Oxford students going after Jenni Murray (again)

[Candidpeel]

The History Society’s has invited her to talk on the topic of “Powerful British Women in History and Society”

The Student Union LGBTQ+ and the Womens Campaign () are calling for her to be no platformed for wrong-think and wrong-speak. She does not believe that transwomen are ‘real women'...and has "uncritically encouraged her readers to question whether trans women and girls should be allowed to use single-sex spaces such as changing rooms and bathrooms, whether trans girls should be allowed to join Girlguiding."

As we know from the Women Ask Questions survey 60% of the UK public agree with Murray, another 25% don't know and only 15% are on board the TWAW bus.

This presumably extends to most lecturers and guest speakers at Oxford . But they keep going after Jenni Murray .

www.facebook.com/lgbtqoxford/posts/2172563253018911?tn=C-R

posted 7 November 2018
7:58 PM

Spectator, James Kirkup, 'Oxford is right not to back down in the Jenni Murray transphobia row'

concludes:
"For those remarks, Murray must, of course, be cast into the outer darkness forever; nothing should ever be heard from her again, on any subject. Never mind that the Oxford event in question is a broad one about “Powerful Women in History”. Never mind that it will see Murray be questioned about her positions and views, explaining and answering for them. The mere fact that she once said something some people didn’t like means that hosting her and allowing her to speak (about any topic) is a harmful and transphobic act, at least according to our excitable young friends at Oxford.

There’s nothing new or surprising about this, of course. It’s just part of the same old story that’s seen those women I mentioned above face attempts to make them shut up. It’s also grimly consistent with the anti-intellectual, anti-evidence approach taken by rather too many people at universities and which has been described eloquently by Prof Kathleen Stock and colleagues here.

Murray isn’t – at the time of writing anyway – being barred from Oxford. The event in question is going ahead. The history society says it stands by the invite, saying:

“Jenni Murray was invited for her prominent role as presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Women’s Hour, as well as for her historical writings. As a society we condemn any transphobia and do not necessarily endorse the views of our speakers.”

And the university itself has said the event should happen, even though some people are upset about it:

“Oxford is committed to supporting the University’s transgender students and staff and to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment that promotes equality and diversity. We are also committed to freedom of expression, and this event is entirely suitable for a student society.”

So while this is a familiar story, it has a different and surprisingly cheering ending. Oxford University has decided to stand up to the small, unrepresentative mob of “activists” who don’t like women who say things they don’t agree with. In this, Oxford is setting a good example. Others should follow."
blogs.spectator.co.uk/2018/11/oxford-is-right-not-to-back-down-in-the-jenni-murray-transphobia-row/

How will the students cope with real life after they graduate? Someone might not agree with them sometime. They are in for a few shocks, with no safe spaces.

They'll probably just finely hone their bullying skills & carefully select careers in environments that will bend over backwards to them.

Jesus wept. Oxford University, teach your man children some critical thinking skills, for the love of God. I know it was years since I was there but what on earth have you been doing in the meantime to nurture such a bunch of thick, whiny, misogynists? This is seriously damaging to your reputation of a place of thought - let alone free thought.

*reputation for being, obvs. Blinded by the rage.

According to James Kirkup she has since pulled out of the event (Telegraph reporting).

JM has?

No platforming Jenny Murray is a new level of silly.

The Oxford Union once had a respected reputation for intelligent debate. A piece of history, Ian Paisley v. Bernadette Devlin back in 1967, in the midst of the Troubles. It was electric. Not even in anyone's mind to no platform it.

Decades later, the Oxford Union is just an "echo chamber"

I know I'm late to the party and everyone's said it better, but this:

[she] uncritically encouraged her readers to question

if some of you who may be reading this thread, whohave been given access to study at one of the top 'thinking critically' universities are able to churn out a statement like that?

You need to check who you are, where you are.

If you can't think critically, and understand where this path you're forging by this action, against Jenni in this case, may take you and others in the future, I truly fear for the echelons of acdemia in the future.

Engage your fucking brain.

