Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Original poster

Cambridge academic who sparked student protests appointed to Government’s equality board

27 replies

IwantToRetire · 03/12/2022 23:41

(I wonder if the Tories really care or are doing this to put two fingers up to those who they think are just too "woke"!)

A Cambridge don who sparked protests by inviting a “gender critical” feminist author to speak to students has been appointed to the board of the Government’s Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Professor Arif Ahmed, a philosophy lecturer at Gonville and Caius College, will be among experts charged with enforcing equalities legislation.

He rose to prominence for his opposition to Cambridge students who attempted to shut down a talk he organised with Helen Joyce, a gender critical feminist.

(As it happens the article is by Helen Joyce or is it possible that the article writer is also called Helen Joyce. Originally published in the Telegraph but reproduced by yahoo news, which is interesting in itself as they more usually stick to the Guardian mode of reporting on gender critical issues.)

uk.news.yahoo.com/cambridge-academic-sparked-student-protests-190000313.html

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Original poster
IwantToRetire · 05/12/2022 17:49

New EHRC commissioners appointed www.gov.uk/government/news/new-ehrc-commissioners-appointed

Interesting that some of those being appointed are people who welcomed the Government's Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities Report last year.

Although at the time the then EHRC accused the Commission of not using proper data.

OP posts:
Original poster
IwantToRetire · 04/12/2022 18:41

Cant find the blush emoji, but despite catching up on sleep I still seem to be suffering brain fog. Sigh.

Prof Ahmed appointed to this organisation equalityhumanrights.com/en which doesn't seem to have a section saying who else has.

Not of course this Parliament Committee committees.parliament.uk/committee/328/women-and-equalities-committee/

OP posts:
Original poster
IwantToRetire · 04/12/2022 18:35

@ErrolTheDragon thanks for pointing out my misreading of the page re who wrote the article. My only excuse is that it was late and I was tired.

But it did make me think I should check out who else the Tories have appointed. Because as far a I remember, the whole lets reform the GRA and make self id easier, came from a proposal from the Women and Equality Committee.

OP posts:
Tricyrtis2022 · 04/12/2022 17:44

Good news, I read about him before and he sounds like a good person.

IcakethereforeIam · 04/12/2022 17:22

@WarriorN totally agree Blush

WarriorN · 04/12/2022 17:02

Also completely irrelevant but he's bloody gorgeous

ArabellaScott · 04/12/2022 12:31

Anyone who has managed to defend 'diverse political opinions' in academia sounds like someone who will probably be an asset to EHRC.

I wonder what views he holds on Panspermia.

ErrolTheDragon · 04/12/2022 10:59

He may have direct or indirect experience of the treatment of apostates.

JoodyBlue · 04/12/2022 10:33

@Blister he is getting bashed with it big time by students and academics in Cambridge. Still he seems to have held his cool, in a polite and courteous manner. I was at the Helen Joyce talk. There were difficulties due to protests, not least from the Master of the college. He handled it all as far as I could see really well, despite it being an obviously stressful situation, coming out to the Porter's Lodge himself to ensure people got in ok and felt supported and secure. He also ensured that the trans people at the talk had very ample opportunity to ask questions and he stated upfront that all were welcome to be there. Including those who took a trans flag with them. Impressive. What we need.

Toseland · 04/12/2022 09:42

Thanks, 'transphobic sick' has really made laugh on this miserable morning!

Blister · 04/12/2022 08:48

Stick. I meant stick not sick

Blister · 04/12/2022 08:47

Why isn't he getting bashed around the head with the transphobic sick?
It seems like the only charge sticking to him is enabler.

Women in similar positions are labelled before the word free leaves their lips...

BernardBlacksMolluscs · 04/12/2022 08:22

yep, I very much enjoyed his evident intelligence and self possession during the speech he gave at the Cambridge Union event. he strikes me as a great choice

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 04/12/2022 08:20

He’s a very impressive guy.

Helleofabore · 04/12/2022 08:19

WarriorN · 04/12/2022 07:46

I'm sure he said he didn't agree with everything she says but that the right to discuss is more important

Show quote history

I remember he said that too. But, of course, we don’t know what the issues were that he disagreed with Doc Stock on.

Either way, he does seem to be about enabling discussions.

AppleTreeOwner · 04/12/2022 08:11

This professor has been aware of issues for over a year. Remember seeing him on you tube and issues about compelled speach. Link for reference.

Kucingsparkles · 04/12/2022 08:08

This is good news!

WarriorN · 04/12/2022 08:08

Good

DazzlePaintedBattlePants · 04/12/2022 08:01

He’s also up for election to the University of Cambridge’s Council - significant parts of the Uni get the free speech issue. We’ve not all been captured!

WarriorN · 04/12/2022 07:48

V impressed with both his involvement with Joyce and the Cambridge debate with stock. He's a great one to have on board

WarriorN · 04/12/2022 07:46

I could be wrong - it's not the point though.

It's about the ability and importance of debate and discussion

WarriorN · 04/12/2022 07:46

SallyLockheart · 04/12/2022 07:06

I get the impression his primary focus is free speech particularly in academia.

I'm sure he said he didn't agree with everything she says but that the right to discuss is more important

Igmum · 04/12/2022 07:17

Here's his University webpage: www.phil.cam.ac.uk/people/teaching-research-pages/ahmed

Igmum · 04/12/2022 07:14

I was very impressed with his speech at the Cambridge Union supporting both free speech and Kathleen Stock. He said then that he's also a union rep. Sounds like he's a great person to have on board.

SallyLockheart · 04/12/2022 07:06

I get the impression his primary focus is free speech particularly in academia.

Swipe left for the next trending thread