European Youth Event 2025 - Performance Script Draft

I'm performing at the European Youth Event 2025 at the European Parliament in Strasbourg - it's an interactive performance on the topic of Gender Equality as part of the "Empower" track of activities. The peformance has to involve audience participation, and since my proposal included showcasing the "Hate Dress" - I had an interesting idea to bring some Sharpies invite the audience to co-create an "empower dress" by writing positive, supportive an dempowering comments onto a white dress. I bought two white dresses from the charity shop - I'm not sure which I will use... The dress on right has more space for text but it needs ironing and I'm not sure I can be bothered.

Because the performance addresses gender based violence in the form of online misogyny, the European Parliament have requested my script in advance so that they can censor it in-line with their Code of Conduct. I therefore removed any expletives and the most offensive messages from the section where I "respeak" troll comments - however, I will be interested to see if they remove many more...

Draft Script

The Brexit referendum was my political awakening. On 23rd June 2016, I became an activist overnight – my outrage, frustration and despair at the outcome of the vote driving me to sing, create and shout as loudly as possible, in every creative medium at my disposal and on every platform I could reach – that it was a terrible decision that would harm our country for decades to come and damage the future prospects for British youth. This was a process of self-empowerment that has changed the course of my life, achieving international media coverage and winning several awards – but it came at a price. The inevitable consequence of a young woman sticking her head above the parapet and speaking out is the backlash of misogynistic trolls. I have received rape threats and death threats, I have been sexually objectified, dismissed, mocked and ridiculed and not just by political opponents, but also by supporters of the campaign to Remain in the EU – for having the audacity, as a young woman, to speak my views and participate in a democratic debate.

In 2019, I spoke at the ‘Great Northern Stop Brexit conference’ in Leeds – I was the only woman on a panel which included a former MEP. After the discussion, a young woman approached me to tell me how much she hated Brexit, and how much she admired my activism - she also told me that she was eager to participate in the campaign to Remain, but that she had seen the trolling I received and was too afraid to make posts on social media. And if I am honest, this broke my heart just a little bit - because I couldn’t honestly look her in the eye and reassure her that it would be okay, knowing the harm that the sort of online misogyny I receive, can cause to the victim’s mental health and well-being... Fast-forward to the 2024 EU elections, and I was speaking on another panel discussion at a conference in Bucharest – a young, Romanian woman came up to me afterwards and she said “I just want to tell you that I think you are so brave – can I give you a hug?”.

Although this was an incredibly sweet gesture, I can only describe it as a tragic truth that a woman has to be “brave” to participate in democracy. But it does take courage to speak out because of the trolling and misogynistic abuse, belittling and dismissal, sexual objectification and de-platforming they will almost inevitably receive. The advice you are always given is “block and ignore” but this is disempowering to the victim, and frankly, easier said than done.

I decided to take a more empowered approach to coping with the trolls, by reflecting on my experience of online abuse and positively channelling their hatred into a textiles, art project that became the “Hate Dress”. During the course of a year, I took screenshots of every troll comment I received, analysing the common narratives and selecting the worst offenders – which I painted onto strips of ripped canvas and then stitched together to create a garment that simultaneously raises awareness of the harms of online abuse and asserts a woman’s right to take up space, to be heard, and to participate in democratic debate and political leadership.

I am going to “respeak” some of these troll comments, which are featured on the dress, as well as performing some songs I have written – and whilst I do so, I would like to invite you – the audience – to participate in this performance and co-create a collective artwork with me. I have brought with me a white dress and some permanent markers – and I want you to think back to the two young women I mentioned and I want you to make for them an “empower dress” – by writing positive, supportive and empowering comments. You can also respond directly to the troll comments I “respeak” to counter their hate, it’s up to you – this is our collective artwork – just keep it positive and hopeful!

Troll comments

·       “She needs to pop out a few kids to give her something meaningful to do!”

·       “Why is she strong? Because she’s holding a dubious placard or because she’s brave enough to wear an awful outfit? I’d say she was attention seeking and feebly naïve.”

·       “Shame she’s a Remoaner she’s got nice tits.”

·       “She seems to be trying to overturn a democratic vote, maybe just another ignorant smug supremacist who dismisses the will of the people.”

·       “I wonder if any rejoiner can point out any benefits of EU membership other than saving £6 on a visa?”

·       “Nurse! She’s gotten out again. Bring the big net and special jacket!”

·       “Just go and live in the EU and save us all the bother.”

·       “Still not sound yourself a husband? The clocks ticking dear…”

·       “The weird crossover moment of would and I can fix her. Can you rail nationalism into a woman? I would try.”

·       “It’s all about YOU.”

·       “You are an example of why women getting the vote, was a grave mistake.”

·       “Get a job and a life”

·       “Nice looking. shame about the brain tho.”

·       “anti democratic.”

·       “what’s she crying over this week?”

