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Original poster

Update from James Caspian on his case against Bath Spa University to be allowed to research detransitioners

81 replies

Betti935 · 03/01/2018 23:25

Dear Supporters,

As you may have seen from my page update, the university has concluded its complaints procedure and is sticking to its guns, saying that the only mistake it has made is to have passed my initial research proposal in the first place. (If you remember, it did this before rejecting my amended proposal). The defence given is that the ethics committee's decision was an academic decision, which one may not challenge. I and my lawyers maintain that, as the definition of an academic decision is that it is one that can only be made by an academic, that it did not require an academic to make a decision based on fear of criticism on social media, and therefore the decision to reject my research proposal was not an academic decision at all. The university has also said that it is for a court to decide what is an academic decision.

This means that I now need to raise in the region of £40,000, or preferably more, to take the university to court for a Judicial Review. The deadline for applying for JudiciaI Review is 8th March 2018, that is, three months after the university concluded the complaints procedure. I need to have enough money to cover the possibility of losing, otherwise I cannot risk going ahead. I believe that it is more important than ever that we take this chance of having a legal precedent set that will prevent universities from stopping research on spurious grounds. This is because, since I started this campaign, I have discovered that it is an endemic problem in universities. See here for my interview and other academics' experiences on this subject in a recent edition of the Sunday Telegraph

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/12/23/academics-say-research-hindered-universities-fear-online-backlash/

Please can you share this link on Facebook; pledge again if you are able; email five friends asking them to pledge and publicise my case as widely as you can! This is the beginning of the big push! Let's not let the university get away with it!

I wish you all a happy and healthy new Year!
Very best wishes,

James Caspian.

OP posts:
goodyzoe · 02/02/2018 16:22

Yes I see It's been extended on the crowdfunder. I wonder why it said today was the deadline?

zsazsagaboredom · 02/02/2018 16:08

The final deadline is March the 8th.

HomeTerf · 01/02/2018 22:45

Bumping for the late evening browsers, and because I'd forgotten about this and thought I might have missed the deadline.
One day to go.

BeyondWitchbitchterf · 01/02/2018 12:04

If he can't raise all of the funds, have those with lawyer contacts looked into if anyone can do it pro bono?

SomeDyke · 01/02/2018 11:43

All that 'academic decisions may not be challenged' stuff was AFAIK originally there to protect academics when someone wants to query, for example, the mark you have given someone on an exam that you wrote as a specialist in that subject. Or, for example, when you as a specialist in a subject, have decided that someones PhD thesis is a load of tosh. Not to put every decision made by an academic out of bounds. As regards Ethics committees, in my experience, there are academic grounds for blocking proposals (because the research question is bonkers, and it is unethical to waste the time of human subjects doing research that is bonkers), but it needs an academic in that subject area to decide that the research question is bonkers. The point about Ethics committees (and which sometimes surprises those who attend) is that we are a mixed bag and NOT specialists in the area of research, or even in a related area. We are AFAIK all academics, but that is about it.

Twisting what was meant to protect academics into seeming like 'no decision made by an academic must ever be questioned' isn't going to help, and frankly makes Research Ethics committees look like a bunch of idiots. As academics, if we cannot defend and give the reasoning behind our decisions/results, then we're pretty bloody poor academics. But odd, if academics are so 'infallible' by this criterion that they managed to make the 'wrong' decision in the first place..............

zsazsagaboredom · 01/02/2018 11:35

I'm bumping this thread.
It is simply so important to get some proper research on detransitioners for one thing.
But equally important, in my eyes, is challenging the Orwellian insanity of the university proscribing this research on the grounds of political correctness; for fear of unwanted social media attention.
I mean... what the actual fuck?

Please, if you've already pledged to the crowdfunder would you consider sharing it with friends on social media, via email, (phone your aunties Wink )

Some Twitter hashtags to use, if you're Twits:
#FreeSpeech #DetransitionMatters #AcademicFreedom #CriticalThinking

Whyiseverynameinuse · 01/02/2018 11:00

Donated, tiny amount for now. Thank you for posting.

goodyzoe · 31/01/2018 19:54

His fund says it runs out in 2 days. He's got £13,000, but it's now a stretch target of £50,000.

What does that mean?

If he fails to get it, does he fail to get the money? I think you do have to meet the target on Crowd Justice, does anyone know?

Also if it's a stretch target, does that mean he just needs to reach his first target? Was it £15K?

Does he know it'll run out in 2 days and he might lose the money if so? Does anyone know how to contact him?

SecretHandshake · 31/01/2018 18:58

Thanks Beyond! I found him and will start tweeting Grin

BeyondWitchbitchterf · 31/01/2018 16:11

@jamesfreespeech

SecretHandshake · 31/01/2018 16:01

Is he on twitter?

BeyondWitchbitchterf · 31/01/2018 15:22

Bump.

A few women I know have been looking into getting this "out there" a bit more on Twitter.

Suggested/existing hashtags at the moment are
#DetransitionersAreValid
#FreeSpeech
#AcademicFreedom
#CriticalThinking

Just gonna check I haven't missed anything...

ThatFuckingVase · 13/01/2018 18:36

This is such an important thing and it needs research.

We're allowing (encouraging?) pre-teens and teenagers to believe that feelings matter more than biological facts and then not allowing them psychological support, only drugs and being put on the path towards surgery.

The impact of this is being felt NOW by those who are de-transitioning, and lessons can be learned ... if people would just listen to what those people are saying!

peanut2017 · 11/01/2018 22:26

Will donate in the morning as I'm in bed and don't have my details to hand. Doesn't seem to let you pay by PayPal

Very important piece of work here that needs to be carried out

AugustIsACruelMonth · 11/01/2018 16:47

Donated.

Imalldonethanks · 09/01/2018 22:48

It's lunacy not to allow research like this.
Will donate in the morning and share.

Xenophile · 09/01/2018 13:50

I think he's prepared to put his own money into the pot, terfing.

Hellothereitsme · 09/01/2018 13:29

Donated.

terfing · 09/01/2018 13:19

If he needs 40k, then why is he only asking for 15k?

32bakedbeans · 09/01/2018 08:58

Donated.

Well done James & thank you.

Such an important issue.

If academic institutions are unable to think critically & in an unbiased fashion, then I despair.

BatShite · 09/01/2018 08:36

Am totally skint, like..I have 30 quid to last til next Tuesday but will see if I can donate then

loveyouradvice · 06/01/2018 21:25

This is SO important

JustGiveMeTwoMinutes · 05/01/2018 23:21

Will be donating once I get paid

Whatnextxx · 05/01/2018 23:18

This is a much needed area of research and it is a disgrace that the University seeks to stifle appropriate and relevant research to pander to a minority who seem to be setting the agenda

furcoatnaeknickers · 05/01/2018 21:29

Donated. Very important that research like this is not blocked

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