Lush terminates partnership with Obtain over trans bathroom controversy

Lush seems to have lower ties with Obtain Pageant over its controversy regarding trans followers’ use of its bogs.

The rock and steel pageant is ready to return to its house of Donington Park, Leicestershire, subsequent month – operating between June 13-15. Inexperienced Day, Sleep Token and KoRn will all be first-time headliners, and different names on the invoice embrace Weezer, Intercourse Pistols that includes Frank Carter, Jimmy Eat World, Poppy, Detest, Jerry Cantrell and extra.

Final month, the pageant announced a collaboration with the cruelty-free beauty brand, with Lush producing a “revival” package containing a shower bomb and an ‘Ace Of Sprays’ physique spray and cleaning soap packaged in a reusable roadie’s field. It was obtainable to buy on-line and was supposed to be bought on the Obtain megastore through the pageant itself.

This week, Obtain was on the centre of controversy after screenshots of an e-mail question regarding the pageant’s coverage on what bogs trans attendees ought to use circulated on-line.

“We will probably be following the interim steering issued by the Equalities and Human Rights Fee (EHRC) on 25 April 2025 right here,” the e-mail learn. “Their steering states that ‘trans ladies (organic males) shouldn’t be permitted to make use of the ladies’s amenities and trans males (organic ladies) shouldn’t be permitted to make use of the boys’s amenities’”.

Quite a few artists together with NOAHFINNCE, Zand and Pinkshift known as the pageant out on-line, as did Witch Fever, who known as the coverage “a whole fuckin’ tragedy”.

In response, Obtain issued an announcement during which they clarified that almost all of their bogs can be gender impartial.

We stand with all members of our neighborhood and wish everybody to really feel protected, supported and welcome at Obtain pic.twitter.com/TSMIhZFLJZ

— Obtain Pageant (@DownloadFest) May 28, 2025

“On the coronary heart of Obtain is acceptance – we stand with all members of our neighborhood and wish everybody to really feel protected, supported and welcome on the pageant,” the assertion started. “We need to reassure all of our prospects that at Obtain, the vast majority of bogs will probably be gender impartial and obtainable to all. There can even be single intercourse bogs supplied. Obtain Pageant has all the time been and stays for everybody.”

“We sincerely apologise {that a} earlier communication on this was not clear. We’re trying ahead to seeing you at Obtain this yr.”

Nevertheless, Witch Fever and Zand responded by arguing the assertion didn’t go far sufficient by not establishing whether or not EHRC pointers would nonetheless be adopted for single-sex amenities. Though it later emerged from others who had been working with the pageant to rectify the problem that the bogs weren’t going to be policed, Obtain was criticised for not making this clearer.

Now, in response to followers alerting Lush to the controversy, a consumer on X/Twitter revealed that they requested the model’s customer support concerning the difficulty and posted a screenshot of the response.

The e-mail learn: “We’re terminating our collaboration with this occasion so will not be taking part.”

thanks @LushLtd for taking a stand !! 🏳️‍⚧️♥️ #downloadfestival pic.twitter.com/w977rqMqWj

— stream RIP YOU TO SHREDS! (@htmljones) May 29, 2025

Added to this, the hyperlinks on each Lush’s and Download’s websites to the pages asserting the collaboration are not working.

Lush not too long ago partnered with trans-led groups TransActual and My Genderation to indicate their assist for the trans neighborhood. They produced a free 24-page booklet created by TransActual and launched a particular version Liberation bathtub bomb to lift cash for these organisations.

NME has contacted Lush and Obtain Pageant for remark.

Final November, pageant organiser Andy Copping spoke to NME concerning the mindset of Obtain organisers going into 2025, and outlined the ways in which the occasion needs to maintain evolving.

“We’ve all the time made a acutely aware determination to make Obtain accessible to the final populace,” he stated. “That entails pushing the boundaries musically and giving the newer acts an opportunity. Due to that, we’ve seen the followers coming by way of getting youthful too, yr on yr. There’ll all the time be a sure expectation of what folks need to see at Obtain, so it’s about navigating that and delivering the perfect we are able to.”