Download Festival has issued a public statement after copping major heat for appearing to back guidance that would restrict trans attendees from using the toilets that align with their identity.
The uproar kicked off after a screenshot of a festival response made the rounds online, citing the Equalities and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) interim guidance — which claims “trans women (biological men) should not be permitted to use the women’s facilities and trans men (biological women) should not be permitted to use the men’s facilities.”
That didn’t sit well with a lot of people — including artists on their own damn lineup.
NOAHFINNCE called the stance “dangerous” and said they wouldn’t return to Download if trans people were being put at risk just to use the loo. Witch Fever slammed the policy as a “fucking tragedy.” Pinkshift simply called it what it was: “crazy and unsafe.”
Now, with the criticism snowballing, Download has tried to do some damage control. In a statement made to British music magazine NME, the festival said:
“At the heart of Download is acceptance – we stand with all members of our community and want everyone to feel safe, supported and welcome at the festival. The majority of toilets will be gender neutral and available to all. There will also be single sex toilets provided.”
They also “sincerely apologised” for the initial email, saying it didn’t reflect their true intentions. But here’s the thing — they still haven’t confirmed whether they’re actually ditching the EHRC guidance or just spinning the optics.
And that’s where the problem lies. Without explicitly rejecting those anti-trans rules, this reads more like a PR bandage than a proper fix.
Download 2025 is being billed as a progressive year, with Green Day, Sleep Token and Korn headlining for the first time. But progress isn’t just in your booking — it’s in how you treat your fans and artists. If you’re inviting queer talent, you better make sure they can piss in peace.
Let’s hope this isn’t the end of the conversation — because the scene deserves better than vague assurances.
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