They are getting an absolute roasting on twitter. Sad to hear Jenni has pulled out. I hope she knows she has lots of support.

twitter.com/OxfordSU_LGBTQ/status/1059772587482533888?s=19

James Kirkup's article:

blogs.spectator.co.uk/2018/11/even-oxford-university-cant-save-jenni-murray-from-the-transgender-activist-mob/

The Jenni Murray travesty is in the Times this morning, complete with the excellent hot chocolate and baked goods quote from Twitter.

Woman’s Hour host accused of transphobia pulls out of Oxford talk

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/1c081ef0-e2d7-11e8-9838-efa7e96cbe2b

“Dame Jenni Murray has pulled out of a talk at Oxford university after LGBTQ+ students claimed that the presence of the Woman’s Hour presenter “compromised the welfare” of transgender students and staff.”

I love that first sentence - it just lets the crazy speak for itself.

Had she planned to take a weapon perhaps? Small nuclear in her handbag perhaps?

Are these young adults really that pathetic? God help them in the real world with real people. I suppose they will be easy to spot in the office though - they will be the ones sitting on the floor in the corner of the office sticking their thumbs.

Does anyone have a sharetoken for that Times article please?

Yes Twitter response on this and the stonewall post have been very encouraging.

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/woman-s-hour-host-accused-of-transphobia-pulls-out-of-oxford-talk-k58pmbcgb?shareToken=05dedf9ff8b21cf1eaa21b75da46fbbd

Twitter is cheering me up at the moment: Stonewall, Sam Levin, even the blessed Glenn Greenwald all getting their arses handed back on a plate, and now our brightest and finest LGBTQ society too. Well played world.

Am I the only person to be a bit pissed off with the “hot chocolate and baked goods” quote-even though it’s funny? Murray is a sharp and insightful woman with plenty to say- it seems a bit ...diminishing.. to me.

Thank you R0wantrees
I'm just reading the LGBTQ statement in the Times link.

“Her views, which clearly reflect a lack of engagement with the vast majority of actual trans people, and are in sum deeply harmful to trans women and trans feminine people, contributing to and exacerbating the harassment, marginalisation, discrimination and violence that they already face."
Eh?

1. What does "actual trans people" even mean? Surely not a smattering of privileged hooray Henrys, with their vintage local charity shop frocks, making ducky red lips on Twitter.

1. "Trans women and trans feminine people". What's happened to trans men? They always get the crumbs here, in this ill considered rhetoric. Are they facing erasure?

Agree - but really confused about the total absence of TRAs, death threats etc. Where have they gone?

2. "Trans women and trans feminine people". What's happened to trans men? They always get the crumbs here, in this ill considered rhetoric.

Transmen have 'privilege' as they are men. They therefore must prioritise the experience of 'transwomen, transfemme' since to not do would be transmisogyny.

In NUS LGBTQ+ societies etc there has been considerable focus on this dynamic with female transmen been excluded from services and spaces etc by male transwomen/femme students.

Sorry, cross posted Bertrand
I agree re the hot choc and baked goods.

As an older woman, I squirmed a bit on that one.
Jenni is an articulate, bold, and intelligent woman. I imagine she can be quite fearsome. Not a cuddly stereotype Gran. She doesn't sit there reading " A Book at Bedtime" to us over the wireless.

Although I would quite like that.....

This whole business about the poor little white male middle-class students of Oxford University being frightened of a middle-aged woman like Jenni Murray is, as we all know, bollocks. Not sure if it's been discussed elsewhere on here, but Lionel Shriver did a brilliant article in the Speccie this week about how the "snowflake" label is misguided: we all know that these nasty young men who pretend to be frightened, or to feel unsafe, or to have hurt feelings, are no such thing. They're just nasty bullies, out to shut people up.

Remember the gathering in support of Linda Bellos and Venica Allan outside Westminster Court? The TRAs didn't turn up to it because they thought they'd be "unsafe". What utter horseshit. We all know that middle-aged, highly-educated women are probably the least violent, least aggressive demographic in society. This whining about feeling unsafe is absolute crap, and we all know it.

It is as always about power.

Transmen have 'privilege' as they are men. They therefore must prioritise the experience of 'transwomen, transfemme' since to not do would be transmisogyny

Right, I'm following this flawed and warped thinking now.
So, we must all disregard the fact that they were born female, and were treated by Society as female in childhood and their lived experiences. Blimey!

I'm lost for words for a while, and my head hurts