Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Our friends at the Good Law Project

237 replies

Gymnopedie · 04/08/2026 13:52

I know this doesn't belong here but given the bollocks from the GLP about issues that do I thought people might be interested.

It's about Professor Jason Arday, a Cambridge academic. The story started when there was a claim that large chunks of his PhD thesis had been taken from another (sometimes not even changing typo errors) published a few years earlier. His justification is that he's autistic and his way of coping is 'mimicry'.

Sine then his many claims about his charity work, fundraising and physical exploits have come under increasing scrutiny - much from the Guardian - and are unravelling fast. He's having to backtrack and 'explain' a lot. He's claimed to have been on a TV programme that he never was and it was chronologically impossible for him to be on it. He has claimed a lot of nasty harassment but has no evidence of it, no photos, no messages, and didn't report any of it to the police. (Well he claims he did once, but the police have no record of it and the story doesn't stack up.)

What does the GLP have to do with it? They're organising an open letter in his support, claiming that there is nothing to see here except that he's a victim of vile racism.

Support for a left wing cause that bears no relationship to the facts? Where have I heard that before?

Charity casts doubts on volunteering record of Cambridge professor (The Telegraph via MSN)

Playbooks, plagiarism and a pig’s head: new claims surrounding a star Cambridge professor | University of Cambridge | The Guardian

Glasgow University denies Jason Arday visiting prof claim | The Herald

OP posts:
Thread gallery
15
MarieDeGournay · 06/08/2026 12:51

Those whom the gods wish to destroy first get the support of the GLP, and then Zack Polanski as the 'tin lid' ..

You'd have to be very naive or very blinkered to deny that there are people who are taking pleasure in a prominent Black person 'getting his comeuppance' so publicly. It happens. Race is invoked when it should be irrelevant.

I've already mentioned the avalanche of racist abuse directed at Bukayo Saka when he missed a crucial penalty for England - not that he was shit at taking penalties, but that he was Black and by extension shit at everything including taking penalties. Or wearing the England shirt. Or anything.

Two things can be true at the same time: there is undoubtedly some racist gloating [not here, of course, but in society in general] about the public take-down of JA, but there is also all that evidence that he lied and plagiarised.

Both are wrong. Neither justifies the other.
He is a fantasist and a plagiarist and he is Black. Not 'because he is Black' or 'but he is Black'. Just and.

Unfortunately 'The bigger they come, the harder they fall' - JA claimed to be some kind of superman, and he courted publicity and attention for all sorts of heroic feats.
He and his supporters can't complain now that the publicity has turned negative.

lcakethereforeIam · 06/08/2026 13:04

This discussion is about a so called professor, who has plagiarised his way to a top position at one of our foremost seats of learning.

I think Arday is almost the least interesting part of this, liars and conmen are ten-a-penny. Arguably he's taken what ability he had and parlayed it into quite an achievement. If he was at all prone to apparently well deserved imposter syndrome his stomach should have been 90% ulcer.

I think the interesting bit is the apparently intelligent people and organisations who facilitated him and even now will not admit to their failure.

I believe it's a recognised thing that some people will not admit they've been conned. Show them incontrovertible proof, they ignore it, excuse it or attack the person with the proof. We see it all the time with gender ideology.

AstonUniversityPotholeDepartment · 06/08/2026 13:27

I'm very intrigued by what this reveals about the credulity and naiviety of the people making appointments. We really need to be looking at that, surely? If they didn't look askance at JA's erm... more startling descriptions of his life, how many other instances of duplicity have they missed from those who were a teeny weeny bit more careful with their untruths?

AnonyMumAuDHD · 06/08/2026 13:27

Brainworm · 06/08/2026 12:29

Having said that, lots of universities are now struggling to fund support due to the increasing number of people seeking support and adopting policies of not requiring proof of diagnosis due to waiting lists and ‘a medical model pathologising difference’.

Mad, isn’t it? We did have to update all our medical evidence and when DD went to uni, they needed to see it too. I really think that there has to be a hardline - no clinical diagnosis and extended report (which states which supports are needed, if any), no assistance. I actually think they would find that there is less need, but also, the students who HAVE made it that far, ie sat exams, really shouldn’t need quite as many accommodations.

