A retired police officer says she was investigated by her former colleagues after she ‘dead-named’ a transgender woman on the internet.
Cathy Larkman, who served with South Wales Police for more than 30 years, was told her home visit was related to a series of social media posts about transgender activist Freda Wallace, The Telegraph reports.
Dead-naming is when a transgender person is called by their birth name instead of the name they chose after they transitioned.
The former superintendent had called the activist Fred, in other words using the ‘dead’ male name of the now transgender woman.
Larkman was not at home when police showed up at her door, but she was told a report had been made over her possible ‘malicious communications’.
This was related to three posts she had made on social platform X in September 2024 directed at Wallace’s account, in which she had written ‘Fred blocked me’ and ‘Fred, put that drink down’.
Larkman’s comments were related to an ongoing debate about the police’s strip-searching policy, with her arguing that transgender women should not be allowed to strip-search women.
A social media account called SEEN Police Official Open Public Network said a complaint had been made about Larkman to the police.
Cathy Larkman, who served with South Wales Police for more than 30 years, says she was investigated by her former colleagues after she ‘dead-named’ a transgender woman on the internet
Cathy Larkman pictured in 2019
Larkman was told her home visit was related to a series of social media posts about transgender activist Freda Wallace (pictured)
It is believed Larkman was reported by transgender police officer Lynsay Watson, who has a well-documented history of calling on police forces to pursue criminal investigations of people who are critical of gender ideology.
Watson was fired by Leicestershire Police for gross misconduct in 2023.
Daily Mail has approached South Wales Police for comment.
Larkman’s police visit came just days after Father Ted writer Graham Lineham was arrested by armed police at Heathrow Airport over a series of ‘anti-trans’ tweets this week, and it is believed Watson reported had reported him.
Larkman has raised concerns that police forces have become ‘ideologically captured’ and and says cops are being easily used by activists.
‘The police service keeps demonstrating that it is ideologically captured from the top down. It is failing the public’, she said.
‘It is also failing the brave officers who sign up, intending to serve that public – not to police their thoughts and words. They deserve a leadership that gives them the confidence and support to say a firm no to these extremists, not to capitulate to them.
‘This should concern us all. Public trust and confidence in our police service is not only being eroded, it is being destroyed. That is unacceptable’, Larkman added.
