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

Very interesting.

A litle too late though I presume, given there are a shitload of FOI requests, to all of the Champions anyway, so a list would not be too hard to 'find'. Infact, wont the replies to them be coming in soon? Not heard of those since the list was completed..I am a little behind it seems.

I understand the 'not wanting to come off homophobic thing. I know a lot of gay people seem to still think stnewall advocate for same sex rights. But, it can be proven by their own words that the opposite is infact the case, and that something went very rotten, very quickly in regards to that?! They actively advcate against same sex rights now. To the point where they have even renamed same sex attraction as same gender, and there have been instances where recent CEO/staff have said blatantly homophobic things in the press, and even on the likes of social media. The proof is there, unless thats all being hidden away too. Which would be even more interesting.

Also, as an aside as it is anecdotal, almost all 'older gay people' I know seem to be well aware of the dodgy turn Stonewall has taken on matters to do with sex, including same sex attraction. It appears to be largely a younger 'queer' thing to be happy with them these days? And half the 'queer' lot appear to be hetersexual people who just want to feel included in something, which doesnt really look too grand. That could of course, be my circles rather than universal though. Its just been an interesting divide I have seen develop over the past 5 years or so of following this stuff and watching people, slowly but surely, see the problems.

Wondering now, if (assuming those I know are 'accurate-ish' recent stonewall knowledge wise) it would acually be seen as homophobic, to take the side of homosexual people who define themselves as homosexual, over 'queer' people who often are NOT homosexual...is interesting also!

I mean, even stuff like their open campaigning to have the rape by deception laws changed, because 'privacy for trans people' plays horrifically on paper surely..

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4249184-Stonewall-hide-organisations-signed-up-as-Diversity-Champions

Plus most media organisations are Stonewall champions....

I think the media are terrified of criticising Stonewall as Stonewall are synonymous with gay rights. I think they worry that criticising them will be seen as homophobic and they are just too scared to go there.

This is the link to the tweet. twitter.com/officestudents/status/1394937774214635523?s=20

I went looking on their Twitter, it's on there. There's also a relevant blog post about free speech on their website
www.officeforstudents.org.uk/news-blog-and-events/blog/robust-but-civil-debate-how-the-ofs-protects-free-speech-on-campus/

Cardinallolzy where did you see that statement?

This is fantastic on many levels.

The Universities regulator OFS has said "This is a welcome report which demonstrates the importance of ensuring free speech is protected. We hope other universities and colleges find this report and its conclusions helpful in meeting their own obligations to protect free speech."

Don't despair headisfucked there's the Allison Bailey case and win or lose, the sunlight will be blinding

seem to have NOT picked up on the stonewall thing

Am hoping its as they are going to do a larger expose or something. It will be interesting watching the woke decry it as obvious lies 'because its the mail', only to have it backed up from every possible source (bar stonewall themselves, and maybe Action for Trans Heath or some other such interesting characters too)

Hmm. Its odd to me that the mail seem to have picked up on the stonewall thing. Mind, none of them seem to have. Unless there is some reason they cannot report certain parts of the report or smething, which I doubt. Or its not 'big enough'..but its a potential can of worms I am (desperately) hoping is about to pop wide open tbh. The clicks from 'Stonewall confirmed to be lying about the law' or whatever would surely be..decent.

I mean this being publicized at all is great, especially for the women involved in it don't get me wrong, I just expected, more focus on the fact that Stonewall have been so blatantly caught out here, and the potential of them having given similar illegal advice or whatever to so so many other public bodies is likely. I mean, CPS are stonewall champs too IIRC?!

Good news. Slowly we’re starting to see progress out of this mess. Well done all those who stand up for free speech and women’s rights.

I hope this report will make the senior management teams of universities around the UK sit up and pay attention. They have forgotten that they have a legal duty to consider the needs of ALL of their staff and students, not just the ones who share their views.

Placemarking to read the report.

The situation that Jo Phoenix went through has some similarities to what Shereen Benjamin has endured at her own university - Edinburgh Uni. She wasn't an invited academic, she's employed by Edinburgh Uni but was prevented from hosting an event on education (due to threats to her and the event) and the event was postponed indefinitely. She's another academic who has needed personal security on campus due to the threats she's had.

I hope she is able to use this report in some way. Or that her situation/complaint warrants a similarly robust review & clarity of outcome.

What I've never understood about any of this is that the Equality Act is online for anyone to Google. All those organisations that changed policy on advice from Stonewall et al to put gender identity in as a protected characteristic and leave sex out - didn't it ever once occur to any of them to check the wording of the law? Not even the lawyers and people hired for their expertise on Equality and Diversity?

In the Times:

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/a7e1e34c-b819-11eb-98e3-d1306649ebf7?shareToken=5e3cfba3cff73410eff901fbc740224d

Now would be a great time for the LGB Alliance to start a tick-box scheme...

Thing is in this case it's Stonewall who have wrought reputational damage on the university. If they try the threat of that again I hope the next organisation just laughs at them.