The mountain was drawn on a piece of cardboard and served as the background for a virtual show she was a part of at the Leicester Comedy Festival. Ives believed the mountain was more than just a prop; it symbolized the daily challenges faced by transgender individuals in the UK, who must constantly combat discrimination. Despite the potentially difficult subject matter for a comedy show, Ives was confident in her ability to navigate it, as she herself is transgender. While transgender people in British society are more visible than ever before, there has also been a rise in opposition to transgender rights in the media and online. In the world of stand-up comedy, which often reflects societal concerns, transgender issues have frequently been the subject of jokes. In a recent phone interview, Jen Ives, a trans comedian, talked about the pressure she sometimes feels to represent the entire trans community on stage instead of just telling jokes. In contrast to the United States, where views on transgender issues are divided along political lines, in Britain, voices from both the left and right have expressed concerns about allowing transgender women to use bathrooms that align with their gender identity. JK Rowling, the author of the "Harry Potter" books, is one of the most prominent figures in Britain to make such claims, leading to accusations of transphobia. In a 2018 study from UCLA, concerns about safety and privacy in this context were found to be unfounded. Dan Healey, an academic from the University of Oxford's Centre for Gender, Identity, and Subjectivity, explained in a phone interview that the debate surrounding transgender rights in Britain is more pronounced than in the United States. He stated that the disagreement primarily lies between feminist groups who either acknowledge trans women as women or do not. Jen Ives, a British comedian, expressed her concerns about the dehumanization of trans people in the UK, noting that it feels like there is a deliberate effort to question their humanity. Ives, who is 30 years old, mentioned that people often do not see transgender individuals as individuals, but rather as a topic of debate or a passing trend. She has been discussing her experience as a transgender person in her stand-up comedy since 2017, and audiences appreciated her candidness on the subject. Her show "Peak Trans" was created in response to the negative atmosphere towards transgender individuals in Britain. She believes that making people laugh may not change their views, but it humanizes her and helps them see her as a person. Even when addressing serious topics like anger towards transgender people, Ives always includes humor in her show. She mentioned that being transgender is not the only aspect of her identity, also mentioning that she is a vegetarian. She expressed her desire to go vegan over Christmas but felt hesitant because of the impact it may have on her dad. Transgender comedians have been performing on British stages for many years. Eddie Izzard, a popular comedian, made headlines in December for using she/her pronouns and expressing her desire to be in "girl mode." Debra-Jane Appleby, a trans stand-up comedian, won the Funny Women comedy award in 2005, and Bethany Black, another trans comedian, has been a regular on Britain's comedy circuit for almost 20 years. Black once stated in a 2010 interview that people don't really care about her being transgender. During a recent video interview, she laughed when reminded of that statement. "Yeah, that has changed quite a bit," she stated. In the past, individuals believed there were only around 10 or 15 transsexuals globally, but now the perception has shifted to thinking they are widespread and trying to participate in sports. Despite her onstage jokes about transphobia, Black shared that the ongoing debate in Britain regarding trans individuals has had a negative impact on her mental health. She disclosed being diagnosed with agoraphobia a few years ago, attributing it to constantly feeling like she is in a constant battle. Black also expressed frustration with comedians and TV shows that make insensitive jokes about transgender individuals. Some popular comedians had incorporated those types of jokes into their routines so much that James Acaster made fun of it in a 2019 performance. However, many comedians would avoid making those jokes when performing on the same bill as her, according to Black. Despite claiming to support free speech, many of them would not make those jokes when she was also performing. One comedian who did make those jokes was Adam Rowe, who has a routine where he talks about Victoria's Secret not casting transgender or plus-size models in their shows. In a photo taken remotely at an unspecified date, British comedian Bethany Black is seen on Feb 25, 2021. Black expressed that being transgender is a daily reality for her, not just a hypothetical situation. She mentioned that many British comedians make jokes about trans individuals, but they tend to avoid doing so when she is also performing. Brian, your hands are similar to shovels, a statement made towards the end of a routine. It was mentioned that Victoria's Secret recently featured a transgender model. In an undated photo taken remotely, British comedian Bethany Black expressed her thoughts on being transgender on Feb 25, 2021. Black stated that being transgender is a part of her daily life and not just a hypothetical scenario. She noted that many British comedians make jokes about transgender individuals, but they tend to refrain from doing so when she is also on the same lineup. Rowe defended the joke in an email. He stated that the routine was not transphobic, but rather designed to deceive those who are not paying attention into believing that it is. He mentioned that people often focus on certain words and miss the point. Ives mentioned that she has seen non-trans comedians perform trans material and found it to be funny. She acknowledged that she can find humor in herself but feels that sometimes it comes across as a disrespectful insult. She shared that she has had to follow male comedians who made jokes about transgender women many times in her career and would usually make fun of the comedian in return. However, she recognized that this was just her way of dealing with a difficult situation. "I'd prefer not to." In her most recent performance, Ives guided her audience through various topics, including jokes about transgender individuals in sports and her own coming out story, ultimately reaching the topic of JK Rowling. Ives joked about Rowling's novel "Troubled Blood," which includes a male killer posing as a woman, expressing a desire to speak out against it. However, she mentioned the challenge of addressing a 1,000-page book. "I refuse to read that!" Ives claimed that Rowling wanted individuals like her to no longer use women's spaces and instead use men's toilets. Ives then compared trans women to spiders, stating that they are fearful of others just like spiders are often feared.