The Times - smear campaign by trans lecturer at Goldsmiths

[tiredandweary]

The Times reporting on the smear campaign against academics run by 'Natacha Kennedy' of Goldsmiths. Given how movingly women academics have written here about the fear and intimidation they experience working in universities, how good to see the source of the bullying exposed. share token:

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/trans-goldsmiths-lecturer-natacha-kennedy-behind-smear-campaign-against-academics-f2zqbl222?shareToken=c2e850050d0c9913ecbcbbb9b0e9ccfb

And a brilliant article by Janice Turner about dangerous trans rapists in women's jails:
www.thetimes.co.uk/article/trans-rapists-are-a-danger-in-women-s-jails-5vhgh57pt?shareToken=a5c5b379f8c0f6ccd446176a676344e6

So pleased that I took out a subscription to the Times.

[ErrolTheDragon]

That'll be the 'peer review'. Gives it 'credibility' 

Well, no, not that bad.

The actual paper referred to is in this, if anyone is interested

https://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/11289170/iav607530020102.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAIWOWYYGZ2Y53UL3A&Expires=1536412548&Signature=%2FW0WQJ0HKh9Ow4D0EFK3CibiEFQ%3D&response-content-disposition=inline%3B%20filename%3DTransgenderr_childrenmoreethanaa_theoret.pdf#page=26


The 'contributors' section only lists Kennedy, not Hellen. Although it's not transparent(it should have been made explicit in the contributor section for Kennedy if they're one and the same person) , it may be that the paper itself had to have both names listed as author as it references a paper by 'Hellen' and one by 'Kennedy'. I don't know if there's any established convention for handling this situation (though I suppose it's not too different in a way from a woman who has published in different names due to marriage)

[TheCountessofFitzdotterel]

'Mark Hellen is another man who got appointed lecturer without a PhD.

I have never heard of this happening to women.'

It was actually pretty common in the area I used to work in (not education but related). It was a vocational course and people would be appointed for their professional experience and workplace-based research and would do a PhD as part of career development once in post.

[borntobequiet]

I think fae - which is another word for fairy - is linked to Ada Lovelace, the mathematician (and daughter of Byron), who was interested in fairies when young and attempted to make wings so she could fly. She wrote a book called Flyology.
Ada worked with Charles Babbage on his computing engine and is considered to be the earliest exponent of mathematical programming. (There is a modern programming language, Ada, named after her.)
Ada also seems to be a popular TRA name. Many TRAs work in IT.
OTOH, I may have misremembered/dreamt all this.

[silentcrow]

Bloody annoying appropriation if so - Ada Lovelace Day is specifically for celebrating women in STEM. findingada.com/

As a very distant relative I am irritated.

[miri1985]

DM is reporting on it too but nothing new, just a repeat of The Times article
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6145781/University-researcher-asked-Facebook-group-circulate-list-academics-disagreed-her.html

[UndercoverGC]

I've been asked or assumed to be trans many times. Short hair, baggy clothes, not the most femme.

[ChattyLion]

I am old and confused but what is the marker of anyone’s trans identity EXCEPT for visual presentation? Like literally what else is involved?

What should this Polly have said or done differently? I’m not getting what the problem is. I find the whole Look at me! Don’t Look at me! a bit tiring.

‘Polly felt free to ask Jen whether or not she was a service user of a GIDS on the basis of her presentation alone, with no other information.’

[FloralBunting]

That's gender expression. Gender identity is the internal feelings that are deep down, known for sure only by the individual, and are extremely difficult to quantify beyond "I just know."

Think of it like inner woo. The man next to you on the train may be wearing the three piece pin stripe suit and carrying a brief case, but those markers are all about expression, and inside, his identity may actually be a shy, yielding transgirl.

If I could be arsed to link them, there are a number of videos on YouTube that go into this distinction in incredibly tedious detail, and I guarantee you will be no clearer by the end of watching them. But there will probably be fairy lights on screen, and they usually have quirky three second theme tunes played on ukeleles.

[R0wantrees]

Julie Bindel has shared an article which includes correspondance by Natacha Kennedy, Jane Fae about their lobbying of the Royal College of Psychiatrists to 'shut down a conference discussing transgender issues'
(Also demonstrates close working with Jess (editor of Pink News)
uncommon-scents.blogspot.com/2011/04/email-correspondence-with-royal-college.html

NB the 'eminent psych' is Dr Az Hakeem who has edited and contributed to the recently published book:
'TRANS: Exploring Gender Identity and Gender Dysphoria, a guide for everyone including professionals'
www.amazon.co.uk/TRANS-Exploring-Identity-Dysphoria-Pulling-ebook/dp/B079NHQ5H5?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

Julie Bindel tweet: twitter.com/bindelj/status/1038361263078813697

[SunsetBeetch]

So I'm guessing that there's a connection to this?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3340473-List-of-Universities-where-the-crazy-has-not-yet-set-in

[BettyDuMonde]

Was out campaigning in person for Fair Play for Women for the first time today - met a young woman who had been part of a resistance at Durham Uni to keep toilets sex segregated. Well done, Durham Women undergrads and postgrads!

[Awayfromitall]

Had to buy a paper copy of the Times to read this - grim reading, and glad this was exposed.

The article had a screenshot from Facebook in which Kennedy says that his list of 'transphobes' is necessary because universities are currently going through clearing.

Interesting how it's so often under the guise of 'but we have to help trans students' that this kind of bullying and smearing proceeds. I have seen this myself and find it very dubious and self-serving, to put it politely.

[picklemepopcorn]

Pah...

