How a Tiny Crab Museum in the UK Stood Up For Trans Rights
I only just learned about this, but International Crab Day is tomorrow, April 26, so there’s no better time to put some respect on the Crab Museum in Margate for its unwavering public support for transgender rights after the United Kingdom Supreme Court ruled that a woman is defined by “biological sex” rather than her gender identity.
In a timely Instagram post, the Crab Museum pointed to the April 16 ruling establishing that the “concept of sex is binary” as outlined under the Equality Act of 2010, drawing attention to the judgement’s statement that the biological characteristics that delineate man from woman “are assumed to be self-explanatory and to require no further explanation.”
Leaning on its expertise in biology and evolutionary history, the museum stated in its caption that “there are no binaries in nature, and biology, like all sciences, should never be taken for granted or assumed to be ‘self-explanatory.’”
“Even worse, it should never be used to justify weaponised culture war issues. This ruling is an abuse of science,” the museum continued, also noting that “biological sex (not just gender) is a spectrum.”
On the topic of biological sex being a spectrum, London’s own Vagina Museum also spoke up about the ruling on social media, with its board of trustees expressing unequivocal support of and solidarity with their trans staff and their partners, museum visitors, community members, and wider audience.
“From the outset, the Vagina Museum has always been trans inclusive,” the museum stated. “An important part of its mission around spreading knowledge and raising awareness of gynaecological anatomy and health has been to challenge normative assumptions around our bodies and how they may or may not be connected to experiences of gender, gender expression and broader sexuality.”
Having only opened in 2021, the Crab Museum is a three-person strong, family-founded educational center that’s now beloved for its unusual premise, free admission, sharp and humorous social media presence, accessible exhibits, and must-have trinkets ranging from charming to cheeky in its gift shop. This isn’t the first time the space has used its platform to speak out in times of conflict, either, as the team uses crabs as a springboard for larger conversations about the ecosystem and impacts of capitalism, as well as the legacy of colonialism.