The only one my DD actually needs is for tutors to agree that she can have additional tutor contact time [the odd 10 min zoom by appointment, or just replies to the extra emails she might send clarifying assignment criteria and automatic extensions/rescheduling of assignments that are due on the same day]. I think that if you need very much more than this, then there is a question over your suitability to be there and it means you are not being prepared for the world of work.

For my DS, he needs to know he can approach his tutors for that contact time/safe space to ensure he has understood what is required and an ND/academic or even peer mentor for the first few terms to ensure that he is juggling the demands of the course with self-care as mummy won’t be there to yell at him to have a shower and clean his room.

BettyBooper · 06/08/2026 14:11

Cambridge profs are quietly removing their names GLP petition. Meanwhile, the petition continues to gain ground. 😂

Our friends at the Good Law Project
moto748e · 06/08/2026 14:34

Love it! 😂

AimsAndObjectives · 06/08/2026 14:37

AstonUniversityPotholeDepartment · 06/08/2026 13:27

I'm very intrigued by what this reveals about the credulity and naiviety of the people making appointments. We really need to be looking at that, surely? If they didn't look askance at JA's erm... more startling descriptions of his life, how many other instances of duplicity have they missed from those who were a teeny weeny bit more careful with their untruths?

I'm wondering if they knew, and that was part of his attraction. Another opportunity to 'Queer' academia, like Biggus Tittus at Oxford.
Except that this time they have callously used a person with questionable mental health in order to push their pathetic post-modern agenda.

SylvanMoon · 06/08/2026 14:52

BettyBooper · 06/08/2026 14:11

Cambridge profs are quietly removing their names GLP petition. Meanwhile, the petition continues to gain ground. 😂

I signed twice! Once after they'd posted JA's resignation letter!

Ereshkigalangcleg · 06/08/2026 15:23

Is that ridiculous petition still up for people to troll/beclown themselves?

Persephonia1966 · 06/08/2026 16:12

SidewaysOtter · 05/08/2026 07:45

I take issue with this sentence in the OP. Neither anti-racism nor trans activism are 'left-wing causes'.

I'd argue that trans activism very much is, but both are also very much part of the Omnicause of anti-racism, trans rights, net zero, anti colonial “correct think” found in hyper-progressive left wing circles.

I don't think the omnicause is a very good way to think about it. I understand why it was coined, to express a certain real tenancy amongst some on the left re "correct thinking" but I actually think there is way more variation across several of the issues listed than you would think. Eg you have Boy George, bread tubers like Contrapoints etc who were very very vocal and aggressive in their support of trans rights and their criticism of the likes of JKR. A year or so later and they were very aggressively pro-Israel/anti-Palestine/anti-Hamas (however you want to define it). Even though both pro-trans and pro-palestine positions are supposed to be "omni-cause" positions. There are also more moderate types who support transrights and Israel in a less obviously crazy way (David Packman, quite a lot of left wing celebrities) And for balance there are lots of pro-trans rights types who take the opposite position on Israel/Palestine to them.

I just think, whatever your views on those issues are (really don't want to go into Israel/Palestine debates) the idea of an ombicause doesn't really hold up any more. I could use examples from the other stuff you lost as well. You have to cherry pick a lot to make it seem like there is and then it stops being an accurate representation of reality. I do agree the "you support this so you must support that" is a thing. I just think it's become such a cliche now it obscures rather than reveals.

ETA: sorry, I meant to put in the first paragraph that this is very true of racism as well. There are quite a few TRA types who are openly quite racist, and quite a few anti-racist traditional left wing types who either avoid the trans issue entirely or a re quite clearly done with it. I don't think the two causes always go together.

Brainworm · 06/08/2026 16:20

AnonyMumAuDHD · 06/08/2026 13:27

Mad, isn’t it? We did have to update all our medical evidence and when DD went to uni, they needed to see it too. I really think that there has to be a hardline - no clinical diagnosis and extended report (which states which supports are needed, if any), no assistance. I actually think they would find that there is less need, but also, the students who HAVE made it that far, ie sat exams, really shouldn’t need quite as many accommodations.

