Womens Place Newcastle

NoseringGirl It would be very odd for the university to expell/fire people for attending a meeting that they judged to not be in breach of their equality and diversity policy.

twitter.com/beautifularielm/status/999927573676163072?s=21

@noseringgirl Do you have the link for that tweet? I can't find it and I'd like to inform Northumbria that they are being defamed.

the article continues:
"A Northumbria University spokesman said they decided to allow the event to take place because it was their “legal duty to uphold freedom of speech”.

He added: “We can confirm that this external event took place on campus on Thursday evening, which provided an opportunity for constructive and peaceful debate.

“The university considered this request carefully on the basis of our legal duty to uphold freedom of speech."

I agree Lang. Though I think the north east especially Newcastle is a little 'behind' many other parts of the U.K. when it comes to some things. There is quite a lot of ingrained traditional sexism among general society here. Less 'woke' I suppose. A colleague's husband from the south commented that he found the men he worked with in industry quite sexist in general chat.

There is at the same time a high level of traditional respect towards women (though also in some areas terrible levels of domestic abuse.) I guess traditional 'sex roles' are quite strong. I don't know much about the trans scene at all here and I think it's interesting that as far as I can see on Twitter, any trans people at the event were attending the meeting (I could be wrong.)

A gay friend did mention that an lgbt meeting she went to a couple of years ago was rather dominated by the T but she's never elaborated in that.

No truth in this then?

from the article above linked by TyneTeas

"Northumbria University has defended its decision to allow a controversial group to host a debate on its campus...

But Northumbria LGBT* Society condemned the event, calling on the university to “do better”.

A spokesperson said: “on Thursday, Northumbria University played host to a discussion from a transphobic organisation. We strongly condemn the University’s decision to allow such a group to host a discussion that encourages a divisive and hateful rhetoric.

“Whilst we respect freedom of speech, we believe that freedom of speech does not include inciting hate or division towards a group of people. The university has an obligation to free speech, but they have an exponentially more important obligation to providing their students with a safe and accessible campus and learning environment.

“We believe that students have a right to feel safe on their campus, and that by allowing organisations that would deny the existence of their students to speak on campus, the university is failing their students in a serious way"

This is how the local paper is reporting it

www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/row-over-decision-allow-anti-14707707

Northumbria was the poly

The old polys don't seem to have gone pomo-addled, do they? I am sure it is because of the historical focus on vocational courses.

I know a few student nurses from Northumbria. They do seem a cut above the rest.

They do a lot of very good nursing, midwifery, physiotherapy, OT, teaching courses there. Newcastle uni was the 'old school' university; Northumbria was the poly but it excels in some areas over Newcastle and is definitely developing further.

I've just had a lovely student nurse shadowing the hv visit who is at Northumbria. I also know a male professor there who once tweeted that anything written by Rebecca Reilly Cooper was bound to be on the ball. Every single student teacher I've had the pleasure of working with from Northumbria is amazing and v intelligent (they seem to choose very well). I was given a distinction in my pgce there a it must be a good place blatant boast I don't know what the art dept is like though.

oops!
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3233018-Freedom-of-Speech-A-statement-by-the-Chair-of-the-Universitys-Equality-Diversity-and-Inclusion-Group

Bristol University issued a statement affirming its commitment to free speech following attempts to close down 'A Women's Place' meeting earlier in the year.
Thread:
[[https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3233018-Freedom-of-Speech-A-statement-by-the-Chair-of-the-Universitys-Equality-Diversity-and-Inclusion-Group]]

OP, I've been to three events for gender critical feminists now and none of them were targeted by TRAs. I understand you feeling a bit apprehensive but I really don't think you've got anything to worry about. How do you think your employer will find out you've attended this event? It's not as though the activists are given a list of ticket holders.

If by some remote chance your employer found out you'd attended this event I can't see how they could penalize you in any way. In fact if they tried you could raise one hell of a stink over it. I'd guess that whatever NHS policy may be, people who work with sexed bodies every day are more likely to be gender critical than the rest of us.

I was nervous about going, particularly the last one I attended, which was after the harassment experienced by women in Bristol. My health isn't good and I couldn't cope with being hemmed in on a flight of stairs.

But I went, and enjoyed it massively. I only wish it had been a weekend. It was too short. There were so many women there I would have liked to spend hours with. It was really exhilarating to meet with like minded women (and a few blokes).

broken link, here's the correct contact page for Northumbria Uni

@terfing, I walked past several posters relating to midwifery in the venue (along with the dummy on a hospital trolley that looked like a corpse), so I would hope that Northumbria have an understanding of the relevance of reproductive anatomy and how sex matters!

I also think we could show Northumbria some appreciation: their Twitter is northumbriauni and you can write and email. They are probably getting shit right now from the students who are too inexperienced to have needed female-only spaces whilst miscarrying so we should counter that.

I really hope that they don't apologise. They've done nothing wrong.

I'm very happy this was at a university though. It is expanding the discussion around free speech and the purpose of universities. The Northumbria Students Union have released a statement condemning the event, but I wonder if the actual university was release a response? They are in a tricky position, I get that. But they do need to stand up for free speech here.

I mean, I wouldn't, because they have so much support, backing, airtime andxrxposure slready, have them as speakers, only in the audience. I don't mean that I wouldn't walk a fine lines

Because it will be a lot of sea lioning and deflection. Fine, for attending. But why have speakers who think trans'women' are women? We get that everywhere else. As I say; not my circus. And thank you a million times to the organisers. They are walking such a fine line. But I wouldn't.

Waves back at @Sparctopus. Was Seven_Hex the tall gangly individual who spoke in a very quiet voice right at the end?

@anonymouseagain in this country TIMs have been prosecuted for rape and attempted rape. They're as likely (or as unlikely let's be honest here) to be convicted as any other man. From listening to the woman, the TIM got away with behaviour that would have had any other man sacked or disciplined, creepy leering behaviour, egregious sexism etc.

^Pretty soon women will be making the effort and getting the childcare and driving miles, only to sit in a room to listen 50 per cent to transactivists&

Why would this be a bad thing, @Pratchet. If this were to happen it would represent a seismic shift in current TRA thinking. A move away from 'my existence is not up for debate' hysteria and to a more rationale understanding that other people have a right to discuss law changes that impact them. TRAs aren't currently attend WPUK events not because they're excluded, but because they're refusing invitations.

I went! It was brill, only wish I could have stayed longer at the pub after! (waves to Femaleness). Bumped into 2 people I know slightly but didn't know were gender-critical (always good to find some others), also met Seven_Hex who seems lovely, Helen and some of the others from Sisters to all Guides (who spoke very well in the discussion part!), talked to Heather B-E about Mumsnet (!) and Beatrix Campbell bought me a drink (thank you again, if you're reading)!
The supporters weren't especially scary, there were hardly any at the start but more at the end but they were just chanting in a slightly half-hearted way. Bea said she had had a good chat with some of them before the start and encouraged them to look her up online!

If DF believes transwomen are women i reckon it’ll be in the same way i believe the calories in chocolate dont count if I’m eating while stressed.

But even if she does, TRAs don’t make distinctions between the people who believer TW are W but are physically male, and we who believe they are men full stop. TRAs accept nothing less than 100% capitulation to the belief that they’re 100% female and should have full access to all women only spaces, women’s sports and women’s resources. DFs spoken position is “TW are W, but .... “ and the but is a recognition of biological sex and all ty entails. This makes her a TERF in the eyes of a TRa.