Nasty Women rights group head to Gateshead for conference

Supporters of the group have expressed their reasons for getting behind the campaign

A women's rights group launched following a remark by Donald Trump is staging its first international conference.

The Nasty Women event in Gateshead will feature global campaigners and aims to highlight equality and LGBT rights.

The movement was started by New York artist Roxanne Jackson following a presidential debate in October 2016.

During the TV debate Mr Trump called Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton "a nasty woman".

His comment trended on social media and within an hour, about a quarter of a million tweets mentioned the phrase.

Delegates gathered for the first day of the event

Messages of friendship and inclusion adorned the walls

The group billed the event as its first international conference

Ms Jackson will be among the guest speakers at the Thought Foundation venue in Birtley, alongside award-winning British artist Sarah Maple and Airco Caravan, founder of Nasty Women Amsterdam.

About 60 delegates are expected at the conference and there will also be an exhibition of work by artists from a number of countries.

Lady Kitt, a Newcastle mum-of-two who has helped organise the event, said: "There's so much work still to be done [on equality], for example with the gender pay gap.

"And when I had children I realised how much gender-specific language there is - it's not to do with their interests or personality.

"Some of the work is anti-Trump, using text and things he's tweeted, some of it is more related to feminism and human rights.

"I think people are really concerned. They feel very much the world is moving in a way it never was before."

Donald Trump's comment was quickly picked up on social media

The 37-year-old contributed art work to the initial Nasty Women event held in New York, and says it "inspired" her to get involved with the movement.

"The North East has a real history of people being politically engaged," she said.

"There was the anti-apartheid movement in Durham, and Newcastle has an amazing Pride organisation."

A previous Nasty Women exhibition staged at Byker Community Centre, in Newcastle, saw 80 artists from more than 20 countries display pieces and drew about 2,500 visitors over a month.