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Scottish universities drop out of Stonewall equality league tables following ‘gender’ row

32 replies

ScreamingMeMe · 11/01/2022 17:44

Scottish universities drop out of Stonewall equality league tables following ‘gender’ row
The University of Edinburgh is among several institutions to decline to submit an application for this year's rankings

By
Daniel Sanderson,
SCOTTISH CORRESPONDENT
10 January 2022 • 7:51pm
Leading Scottish universities have dropped out of controversial equality league tables compiled by LGBT lobby group Stonewall, following claims that participation can inhibit academic freedom and open debate about transgender issues.

Despite trumpeting its participation in previous editions of the “equality index” as a sign of its commitment to diversity and inclusion, the University of Edinburgh has quietly declined to submit an application for this year’s rankings following a series of controversies, The Telegraph can reveal.

Other institutions which have taken part in previous editions but have shunned the scheme this year include the University of Glasgow, the University of the West of Scotland and Robert Gordon University. The latter two confirmed that they are reviewing future participation.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/01/10/scottish-universities-drop-stonewall-equality-league-tables/

OP posts:
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KittyLeMew · 12/01/2022 20:12

Grin @Waftypants

Waftypants · 12/01/2022 20:04

Wee Gender Krankie has tickled me. It's spot on Grin

ThePrionOne · 12/01/2022 20:00

Fair enough. I posted then thought afterwards that I had perhaps been overly pessimistic. I hope that this is merely a first step. I’m very cynical about my alma mater, Edinburgh University though. They’ve introduced a new genderwoo department. Quite how they square it with educating medics and vets is a mystery.

SirSamuelVimes · 12/01/2022 07:44

@ThePrionOne

Have they left the paid Diversity Champions scheme?

If the only change is that they have stopped filling in the free form that allows them to be assessed on Stonewall’s trans preference index, then not much has changed.

I'm not sure - baby steps. I imagine it is very hard to extricate an organisation as large (and wokey-cokey) as a university from the grips of Stonewall. Pulling away all at once would be bound to attract a lot of attention; perhaps moving out a bit at a time seems a safer strategy?
ArabellaScott · 12/01/2022 07:30

Yes, Prion, but i will be ibterested to hear how some of the more vocal trans rights activists respond.

ThePrionOne · 12/01/2022 07:15

Have they left the paid Diversity Champions scheme?

If the only change is that they have stopped filling in the free form that allows them to be assessed on Stonewall’s trans preference index, then not much has changed.

ArabellaScott · 12/01/2022 07:10

Excellent news. Best of all an explicit acknowledgement that participation threatens open and free exchange of ideas.

It's all we need. Once we can ask questions and discuss all this openly it's the beginning of the end (although the rowback may take quite a long time).

Original poster
ScreamingMeMe · 12/01/2022 06:58

@KittyLeMew

Wee Gender Krankie will be livid Grin
Wee Gender Krankie Grin
OP posts:
DoTheyKnowItsLemonJuice · 12/01/2022 01:44

@HoyaSaxa

I’m delighted and surprised by Edinburgh. They have been absolutely appalling.
Same! Really taken aback, really pleased.
SuperLoudPoppingAction · 12/01/2022 01:25

It seems to centre anyone other than women - so gutting for female academics who invested so much time into it previously

Enough4me · 12/01/2022 01:17

Yes Athena Swan questions are now based on gender not sex, i.e. useless.

SuperLoudPoppingAction · 12/01/2022 01:16

The other thing is whether the changes to Athena Swan mean it's now a cheaper way to perform trans inclusion- one that overtly erases the work previously done by athena Swan for women's rights.

SuperLoudPoppingAction · 12/01/2022 01:13

www.lgbtyouth.org.uk/the-lgbt-charter/lgbt-charter-awardees/

SuperLoudPoppingAction · 12/01/2022 01:10

Worth keeping an eye out on whether they're doing the lgbt youth Scotland charter though

Enough4me · 12/01/2022 01:04

Good!

WandaWomblesaurus73 · 12/01/2022 01:00

But are they paid up members still?

HoyaSaxa · 11/01/2022 23:02

I’m delighted and surprised by Edinburgh. They have been absolutely appalling.

KittyLeMew · 11/01/2022 22:51

Wee Gender Krankie will be livid Grin

InvisibleDragon · 11/01/2022 20:18

This is great news!

SirSamuelVimes · 11/01/2022 19:20

@StopStartStop

The more organisations rethink this nonsense, the better.
Absolutely.
BattyOrange · 11/01/2022 19:18

Great news!
Another step in the right direction.

northstars · 11/01/2022 19:16

Can’t believe this! Excellent news!