University Challenge in the Metro

I found JP frustrating in that he didn't actually know what he was talking about with a lot of the science questions, mispronouncing words etc, yet still was condescending to the contestants when they didn't get them right (or sometimes even when they did, like it was a bizarre thing to know rather than impressive)

I hadn't noticed him being less condescending to female contestants though, more treating them like an irrelevance sometimes - the way some of the mostly-male teams did too. Especially if the female was sat on the end of the team and the others were having a group discussion.

*wouldn't

Well, that article was a revelation. I particularly enjoyed the tribute to Jeremy Paxman as the champion of diversity. University Challenge is often criticised for perpetuating privileged perceptions of knowledge. I have always found Paxman rather condescending to people who haven't had his Oxbridge education and suspect that he is sometimes less acerbic towards attractive young female contestants.

Amol Rajan took precisely the line that a good journalist should take by condemning the abuse JKR has received on the grounds that the abuse is unacceptable, whatever one's personal views on single sex spaces and transgender politics. If nothing else, the stabbing of Salman Rushdie is an awful reminder of the need for free speech in a democratic society.

I don't know about Samira Ahmed's views. She's a good presenter and journalist but tends to take a neutral line on the topics she's discussing. I did admire her taking the BbC to tribunal over differences between women and men's pay.

If this contestant is anything like the one on OC, there is no question about visibility, despite the long hair and female name. They looked and sounded male, but more than anything, the way they interacted was male. I don't know what comments they had for being on the show - I hope that they didn't get abuse for it - but there was clearly no way anyone watching would have known. So I guess that's representation

It really is in the way you walk….

Sanctions on JKR
I think Gringotts Bank should freeze her assets.

On the representation angle, I thought the whole point was about visibility? How can you see/know someone is queer or neurodiverse from watching UC? (I know if they have blue hair it’s a fairly good sign they identify as queer, but otherwise?)

On the thread about Amol Rajan taking over I posted that I couldn't stand him but now I might have to change my mind. Samira Ahmed wanted the job, and would have been my preference, but she has complained about gender- neutral toilets in the past, so I guess she would have been ideologically unsound, too.

Ah, that's the name, you're right. So not this same contestant then.

But this one sounds like they have an agenda too

Lilian sounds like hard work.

And there was me, thinking quiz question writers just…..wrote quiz questions. How silly. Of course they should steer major production decisions such as suitable Presenters with no hint of WrongThink in their past. That’s totally their remit, even if they are not Quiz Question Writers any more.

Yes, that was my thought too!

And there was me, thinking quiz question writers just…..wrote quiz questions. How silly. Of course they should steer major production decisions such as suitable Presenters with no hint of WrongThink in their past. That’s totally their remit, even if they are not Quiz Question Writers any more.

Someone's full of their own self importance aren't they? Not surprised that it's this person at all.

Lillian has VIEWS on J K Rowling. And how nobody should read her books, watch the films created from her work, or do anything else that might benefit Rowling. Lillian feels quite entitled to tell other people how they should think/act/feel, yes.

Oh it’s Lillian! Of course it is.
How many other relatively recent contestants of UC get a job as question writers? Is that a Thing?

Here's Lillian on University Challenge.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=YvvHMho6mLU

Quattro I think that was Frances or similar.

And on Mastermind, answering questions on Sylvia Plath.

There's an article here about her as a contestant on University Challenge which mentions her being very polite and well mannered but also about her getting abuse - it doesn't explain what that's about.
www.realitytitbit.com/bbc/lillian-crawford-is-university-challenge-fans-latest-obsession-we-found-her-on-instagram

Yes, I remember their name from another quiz. Mastermind? Iirc lots of manspreading went on...

I don't know that contestant. Were they the same one as was on Only Connect? (A clearly male born contestant presenting as a woman with a woman's name, who seemed to be a fairly professional quizzer that had experience on many quizzes). That person acted with typical male socialisation in dealing with teammates etc, and later posted about enjoying some sort of harassment or something because it signified 'passing'. They posted about feeling very unsupported by the OC production, complained to Victoria c-m about it on twitter, etc. I could imagine that they might have been on UC as well, and would be keen to have a presenter that viewed trans individuals in a certain way.

"a show with one of the biggest queer/trans representations on TV." ? Seriously? I'd never been aware if this.

Personally, I think it's more of a concern that Rajan worked for Lebedev but what do I know?

The researcher is definitely male. Appeared as a contestant, and claimed to be increasing the number of women taking part.

Storm in a teacup