·       “There’s so much you can find to do that is actually of benefit to society, rather than dress up like some crazy Mother-in-Law at a wedding screeching away.”

·       “No talent so ideal candidate to work for the EU commission”

·       “impersonating cats being disembowled alive”

·       “her singing has made EU countries vote far right”

·       “what was the excuse for the diabolical singing every other time”

·       “Take a look at the eu will ya. They are broke just like the uk. dictatorship is the eu”

·       “It’s done we’re out thank goodness so get out of your high horse”

·       “You're 30 you stupid cow ...”

·       “get back to your cult silly little girl”

·       “Have you thought about Onlyfans?”

·       “There's a dinghy to France if you love the EU so much.”

·       “you are wasting your time why not find a worthwhile use of your life.”

·       “The main benefit or Brexit is listening and watching Remainers and Rejoiners cry every day since the vote in 2016.”

·       “why don't you go do some colouring in.”

·       “British activist and artist, so you do nothing then?”

·       “Maddie - this is getting embarassing now.”

·       “How can someone talk so much and say so little? Load of tripe.”

·       “Listening to that woman is an embarassment to the country.”

·       “Everything seems difficult to you.”

·       “And let Germany rule over us?”

·       “Get Brexit back on track vote Reform.”

·       “We got fed up of the EU manipulating us.”

·       “Nothing stopping you moving to EU country.”

·       “Is the Eurostar still in service? Be our guest, and take your Dad.”

·       “it’s called democracy stop crying about it.”

·       “eu is on its knees we got out just in time.”

·       “another myth about queueing at airports. I live in the real world and see it as it is. I’ve travelled numerous times and never had a problem.”

·       “Wow not the sharpest tool in the box are you?”

·       “From trying to negate and overturn a democratic vote to busking on the streets of foreign countries to save & regenerate a filing EUseless political bloc. Sad but expected decline for Remainiac Madeleina Kay.”

·       “The EU would take crazy people like you in a heartbeat so don’t give me that rubbish.”

·       “you should open your mind to actual experiences and not think you are an expert. You are not that clever.”

·       Jesus Christ [her performance is] like singing to your dog on the sofa.”

·       “Muppet characters r kind of spring to mind here.”

·       “state of it.”

·       “She’s British not even a CU citizen.”

·       “You are the born again nazis. Nazi EU fanatics.”

·       “You have a lot of growing up to do!!”

·       “EU = corruption.”

·       “You’re a wonna be.”

·       “Move to the EU I’m sure you can.”

·       “You lost get over it. Still remaining about it.”

·       “The EU is toast.”

·       “A bit pointless having elections in the EU when it’s the unelected commissioners that make all the decisions, laughable.”

·       “They are re-emerging from Smurf village and have organised one of their infamous Smurf rallies! So very 2016!”

·       “Pure muppets.”

·       “You are as ridiculous as your outfit.”

·       “Sanity is returning to Europe. AFD and Reform will soon govern both Germany and UK.”

·       “Are all artists as thick as you?”

·       “Stupid woman.”

·       “Do you not have anything better to do.”

·       “Perhaps get a job?”

·       “We will never rejoin… keep crying those tears.”

·       “stupid woman pike.”

·       “No cure for stupidity.”

·       “That make up is dreadful did you put it on in the dark?”

·       “See you at the mental health clinic hon.”

·       “fascist democracy deniers”

·       “Didn’t realise you were still a thing. Still ridiculous just older now.”

·       “Stockholm syndrome is real. Please seek professional help.”

·       “The eu is a crime-ridden Islamist wasteland rotting into the ground.”

·       “Get a life and dry your eyes.”

·       “Just another narcissist person seeking attention.”

·       “You lost, get over it and move on.”

·       “Pathetic…”

·       “Are you under the “slappers for Europe” banner?”

·       “You young loon”

·       “Maddy believes we should place ourselves under the jackboot of more tyrants. Oh Maddy!”

·       “Get rid of Ursula Von Der Crazy first.”

·       “Very pretty but deeply misled by Europhiles.”

·       “The evil empire is dead aka the EU.”

·       “I’m thrilled we won Brexit and deluded people like yourself who dress up like an EU flag can’t accept it.”

·       “Good grief super brat is back!”

·       “Only king idiots would seek to rejoin on worse terms.”

·       “Brexit means Brexit. We didn’t leave Europe we left a loan shark.”

·       “Dysengenic traitorous freaks.”

·       “Escapees from the loonatic asylum.”

·       “Bed wetters.”

·       “Always the dregs of society. Ain’t they?”

·       “Hahaha you’re looking old and fat now too.”

·       “Can you carry on walking to the Irish sea? Just keep walking! Don’t stop!” “Is that a death threat?” “What do you think?”

Songs

• A Thread of Empathy

• We Won't Go Down Without A Fight!

• We Are Europe