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Original poster

James Kirkup defends Laura Pidcock

38 replies

BovaryX · 07/02/2020 14:56

Laura Pidcock has been denounced as transphobic for making the following anodyne comment:

The women's movement needs the space to talk about sex and gender without fear of being "no platformed"

Those who specialise in weaponising grievances have taken exception to this and are accusing her of treachery to the socialist cause. James Kirkup makes the point that whatever else Laura Pidcock might be, she certainly isn't Conservative. And he cites the tactical use of 'far right' to denounce anyone making any tremulous suggestion of debate on this issue. Every day, the contempt for freedom of speech, independence of thought and critical analysis is made explicit. It's all very Robespierre.....

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Languishingfemale · 07/02/2020 16:43

James Kirkup keeps relentlessly calling this out with his excellent clear, joined up thinking and writing.
I don't expect to hear any of the candidates for the Labour leadership speaking up for Laura's rights to free speech any time soon. Shame on them.

ThinEndoftheWedge · 07/02/2020 16:35

I agree with @BovaryX re wasting police resources in general - but what about this:

www.change.org/p/make-street-harassment-illegal-in-the-uk

(I have signed)

These girls aren’t being subjected to a crappy limerick...

FloraGreysteel · 07/02/2020 16:25

Okay, Bovary has a good point.

Original poster
BovaryX · 07/02/2020 16:18

The recent warning made by the Govt, to allow free speech in universities, needs to be widened out to every part of society. A great way to do this would be to make misogyny a hate crime

I totally disagree. The entire hate crime paradigm is profoundly problematic. Adding additional categories to problematic legislation it is not the answer. The fact the police are wasting time investigating limerick and Tweets whilst failing to investigate actual crimes is causing a collapse in public faith in the police. As for the Conservative govt? They have been in power for ten years and they have done nothing to address the existential threat to freedom of speech. Actions speak louder than words and they need to demonstrate that they will defend academic freedom the next time the no platform zealots try to get someone sacked or silenced.

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FloraGreysteel · 07/02/2020 16:17

I would LOVE for misogyny to be a hate crime - but is this doable?

LizzieSiddal · 07/02/2020 16:12

The recent warning made by the Govt, to allow free speech in universities, needs to be widened out to every part of society. A great way to do this would be to make misogyny a hate crime.

Original poster
BovaryX · 07/02/2020 16:04

It has a very strong witch-hunt vibe about it

Absolutely. But one of the effects of this tiresome fanaticism has been to render certain insults meaningless. 'Conservative?' 'far right?' When these are deployed to denounce anyone who refuses to submit to the #no debate idiocy? This has actually expanded the suffocating idea that the only acceptable political stance is left wing. The critical issue of the 21st century is those who believe in freedom of speech, critical thinking and robust debate. And those who believe in denunciations, witch hunts and hysteria.

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RuffleCrow · 07/02/2020 15:58

Let's keep going; keep speaking out. The more we do, the crazier the genderists begin to look.

Durgasarrow · 07/02/2020 15:56

Oh my god what a horrible woman, how could she say such a hateful thing, She needs to die in a grease fire because she can't just be nice which would have literally cost her nothing, because that is a ciswoman's job even though nobody can identify who is a woman just by looking at them or indeed define them which is a transphobic question to ask.

RoyalCorgi · 07/02/2020 15:55

Very good piece. I notice again the use of that sinister phrase: "We warned you about Laura Pidcock." Not so long ago it was doing the rounds in a social media post about JKR: "We warned you about JK Rowling." It has a very strong witch-hunt vibe about it.

RHTawneyonabus · 07/02/2020 15:49

Well we all know what happened to Robespierre. Hoist by his own petard eventually.

Another really excellent piece from JK

FloraGreysteel · 07/02/2020 15:04

Good one, James! Thank you for speaking up.

Original poster
BovaryX · 07/02/2020 14:57

blogs.spectator.co.uk/2020/02/in-defence-of-laura-pidcock/

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