National anti-hate crime charity Stop Hate UK is launching a shareable web-based mini-game which aims to expose the disturbing parallels between the homophobic tabloid headlines of 40 years ago, and the transphobic coverage seen in today’s media.
Have I Got Phobia For You has been devised by agency Joint and is inspired by the long-running satirical quiz show Have I Got News For You, by inviting players to guess whether real, redacted headlines come from the past century’s homophobia or today’s transphobia.
Lighthearted in format but serious in intent, the project highlights how Section 28 era fearmongering tactics used against gay people are being recycled against transgender people today.
In the 1980s and 1990s, tabloid culture fuelled widespread hostility against gay communities – from infamous headlines such as “I’d shoot my son if he had Aids” to cruel speculation about a so-called “gay gene”. Today, the same rhetoric has been repurposed, with transgender people the target.
Trans people make up less than 0.5% of the UK population, yet experience disproportionately high rates of hate crime and violence.
Research from Scottish Trans in 2024 found that more than 60% of trans and non-binary people avoid at least one public service for fear of being outed or harassed. Meanwhile, reported hate crimes against trans people have tripled in the past decade (Transformation Partners, 2025) leaving transgender people feeling that the UK is “no longer a safe place to live”.
Joint worked closely with the transgender community to create the game, consulting them at every stage to ensure the messaging was “on point”.
It was created through Joint Projects, an internal initiative set up to rapidly develop ideas designed for cultural and social impact.
Past projects include Ball For All, which raised money for inclusive football groups, and placards for striking junior doctors, featured on Gogglebox.
Stop Hate UK will use its platform will help spread the game – which is free to play and optimised for mobile sharing – to its audience.
Players are encouraged to share their scores on social media with the hashtag #dontrecyclephobia, sparking conversation and awareness.
Stop Hate UK chief executive Rose Simkins said: “Stop Hate UK exists to tackle hate wherever it appears and phobia in the media can have terrible real world consequences for the communities targeted. We’re so excited to launch this game, and hope it plays a role in changing the tone of our mainstream media.”
Joint creative director Rory Robinson added: “At times like this, when transgender people face attacks from every angle, it’s so important for the community to stand together, to let the T know that the LBG firmly stands with them.”
Pic: Gigi Gorgeous
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