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Original poster

Open University invites your say on women

36 replies

Based · 27/04/2024 21:11

An Open University professor is inviting people to a lecture on women and the law. "Join me to have your say," she says.

The event is on May 9 at 13:00, both online and in Milton Keynes.

I sense the potential for an awful lot of mischief-making - if the wrong kind of people attended, and asked the wrong kind of questions.

Questions about women and the law in the cases of Jo Phoenix, Pilgrim Tucker and Almut Gadow, for instance.

Some bigot might even ask what the professor thinks a woman is 😱

https://research.open.ac.uk/events/violence-women-and-law-unfinished-story

The Open University

The Open University

In her inaugural lecture, Olga Jurasz, Professor of Law in the OU’s Faculty of Business and Law, will explore the uneasy relationship between violence, law and women’s lives using three examples: conflict-related sexual violence, online violence agains...

https://research.open.ac.uk/events/violence-women-and-law-unfinished-story

OP posts:
EggcornAcorn · 27/04/2024 22:35

To be fair, mischief-making has an echo of intention to disrupt, so you are being disingenuous here.

It will be interesting to hear what the Professor has to say; as the phrase goes - let women speak.

Original poster
Based · 27/04/2024 22:04

BrownTableMat · 27/04/2024 21:47

Because we don’t like seeing senior professional women misrepresented and slandered, maybe? Look back through my posting history - i’m as GC as they come. And I, like I imagine most on these boards, care too about misogyny and violent threats against women on the internet, and I’m very glad that senior female law professors are researching this and trying to do something about it.

Another thing I care about is truth, which is why I’m GC. And the OP has simply misrepresented Prof Jurasz’s research. It’s not about trans people at all, it’s about violence against women and girls, something I thought posters on this board cared about. I never thought I’d see the day that a leading researcher on this important topic got slandered and it was proposed on here that her lecture be disrupted; words fail me!

Edited
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Sorry, nobody suggested "that her lecture be disrupted" as far as I can see. I most certainly did not.

I suggested asking pertinent questions - which she had expressly invited!

An intelligent professional woman who's just received over 7 million pounds to research violence against women should be able to define the word "woman". Asking her to do so isn't disrupting her lecture on the topic.

An expert on women and the law, talking about women and the law, should be able to comment on a string of court cases around women and the law which have arisen at her place of work. Asking her to do so isn't disrupting her lecture on the topic.

OP posts:
Original poster
Based · 27/04/2024 21:53

How have I misrepresented her work? I don't know if you've ever been to one of her talks. I have.

But of course mumsnetters who attend can make up their own minds after listening to her lecture, and congratulate her upon her excellent work if I am misrepresenting her.

My issue with her work is this:

  1. Violence against women, in the ordinary sense of the word = the use of force to harm women's bodies or property, in the analogue world.
  2. "Online violence" as researched by this professor = hate speech.
  3. Woman = whatever people want it to be.

In my view, this discourse justifies redirecting resources away from protecting women's physical safety and towards protecting (trans) women's feelings online.

OP posts:
BrownTableMat · 27/04/2024 21:47

PhDinaseive · 27/04/2024 21:41

Not sure why early posters are trying to discourage attendance

Because we don’t like seeing senior professional women misrepresented and slandered, maybe? Look back through my posting history - i’m as GC as they come. And I, like I imagine most on these boards, care too about misogyny and violent threats against women on the internet, and I’m very glad that senior female law professors are researching this and trying to do something about it.

Another thing I care about is truth, which is why I’m GC. And the OP has simply misrepresented Prof Jurasz’s research. It’s not about trans people at all, it’s about violence against women and girls, something I thought posters on this board cared about. I never thought I’d see the day that a leading researcher on this important topic got slandered and it was proposed on here that her lecture be disrupted; words fail me!

PhDinaseive · 27/04/2024 21:41

Not sure why early posters are trying to discourage attendance

PhDinaseive · 27/04/2024 21:40

Whatever her views are it will be interesting and opportunity to ask questions for clarification of relevant will be great. Why wouldn't women on mumsnet be interested in this important topic.

JellySaurus · 27/04/2024 21:38

In which case, maybe GC women should attend to support her.

BrownTableMat · 27/04/2024 21:34

In fact, the more I look into Professor Jurasz, the more I think she’s doing excellent work. Looking at the prevalence of misogynistic threats online against women and girls and how often these also translate into violence offline too, for instance. I haven’t, on an admittedly brief google, been able to find anything she’s written that so much as mentions trans people. I think you’ve massively misrepresented her work and should ask for this thread to be taken down.

https://www5.open.ac.uk/ovaw-observatory/news/ou-research-reveals-shocking-level-online-violence-experienced-women-and-girls-across-uk

The Open University

The Open University

Professor of Law at The Open University Law School, Olga Jurasz, has led the UK’s largest ever study into societal attitudes and experiences of online violence against women and girls (OVAWG) across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is...

https://www5.open.ac.uk/ovaw-observatory/news/ou-research-reveals-shocking-level-online-violence-experienced-women-and-girls-across-uk

BrownTableMat · 27/04/2024 21:30

Based · 27/04/2024 21:26

Is this another GC woman?

Her (very well funded) work seems to be all about 'online violence against women'. Aka affirming that the hate speech of saying trans women are men is the ultimate act of violence against women.

Eh? I don’t see anything at all about trans in the description of the talk you linked to. She seems to be talking about online violence against women, not against trans people as far as I can see. Leave the poor woman alone - looks like she’s doing good work.

Original poster
Based · 27/04/2024 21:26

Is this another GC woman?

Her (very well funded) work seems to be all about 'online violence against women'. Aka affirming that the hate speech of saying trans women are men is the ultimate act of violence against women.

OP posts:
BettyFilous · 27/04/2024 21:18

I get where you are coming from. However, I have misgivings about disrupting another woman’s inaugural lecture to score points. Also, putting another woman on the spot in such a captured institution feels wrong. I wouldn’t want to force another GC woman to break cover after reading coverage of Jo Phoenix’s tribunal. 😕

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