Free Speech Bill and GC Feminism on Campus

[woodington]

Hi all, I wondered if clever people on here could help me out with this. I gather the government have suggested a Free Speech Bill.

I also see that there is deep opposition to this in certain places - many academics are arguing there is no free speech crisis on campus, and that this is a way primarily for the government to protect its own right wing narrative.

I am prepared to believe anything of this government but as a GC feminist I also feel strongly that my free speech on campus and elsewhere has been seriously curtailed. (I teach on gender and I have no idea how I can and should approach this next academic year. For example, is it OK for me to suggest that gender is fluid and sex is not? Will I be cancelled or disciplined as a result?)

Anyway, I was under the impression (naive?) that a bill of this nature though no doubt extremely flawed and even potentially quite sinister was partly about de-platforming - and that it arises in part following the de-platforming of prominent GC feminists.

So ... have I got this wrong? TIA!

I understand it as you do.

Whilst I don't like government meddling in universities it has got to the point where it is clearly necessary. Those academics who feel there is free speech clearly share the prevailing views and therefore don't feel the pressure. It has been building for years: when we were undergrads 20+ years ago DH and myself both felt there where areas you could not go in tutorials and some strongly political lecturers would just slap down some view points instead of arguing against them with evidence or doing anything to make their students actually think instead of parrot. There was the start of a 'no debate' culture even then.

Yes. I have seen a lot of comment on Twitter saying the no-platforming has been exaggerated and there are very few instances of it actually happening. But I would counter that by suggesting that there is no need to de-platform because people are simply not invited. Or people (like me) will self-censor in advance in their teaching and other interactions on campus.

Google what is happening at Edinburgh uni. Somebody might be able to provide a link?

There is one hell of a free speech crisis there.

And yes - woman = adult human female is considered hate speech.

You may find this link useful. www.gcacademianetwork.org/. It's all anonymous (due to understandable fear of reprisals) but its clear that there's definitely an issue about free speech in Universities.

One of the things that's confusing is that normally I would be on the side of many of the people railing against this Bill, I think. I just feel as though the world is going completely and increasingly mad. Do we know whether the government has the gender ideology thing in mind with respect to the Bill or is that something I have assumed? Thanks for the links.

Here is a recent thread which discussed the manual for staff at the University of Edinburgh regarding 'micro aggressions'. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4233220-University-staff-given-list-of-banned-microinsults-they-cannot-say-to-trans-people

I really don't know if the Government have gender ideology in mind when discussing the free speech implications at Universities but I do feel they are becoming more aware of the growing discontent and backlash around 'no debate' and people being intimidated into silence. It's coming to a point where the whole thing is going to collapse in on itself as people who were previously unaware of the discussions are starting to realise the implications.

Hmmm, Just been reading the gcacademic site. I have been aware of these issues of course but it feels quite terrifying. Last year I taught a session on gender (sex) inequalities and used a slide demonstrating sex as binary and gender as constructed. No complaints that I know of. Do I risk it again? I'm not sure. I know there are efforts on campus to get rid of sex-segregated spaces but I don't think my institution is especially Woke. That I should even be worrying about this is though completely mad.

The whole situation is unfathomable. Universities used to be places where anything could be discussed and students could learn about wide ranging, dissenting subjects.

Now free speech and debate is limited and staff are being forced to limit discussion, avoid subjects or teach things they know not to be true due to a very vocal interest group. It's absolutely chilling. I feel for you - how can you teach the subject you do and not be able to state simple facts such as sex being binary?