Take Action! Tell the Dane County DA to not press charges against Thistle Pettersen

MADISON, WI., Sept 24, 2021 — Thistle Pettersen, a Madison-based singer/songwriter and activist, has been cited with "disorderly conduct with a hate crime enhancer" for placing feminist stickers in public places. She has been called to appear at a mandatory court date on September 27th.

Pettersen says that she has been accused* of placing feminist stickers along State Street in a variety of locations that have other stickers and graffiti on them, including telephone poles and a dispenser box for “Our Lives,” an LGBT magazine. Because gender identity is not a protected class in Wisconsin, it is unclear what the basis is for the hate crime enhancement.

The stickers included the slogans: “Woman = Adult Human Female,” “Trans Lie$ Matter” (a reference to Big Pharma support for the gender industry), “Everything is Transphobic,” and “TERF Collective.” 

Pettersen, a WoLF member and founder of Women’s Liberation Radio News, became the subject of a years-long smear and harassment campaign by Madison anti-feminists after she spoke out against gender ideology. This campaign has included threats of violence against her in a local Facebook group. 

“Even if true, stickering feminist slogans in areas already full of stickers and graffiti is neither disorderly nor hateful,” said Lauren Adams, WoLF Legal Director. “The pursuit of these charges is intended to chill the free speech of women’s rights advocates. If the police want to stop hate crimes, they should investigate the threats against Thistle instead of using tax-payer money to facilitate anti-woman bullying by extremist activists.”

WoLF has launched a petition calling on the Dane County DA to drop the citation and not pursue criminal charges against Thistle Pettersen. 

*An earlier version of this press release incorrectly stated that Pettersen said she placed the stickers. In fact, Pettersen only said that she was accused of placing the stickers. Women’s Liberation Front regrets this error. 

Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF) is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to protecting, restoring, and advancing the rights of women and girls.  For media inquiries please contact: media@womensliberationfront.org

Pettersen is represented by Sarah Schmeiser of Stroud, Willink, and Howard, LLC.