Supporters stop the first eviction attempt at Winn Austin’s home

A TRAILBLAZING trans woman threatened with eviction has questioned the Town Hall’s commitment to inclusivity and diversity after she went to them for help.

Winn Austin is facing having to leave her Warren Street flat of almost 30 years after she found her housing benefit no longer covered her full rent at the privately let property.

An eviction attempt was stopped a fortnight ago by supporters at the London Renters Union who stood across the doors.

Winn Austin has questionned whether Camden Council has anything to back up its trans road crossings

Ms Austin said: “I am not a victim. I am not entitled to anything, but I want to say that I feel let down by the council.

“I want to say to them that they fly this flag about inclusion and diversity, they win awards – they paint the trans flag colours on the pedestrian crossing.

“And yet here I am in front of you and I am being told that I am not a priority.”

Describing her experience of the council’s housing department, she said: “He started making me feel like I was acting entitled just because I was asking for help. That is not me, I am the humblest person in the room. They told me I might have to get rid of my cat.”

There are 7,000 households on the council’s waiting list, but only those with severe needs manage to get a home.

Ms Austin is a well-known figure in the trans world having worked in top nightclubs in the West End and across the world, most notoriously as hostess of the Kinky Gerlinky that attracted 1990s icons like Boy George, Leigh Bowery and Vivienne Westwood.

She also played a she-devil in an operatic vampire show which was written by Janet Street Porter and Nigel Finch and was the subject of a Channel 4 documentary, Gender Benders.

She said: “At Kinky Gerlinky I wore elaborate costumes, big headdresses and climbed downstairs in giant heels. It was my energy that people were attracted to.”

She added: “I was given all these opportunities before it was cool to say trans is beautiful, black is beautiful – all that kind of stuff.”

Ms Austin’s rent to a private landlord has been covered in recent years by housing benefit. After a cap was introduced, she ran into arrears that were for a while covered by Camden Council.

Bailiffs are due to return in October.

Ms Austin, whose parents came to London from Guyana, said she turned down two offers of bedsits in Westminster saying she wanted to stay in the area she has lived for decades.

The council said: “Our first priority always is to prevent homelessness. While we are not able to guarantee all residents an offer of a council home – due to the extremely high demand and limited supply – our commitment is to work with any resident who is at risk of homelessness until we can help them to find suitable housing.”

“Our borough has a rich and proud LGBT+ history and a strong, continuing history of respect and support for everyone.

“We know how difficult it can be for anyone to face the threat of eviction, which is why these principles are at the core of our staffs’ approach towards working together with residents who are at risk of homelessness and in need of our support.”