercussions after expressing their beliefs.  Graham Linehan, the creator of Father Ted, was temporarily banned from X - then Twitter - in 2020 for saying 'men aren't women,' and also claims to have been shunned for his views, including losing his wife, TV career and friends.  Harry Potter author JK Rowling has also been the focus of controversy over the last few years for her views on women's rights and transgender issues. Her years-long campaign for what she described as 'sex-based rights' has seen the former Potter actors distance themselves from the multimillionaire writer,including Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe.  Radcliffe was the first of Harry Potter cast to speak out against Rowling, by writing a blog for LGBTQ+ charity The Trevor Project, in which he explicitly said: 'Transgender women are women.'  Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, then backed up her fellow cast member and speak out against Rowling's stance. On X (formerly Twitter), she previously wrote: 'Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren't who they say they are. 'I want my trans followers to know that I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you, and love you for who you are.' Harry Potter author JK Rowling (pictured) has been the focus of controversy for her views on women's rights and transgender issues Despite the backlash, many gender-critical campaigners celebrated after the Cass review cautioned against children rushing into life-changing gender transitions and taking potentially harmful puberty blockers.  A spokesman for Scope said: 'We are aware of the intention to bring a claim. It would not be appropriate for us to comment further at this stage.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? 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