Laurence Fox called me a paedophile – I couldn’t let him get away with that

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I was involved in a dispute with Laurence Fox, an actor and political activist, on social media about a supermarket chain's endorsement of Black History Month. Out of the blue, he labelled me as a paedophile even though there was no basis for such an accusation. This occurred three years ago.

In that situation, there were a few possible outcomes. I could have ignored it and moved on, which would have resulted in the matter being closed. Alternatively, if I had chosen to disregard his remark, the course of events could have taken a completely different direction.

I decided to take legal action against Fox and sue him for defamation. In retrospect, I am happy with my decision.

I felt completely justified yesterday when the judge called out his false accusations of me and Simon Blake, who used to be on the Stonewall board, as being pedophiles. The judge stated that these claims were extremely damaging, slanderous, and without foundation.

When Fox accused me of being a paedophile, I knew I couldn't stay silent. This particular insult has become distressingly common and is often used as a way to attack individuals who identify as trans, drag performers or those who don't conform to traditional gender norms.

I had to prove my innocence and debunk the extremely harmful accusation against me. It may help to improve my reputation. Moreover, I am pleased to have won the case as it upholds a valuable principle. The stereotypical association of homosexuality with child abuse has been around for a long time, and I believed it was necessary to contest it.

From time to time, it is important to reiterate that making defamatory statements can have serious repercussions, especially if the person making such statements has a verified account. The consequences of such actions could be catastrophic.

Some individuals still hold onto their anti-gay prejudices, but they recognize that it's no longer socially acceptable to voice them publicly. Consequently, they've devised a new method that enables them to feel empowered and evade the consequences. They frequently resort to employing derogatory labels such as paedophile, groomers, or nonces as their initial line of defense, which is essentially a contemporary iteration of age-old homophobia, intertwined with a recent "trans panic" mentality.

It's difficult to figure out what's happening with Laurence Fox since he seems to say one thing one day and something completely different the next. For example, last night he claimed he had emerged victorious from his legal dispute, even though he had actually lost. But today, he's admitting defeat and expressing how crushed he feels. It appears that he's willing to contradict himself if it means people will keep paying attention to him.

During the court proceedings, something noteworthy was brought up regarding an email he had sent. In the message, he expressed that he would be receiving a substantial amount of money for the game project he was working on, and acknowledged that it was preferable to receive criticism while being financially secure, rather than being jobless and despised while working in a supermarket.

It's difficult to determine how much of the words we hear from him are genuinely believed, and how much is merely intended to stir up his followers. To make matters worse, he's also attempting to portray himself as a victim and a martyr despite the fact that his offensive remarks have harmful effects.

It was impressive to see how well the judge concealed her emotions. She had to witness Fox using offensive language and performing the haka twice without showing any reaction.

In the courtroom on a certain day, the clerks were seated in a line beneath the judge's seat, jotting down information. Alongside them were a black man, a Muslim woman, and a trans woman, attentively listening to Fox, who was on the witness stand. Despite the nonsensical statements he was making, they struggled to maintain a neutral facade, though their bodies betrayed them.

During a court case, a lawyer tried to make him admit that some things were racist, but he refused to agree to anything. He constantly wavered and couldn't make a clear statement. The lawyer then asked him if he thought saying "I hate black people" was always racist. He couldn't give a definitive answer because it depended on the situation. For example, if a man had just been released from jail in Uganda where he was gang-raped by other men, he might say he hates black people as a way of coping. It's complicated and specific, and difficult to generalize. The situation is hard to comprehend.

This morning, I appeared on Sky News to talk about the case. Kay Burley asked me if I felt sorry for Fox. Honestly, I have not noticed him expressing any regret, owning up to his mistakes, or pondering on his actions. Instead, he keeps insisting on his positions and making things worse for himself. My view is that if he truly wants to gain back people's trust, he needs to show some real effort in analyzing the impact of his actions. Until then, I can only regard him with disdain.

I've had to endure some really awful things for the past three years or so. People have made physical threats towards me, even when I'm performing at Pride events. I've received emails warning me that something bad will happen to me if I ever go to Southend again. It's been a constant stream of abuse for years. I can't say for sure that Fox is responsible for it, but it all started after our dispute - and the judge even mentioned that in her ruling.

I considered taking a break from social media, stepping back from it, but it's my means of earning a living as a drag artist. It's my way of securing jobs, getting booked. I'm not willing to give up my autonomy and my aptitude to pursue the profession that brings me joy just because somebody else is trying to make it difficult for me.

When I started on this journey, my legal team (big thank you to Mark Lewis...) continuously reassured me that our case was strong. Finally, that weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I feel so relieved. I had been carrying it for so long that I didn't even realize how heavy it was.

It feels really good and rewarding to know that all the effort put in has paid off. I am yet to receive any compensation or reimbursement, but I am optimistic that it will be enough to account for the damage inflicted upon me.

I've noticed that Fox is expressing his desire to contest the decision. I'm optimistic that his request will be denied. After all, he's already occupied with leading his own political organization, so he must have numerous other elections to lose.

Crystal works as a drag artist and is also known for her television appearances. She participated in the inaugural season of RuPaul's Drag Race UK as a contestant.