UCL - Marie Stopes

[tobeforgotten]

UCL is currently agonising over whether some of its alumni (especially Galton who was the father of genetics) should no longer have buildings (etc) named after them.

I just wanted to draw to this board's attention that Marie Stopes (who no doubt held some bonkers/bad views) is on the hit list in case anyone is concerned/wishes to make representations as to her achievements and what she has done for women.

www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/13/ucl-inquiry-row-historical-racism-science-pioneers-rename-college-buildings

or even just wants to talk about it!

Interesting. 15 years ago when I was still at school, for one my subjects we got to attend a special course at the UCL. I remember having a conversation with the guy who lead the course. We (me and classmates) were talking about the part of London we are from and our school and how culturally and ethnically diverse it is. He said that in that university and some others near by they had a racism problem. A bit of a racism culture was how it came across. (I hope I can't get in trouble for saying this, I don't know if it's true I'm just saying what he said). I am wondering if this is still the case.

I don't agree with "erasing" the past. I think if anything keeping the names of buildings named after them could provide a good starting point on talking about some of those people's ideas and beliefs and how absurd and morally wrong (hopefully) things such as eugenics are to most of us today.