Oxford students going after Jenni Murray (again)

Had she planned to take a weapon perhaps? Small nuclear in her handbag perhaps?

Are these young adults really that pathetic? God help them in the real world with real people. I suppose they will be easy to spot in the office though - they will be the ones sitting on the floor in the corner of the office sticking their thumbs.

The Jenni Murray travesty is in the Times this morning, complete with the excellent hot chocolate and baked goods quote from Twitter.

Woman’s Hour host accused of transphobia pulls out of Oxford talk

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/1c081ef0-e2d7-11e8-9838-efa7e96cbe2b

“Dame Jenni Murray has pulled out of a talk at Oxford university after LGBTQ+ students claimed that the presence of the Woman’s Hour presenter “compromised the welfare” of transgender students and staff.”

I love that first sentence - it just lets the crazy speak for itself.

James Kirkup's article:

blogs.spectator.co.uk/2018/11/even-oxford-university-cant-save-jenni-murray-from-the-transgender-activist-mob/

They are getting an absolute roasting on twitter. Sad to hear Jenni has pulled out. I hope she knows she has lots of support.

twitter.com/OxfordSU_LGBTQ/status/1059772587482533888?s=19

I know I'm late to the party and everyone's said it better, but this:

[she] uncritically encouraged her readers to question

if some of you who may be reading this thread, whohave been given access to study at one of the top 'thinking critically' universities are able to churn out a statement like that?

You need to check who you are, where you are.

If you can't think critically, and understand where this path you're forging by this action, against Jenni in this case, may take you and others in the future, I truly fear for the echelons of acdemia in the future.

Engage your fucking brain.

No platforming Jenny Murray is a new level of silly.

The Oxford Union once had a respected reputation for intelligent debate. A piece of history, Ian Paisley v. Bernadette Devlin back in 1967, in the midst of the Troubles. It was electric. Not even in anyone's mind to no platform it.

Decades later, the Oxford Union is just an "echo chamber"

JM has?

According to James Kirkup she has since pulled out of the event (Telegraph reporting).

*reputation for being, obvs. Blinded by the rage.

Jesus wept. Oxford University, teach your man children some critical thinking skills, for the love of God. I know it was years since I was there but what on earth have you been doing in the meantime to nurture such a bunch of thick, whiny, misogynists? This is seriously damaging to your reputation of a place of thought - let alone free thought.

They'll probably just finely hone their bullying skills & carefully select careers in environments that will bend over backwards to them.

How will the students cope with real life after they graduate? Someone might not agree with them sometime. They are in for a few shocks, with no safe spaces.

posted 7 November 2018
7:58 PM

Spectator, James Kirkup, 'Oxford is right not to back down in the Jenni Murray transphobia row'

concludes:
"For those remarks, Murray must, of course, be cast into the outer darkness forever; nothing should ever be heard from her again, on any subject. Never mind that the Oxford event in question is a broad one about “Powerful Women in History”. Never mind that it will see Murray be questioned about her positions and views, explaining and answering for them. The mere fact that she once said something some people didn’t like means that hosting her and allowing her to speak (about any topic) is a harmful and transphobic act, at least according to our excitable young friends at Oxford.

There’s nothing new or surprising about this, of course. It’s just part of the same old story that’s seen those women I mentioned above face attempts to make them shut up. It’s also grimly consistent with the anti-intellectual, anti-evidence approach taken by rather too many people at universities and which has been described eloquently by Prof Kathleen Stock and colleagues here.

Murray isn’t – at the time of writing anyway – being barred from Oxford. The event in question is going ahead. The history society says it stands by the invite, saying:

“Jenni Murray was invited for her prominent role as presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Women’s Hour, as well as for her historical writings. As a society we condemn any transphobia and do not necessarily endorse the views of our speakers.”

And the university itself has said the event should happen, even though some people are upset about it:

“Oxford is committed to supporting the University’s transgender students and staff and to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment that promotes equality and diversity. We are also committed to freedom of expression, and this event is entirely suitable for a student society.”

So while this is a familiar story, it has a different and surprisingly cheering ending. Oxford University has decided to stand up to the small, unrepresentative mob of “activists” who don’t like women who say things they don’t agree with. In this, Oxford is setting a good example. Others should follow."
blogs.spectator.co.uk/2018/11/oxford-is-right-not-to-back-down-in-the-jenni-murray-transphobia-row/

Julie Bindel was at Reading University last week, speaking with Rosa Freedman. From what I gather, there weren’t any protests, though they had a speaker pull out at the last minute.

Just ordered her book . Thanks for bringing it to my attention oxford lgbt it looks great

Julie Bindel's giving a talk st the Universiry of Kent on Tuesday-I wonder how that's going to go?

I liked the one that said...

You are afraid of Jenny Murray? That's like being afraid of hot chocolate and baked goods.

Some great lines on that Twitter thread. I think this is my favourite: ’You're in Oxford University and you think humans can change sex? Fuck me - and yous'll all be fast-tracked to the top as well.’

Or as Julie Bindel once put it: You’re afraid of Jenni Murray? You don’t know you’re born.’

Wow! That twitter feed was something else. Lots of non anonymous accounts, incredulous! Perhaps LGBTQ Oxford has done us all a favour and people with normal, moderate views will be able to speak out now.

Uncritical questioning is a thing now?

these people are getting the best education money can buy

At present, one rather suspects not.

Well that's me buying Jennis book for Christmas.

Hateful little shits

Well this is good news. It is exceptionally bad form and awful press for Oxford here.

Doesn’t look good for critical thinking so maybe the university will do something now.

Twitter response to the letter:

twitter.com/OxfordSU_LGBTQ/status/1059772587482533888

I see lots of TRAs claiming that press negativity is causing mental health issues etc. Don't They realise that it is precisely this sort of shit that leads to the negative coverage? If Murray had just gone along and done her talk it wouldn't have drawn any attention. But now it's in the national press. Again.

The letter also carries a warning for “transmisogyny”, a term used to describe those who are both transphobic as well as a misogynist .

No Telegraph. Those fuckers are the misogynists.