Replying to
@markiplayerz
, and
@hexpositivee
For people confused about he/him lesbians - my little brother is one. He identifies as a trans girl but he’s only 11 and isn’t comfortable switching his pronouns over yet. He likes girls. Therefore, he’s a he/him lesbian. Thank you for your time.

Sorry, got lost along the way...

[SunsetBeetch]

Hmmmmn so they were behind the list of "bad universities" that was circulated? If any student turned down a place at a good university because of this, they should be ashamed.

[SunsetBeetch]

Shut the free-thinking adults up and brainwash the young people. Grand plan.

[NameChangedAgain18]

If any student turned down a place at my university because of this, they’re the kind of student I’m happy to do without.

[Iscreamforbenandjerrys]

Fae
A fae is usually considered a young faery. It seems in most ancient literature, faes are most commonly under the ages of 13 or 14 years. In legends, the fae is usually described as "young and mischievous." There are a lot of modern uses for "fae" now though almost none are accurate to the traditional beliefs of the past.

[ErrolTheDragon]

I googled fae, it seems to have acquired quite a number of alternative meanings, but my favourite courtesy of the urban dictionary was 'fae fae' - a sad,sad person.

[R0wantrees]

Is the Bristol (all departments) a response to the disciplinary investigation of the student Nic Shall?

May 2018 From the thread below there is an open letter of support from 'feminist academics', which also smeared WPUK to the Vice Chancellor of Bristol University.
(Natacha Kennedy is a signatory)


//openletterbristol.wordpress.com/

"Dear Professor Brady,

As feminist scholars, we are writing to express our concern at the news that disciplinary procedures have been initiated against a PhD student who petitioned against a discriminatory event associated with the University of Bristol.

The student, Nic Shall, wrote a petition opposing an event organised by the anti-trans campaign group “A Woman’s Place”. Shall has been accused by the Vice Chancellor’s office of writing a letter containing false information, attempting to suppress the free speech of fellow students, and bringing the university into disrepute. They have been threatened with expulsion.

We believe that the disciplinary action against Shall represents an attack on the democratic right to free expression, and that it is this action that brings the University of Bristol into disrepute. The student in question is, in effect, being threatened with expulsion for writing a petition. If the University of Bristol is to uphold the principle of free speech and encourage political debate, then students and staff must be afforded the right to openly express their principled opposition to bigotry and discrimination.

We further insist that Shall’s letter did not contain false information in stating that “A Women’s Place” provide a platform for hate speech. This group is committed solely to campaigning against trans rights, as enshrined in legislation such as the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and the Equality Act 2010. Speakers at events hosted by “A Women’s Place” have propagated ignorant and harmful narratives through the use of offensive stereotypes, drawing a false dichotomy between trans rights and women’s rights, and misrepresenting both empirical research and current laws. The group has thereby played a role in creating moral panic about trans people’s role in public life, and contributed to atmosphere of fear and shame among trans people.

Finally, we believe that the right to free speech must be balanced with a responsibility to promote respect and justice for all. The University of Bristol Equality and Diversity Policy states that the University aims to create an inclusive environment that respects the diversity of its staff and students. It further commits to complying with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010, which include a duty to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. The University of Bristol holds an Athena SWAN bronze award and is a Stonewall Diversity champion; both schemes require that the institution actively uphold the right of trans students and staff to participate in academic life on a free and equitable basis.

In threatening Shall with expulsion and offering tacit support to an openly anti-trans event, the University of Bristol has demonstrated that it does not provide an environment in which trans students and staff can reasonably participate in fair and open political debate. Both actions clearly violate the principles of the University’s Equality and Diversity policy, as well as the Athena SWAN charter and Stonewall Diversity Champion scheme.

As such, we hope that the Vice Chancellor’s office will act swiftly to dismiss the disciplinary against Nic Shall, and apologise for the hurt caused to trans students and staff by the institution’s position on the “A Woman’s Place” event."

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3259500-Trans-Student-Faces-Expulsion-from-Univeristy-of-Bristol

WPUK response:
womansplaceuk.org/womans-place-bristol-university/

April 2018 Bristol University statement about free speech:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3233018-Freedom-of-Speech-A-statement-by-the-Chair-of-the-Universitys-Equality-Diversity-and-Inclusion-Group

[hackmum]

Cracking article by Lucy Bannerman - excellent piece of research; full, intelligent quotes from the female academics; absolutely incisive reporting.

Of course we've known for ages, haven't we, that Natacha and Mark co-authored that paper - I first saw it mentioned on this board months ago.

Goldsmiths, in my view, have a lot to answer for. Why are they allowing one of their staff to co-author articles with himself? Why is he listed under two different names in their staff directory? Why is being allowed to carry out a campaign of misogynistic bullying against distinguished female academics?

[SPOFS]

Has anyone posted this on the main boards yet? I want to, but I want to check there isn't one already.

[gendercritter]

For people confused about he/him lesbians - my little brother is one. He identifies as a trans girl but he’s only 11 and isn’t comfortable switching his pronouns over yet. He likes girls. Therefore, he’s a he/him lesbian. Thank you for your time.

Huh?

[gendercritter]

Which really does feed into my increasing conviction

I think you're spot on. Very good post.

[gendercritter]

Er I didn't copy enough of your text! Sorry It was the post saying it's a neo-religion

[gendercritter]

Which really does feed into my increasing conviction that TRAism is a sort of parasite neo-religion, which is why do many of it's adherents are impervious to rational argument. It's feeding on the religious impulse in human nature which bypasses the part of the brain that accepts simple facts and allows for the acceptance of wildly outlandish, even contradictory things.

This!!!