The Equality Network, a taxpayer-funded charity, has faced criticism over its links to a fetish shop selling merchandise described as including “torture devices”. The LGBT+ equality campaign group has received more than £1 million from the Scottish Government since 2019.
Questions have been raised over its decision to spotlight Celesti Kink, an online seller of “colour kink gear” specialising in personalised fetish collars, harnesses, and “funky-looking torture devices”. Celesti Kink is described online as a creative “queer-, trans- and neurodivergent-owned business” run by artist, leather worker and jewellery maker “Orion”.
Promotion and market stall
The Equality Network promoted the seller’s stall on social media, and the seller was featured as a stallholder at Joy for All, an accessible LGBT+ autumn makers’ market hosted by the Equality Network in Edinburgh yesterday. Images associated with the brand include artwork promoting “boy juice” – another name for a trans man’s testosterone injection. The brand also sells artwork featuring knives and bullets and the words “deny, defend, dispose”.
Critics have hit out over the charity’s use of taxpayers’ money. Trina Budge, director of campaign group For Women Scotland, said: “A supposedly family-friendly event at the local town hall is not the place to be selling sexual fetish gear and dangerous items such as slip chains designed to be worn around someone’s neck. That a ‘charity’ working with young and vulnerable people ever thought this appropriate is alarming. I hope the Scottish Government finally steps up and take some regulatory action.”
Previous controversy
It comes months after the Sunday Mail revealed the Equality Network had come under fire over links to a trans activist group exposed for advising young people how to self-inject gender drugs. Trans Harm Reduction was slammed for running workshops on self-medication despite concerns about a black market of illegal supplies. In November, THR appeared at the We Can’t Keep Waiting day for action event to promote trans healthcare. It was held in Glasgow by Scottish Trans, a project run by the Equality Network.
The Equality Network received £1.32 million in direct Scottish Government payments over the six financial years beginning April 2019, including £51,165.98 in 2024-25.
Government response
The Scottish Government said it “does not fund or promote this website. We provide funds to the Equality Network for specific agreed purposes aimed at advancing equality and inclusion for LGBTQI+ communities. The use of funding is monitored accordingly”.
Celesti Kink and the Equality Network were asked to comment.
