University of Essex apologises to Jo Phoenix and Rosa Freedman for infringing their freedom of speech

Waves to @xxchromosome**

It's good to know I'm not alone!

I don't feel safe expressing GC views either. I know how colleagues would turn on me. I really admire those academics who are brave enough to speak out and I often feel shame that I'm not one of them.

So much for the 'Challenger Brand' eh?
But biological reality is so dull. Not challenger at all

@GenderCriticalEssex

(Have NC for this post)

I'm also staff at Essex. It's been a miserable couple of years for women here. I honestly don't feel safe voicing an opinion on gender issues at work and I'm not 100% sure that will change in the near future. So much for the 'Challenger Brand' eh?

Interesting point on Twitter:

CK @Ceeekerrr Replying to @ProfAliceS
Reindorf report was highly critical of this tactical smearing when considering the no platforming of Rosa Freeman. Hard to see how Stonewall can continue to deny it was their influence which led to the offence if Kelly continues to repeat the smear after the Uni has apologised?

Excellent article in Herald on Sunday about this and Abertay University by Iain MacWhirter. Unfortunately a premium article.

Just wanted to say that jo Phoenix is family and I am so proud.

Valancy yes I felt the same. It was a pretty accurate description most of the way through, but didn't grasp the problem is the conflict of needs. Ultimately missed the point. I don't just mean he disagreed with my pov, but he didn't didn't address these key things.

Sorry I haven't read the full thread, but I found this article interesting, and also infuriating. Never once does it mention the rights of women as being an issue.

wonkhe.com/blogs/what-can-we-learn-from-essexs-free-speech-cases/

[quote boatyardblues]The Essex report warrants a paragraph in today’s Kathleen Stock interview in the Guardian: www.theguardian.com/education/2021/may/22/kathleen-stock-taboo-around-gender-identity-chilling-effect-on-academics[/quote]
Bloody hell. A reasonable piece in THE GUARDIAN?

In Higher Education rather than news or culture sections, but even so.

Another piece in the Times today

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/there-is-a-culture-of-fear-in-universities-say-criminologist-jo-phoenix-and-lawyer-rosa-freedman-cancelled-for-transphobia-c2b6zv98j?shareToken=30f6c94cf93c1693dc4f68e4219101ec

That's a fantastic article in the Guardian. Thank you for sharing it.

The Essex report warrants a paragraph in today’s Kathleen Stock interview in the Guardian: www.theguardian.com/education/2021/may/22/kathleen-stock-taboo-around-gender-identity-chilling-effect-on-academics

Apologies, that was meant for another thread, but fits quite well here too if you ignore the first sentence!

Was meant for here - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4249261-A-Belfast-court-judgment-has-been-hailed-by-as-a-landmark-moment-in-UK-transgender-rights-by-influential-campaign-group-Stonewall

Am still a bit baffled on how stonewall see this as some huge win, and TRAs are crowing all over too

Also still cannot get my head around stonewalls excuse for misrepresenting the law to essex uni/others. Basically they have pretended they did not know anything about the legal framework, of the law they were wishing to change but failed on. hich is surely suspicious in itself

We didn't know selfID was not law, no way. We also campaigned aggressively (including advising minors to vote when underage..) to make it law, but unfortunately failed because bigots. We then never gave it another thought really, which is how we totally forgot that our attempt to change the law failed rather than suceeded. Totally honest mistake that anyone could have made.

"Expert advice." Aye, right

I saw the thread likening Rosa freedman's views to holocaust denial. From what I remember he was saying it was using the fact it's acceptable to prevent holocaust denial being voiced on campus to justify keeping gc views off campus, implying an equivalence. I'm sure it will be screen shot on mumsnet somewhere! He did delete it saying it was an inappropriate comparison (meaning because it had been pointed out that RF was Jewish) but I don't know if he actually apologised. Presumably not. The thing is they really do need to keep comparing us to those kinds of extremists because they want to banish the view point entirely.

A different lecturer at a different uni just issued an apology to a different gc feminist academic for making the same comparison. These people really need to step outside their bubbles where that kind of talk is okayed and encouraged, because when people with more mainstream views (or a legal angle) look at it they see straight away how off it is.

Still makes me angry reading what they were put through, whoever that lecturer was who went after them, they should be disciplined. Totally unacceptable behaviour.

What is the basis given for the redactions?

Thanks for the times share token. Very good article.

Promising report, I hope this has some impact across the sector. I'm sick of universities scrubbing all mention of sex,but banging on about gender identities like their sacrosanct. I complained to Lancaster Uni that their job applications section swapped "sex" for "gender identity or gender expression" when talking about equality. Obviously a Stonewall/Gendered Intelligence substitute. They declined my suggestion to simply add "sex" to the list of protected characteristics. Sick of the disrespect to women.

Peaepickingporky Is the judge only referring to "transwomen" WITH a GRC here?

No I don't think so. The judge (actually all parties) agreed that trans women with a grc could be excluded lawfully. But for both with & without a grc the judge's view was (from the live tweeting) that services should start from the assumption that they would include trans women into female spaces on the basis they have the pc of gender reassignment, and then to consider exclusion if it's proportionate, rather than to start from the assumption they were excluded on the basis that they are male. He was v clear that parliament intended them to be treated differently to men. But he said individual service providers would have to be sued for the courts to rule on exactly how that should work in different contexts. We have to identify cases to bring to court to build up case law.

Really doesn't pull the punches on Stonewall, does it?

Not much love for Stonewall at all, in fact the complete opposite people can see them for what they are and what they are doing and they totally disagree with it and don't support it.

There HAS to be a Government and Charity Commission inquiry into Stonewall and their behaviour and influence.

This is about Essex, not Exeter, but there are likely to be similar issues all over the place.

My daughter has Exeter on her list to apply to. I am wondering now if it wouldn’t be a good idea or if most universities have similar problems?

116 now

Really doesn't pull the punches on Stonewall, does it?