For posterity - start of Women's Liberation 50th anniversary conference, transcript

[pombear]

Because it was so gob-smacking, and I wanted to keep it for posterity, in case it disappears from the live stream. As much as I could make out from the recording:

Initials used :

Tracey Walsh (TW) organiser, at lectern
Cathy (C) organiser, at lectern
Dr Katherine Bradley (KB) at lectern
Julie Bindel (JB) (in the audience)

Part One

TW: The emphasis is this is a safe space for people to come and talk. Nobody has been banned from the event, nobody has been asked not to come, it’s open to everybody, it’s an inclusive…

JB: How about Selina Todd? Selina Todd was de-platformed less than 24 hours before this event

TW: OK..

JB: As someone who’s been de-platformed for 16 years because of this nonsense. I’m telling you this is cowardly capitulation. We do not do this to other feminists. Everyone in this room knows (applause) When we have a woman who is not a member of the National Front, she’s not a fascist. She is not Hitler. How can we do this to women who have given their lives to advocate for disenfranchised women, I do not know. It’s a disgrace, and I’m sick of this cowardice, and you should hang your heads in shame for giving in to this lot.

TW: OK, OK, thank you for your, and of course you are entitled to your opinion. And I just want to say that it’s a space for people to have…Selina Todd was very welcome to be here. She was asked to be here,

JB: No she’s not, she was…not when you’ve been told you’re not allowed to speak.

TW: I will talk to people if you want to talk about this afterwards but I don’t want to detract…

JB: No one wants to hear us…Selina Todd speaking

? : She was speaking on behalf of the History department, she was not a speaker on any panel.

JB: …she was on the programme

TW: She was, right so, just just to clarify Selina was here as a delegate and was, and asked if she could say something, say thank you on behalf of the er History Faculty, in a professional capacity.

JB: so why did you feature her on the programme?

Yes I have to say that if I were a young writer with a new book to promote, and crafting a piece that would inevitably find its way onto social and mainstream media, then I really think I would have taken a little more care.

if I were a young writer with a new book to promote

What serendipity that disrupting a landmark anniversary conference can serve the agenda of those with a book to promote.

Very young. And privileged enough to never have to accept or deal with the consequences of what happened.

Ugh, what a mess.

The organisers could be forgiven for being concerned at the possibility of all their hard work going down the drain as their speakers were decimated (were they tho? How many?), but that, in itself, IS the issue.

Hearing women.

Picking up the phone to say to Selina, 'um, sorry about this but...' should have started the deafening alarm bells, the klaxons, the instant recognition. All of it.

After 50 years, you'd think it would.

And huge thanks to pombear and everyone else for making this so accessible.

Yes sorry I forgot to say 'thank you' Pombear

In that pic of the conference programme there seemed to be other names redacted. Does anyone know who they are and what their story is?

One of the redacted names is Selina Todd's head of department, another is one of her PhD students.

conference programme there seemed to be other names redacted.

That's part of the overall stupidity and mixed message - nobody knows if they were absent because they refused to appear at something to which Selina had been invited or because she had been no-platformed.

However, I have no doubt that those with a particular agenda were always going to withdraw on the eve of the conference and disrupt it. It seems that none of those who withdrew for their cause (ie, opposed to Selina) notified the organisers but announced their decisions via 3rd parties on social media the afternoon before.

I too noticed how small that conference seemed and was amazed. I suspect the organisers are a bit inexperienced and naive.

One of the redacted names is Selina Todd's head of department, another is one of her PhD students.

Maybe a thank you card to the head of department would be appropriate.

Thanks @pombear

One of the redacted names is Selina Todd's head of department, another is one of her PhD students.
Thanks GCAcademic

I’ve heard Prof. Todd say that her HoD is supportive of her, if somewhat uncertain about the politics. Although after this event, no one could remain unsure about the political lines drawn - a faction of opinion opposed to academic freedom and lawful free speech.

And I know that emails or written notes/cards to her HoD about this are noted, and appreciated.

Thank you Pombear