The only one my DD actually needs is for tutors to agree that she can have additional tutor contact time [the odd 10 min zoom by appointment, or just replies to the extra emails she might send clarifying assignment criteria and automatic extensions/rescheduling of assignments that are due on the same day]. I think that if you need very much more than this, then there is a question over your suitability to be there and it means you are not being prepared for the world of work.

For my DS, he needs to know he can approach his tutors for that contact time/safe space to ensure he has understood what is required and an ND/academic or even peer mentor for the first few terms to ensure that he is juggling the demands of the course with self-care as mummy won’t be there to yell at him to have a shower and clean his room.

A good friend of mine is a maths professor. He has taught a couple of autistic students who have needed PAs to manage university / living away from home - funded through DSA and PIP. They have been exceptionally bright and an asset to the course. I think it’s brilliant that this support enables them to participate.

BettyBooper · 06/08/2026 17:01

Ereshkigalangcleg · 06/08/2026 15:23

Is that ridiculous petition still up for people to troll/beclown themselves?

Why, yes. Mahatma Gandhi just signed.

😆

Our friends at the Good Law Project
KkkIt · 06/08/2026 17:04

From what I have read Jason Arday belongs to the recognisable group of charming confident fabulists - another field traditionally dominated by white men (remember Jeffrey Archer for example) although there have been some fabulous female examples too.
So in a sense his career does represent a breakthrough of sorts for racial equality.

Gymnopedie · 06/08/2026 17:17

KkkIt · 06/08/2026 17:04

From what I have read Jason Arday belongs to the recognisable group of charming confident fabulists - another field traditionally dominated by white men (remember Jeffrey Archer for example) although there have been some fabulous female examples too.
So in a sense his career does represent a breakthrough of sorts for racial equality.

So in a sense his career does represent a breakthrough of sorts for racial equality.

Have you ever thought of a career as a spin doctor? 😉

OP posts:
Hoardasurass · 06/08/2026 18:19

moto748e · 05/08/2026 22:56

ATEOTD, 'truth' is what the whole shebang is about. And in many sectors, that seems to have been completely forgotten.

What does ATEOTD mean?

Hoardasurass · 06/08/2026 18:21

avilsdedvocate · 05/08/2026 23:44

I try to stay away from this board if im honest! I'm the sort of person I imagine you hate...

Well you imagine wrong because we dont hate anyone here

lcakethereforeIam · 06/08/2026 18:21

At the end of the day?

Eta I think Ghandi learned everything he knew about peaceful resistance from Jason. He also put him onto sandals. It'd been brogues before they metl

lcakethereforeIam · 06/08/2026 18:38

Just noticed this headline. Not been able to read the article😢

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/education/article/jason-arday-resignation-letter-ai-generated-ztdxbqhc9

<sad trombone noise>

Seems a fitting coda.

Verifying Device

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/education/article/jason-arday-resignation-letter-ai-generated-ztdxbqhc9

Chersfrozenface · 06/08/2026 18:38

Igneococcus · 06/08/2026 18:16

Well, the Met Commissioner has had to admit his force should not have acted as it did and apologise.

"Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has admitted his force "dropped the ball" when it spent four months investigating a journalist examining claims about a University of Cambridge professor embroiled in a plagiarism row.

Journalist Jack Grove said he was told by the Met it had looked into a complaint made by Jason Arday, which it closed, and that Grove should not contact Arday again.

When asked by broadcaster LBC if he should apologise to Grove, Sir Mark agreed and said the complaint should have been "screened out earlier on as not requiring investigation"."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0rd9y99grzo

Shedmistress · 06/08/2026 18:42

I mean, writing your letter of resignation using AI really does dot the i and cross the t. Bloody hell. #SadTimes

DonaldWheresMaTweezers · 06/08/2026 18:43

MrPrettyDamnCosmic · 05/08/2026 11:16

I'm shocked! Shocked! I tell you to discover that some people aren't taking this petition seriously.

I wonder if "Raynor" is a reference to Raynor Winn.

Ereshkigalangcleg · 06/08/2026 20:29

BettyBooper · 06/08/2026 17:01

Why, yes. Mahatma Gandhi just signed.

😆

🤣 I love some good old open letter trolling, I wouldn’t dream of such a thing myself 😇 but I can vicariously enjoy