Profile of academic trans lobby desperate to silence

[BovaryX]

There is a great Telegraph article about Professor Selina Todd which describes the ongoing attempt to silence her and prevent her feminist analysis from being heard. It is given prominent coverage and Selina Todd presents herself as the latest in a long line of feminists battling for women's rights. It is quite extraordinary that on the eve of International Women's day in the UK, the dictionary definition of women is deemed 'hate speech.' It is great that the media are pursuing this story and highlighting the authoritarian irrationality of this lobby's activists.

She has been branded “transphobic”, found herself no-platformed, aggressively trolled and threatened with violence. Two security guards have been drafted in by university bosses to protect her during lectures. Why? Because militant trans- activists are targeting female academics who dare to disagree with their world view; namely that sex is not a valid descriptor and should be abolished as a legal identity, to be replaced by self-described gender

www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/selina-todd-academic-trans-lobby-desperate-silence/

The focus of my research is women’s history,” says Prof Todd. “I believe in robust evidence and have come to the conclusion that I agree with the legal and traditional definition of men and women according to their biological sex.“Throughout history women have been treated differently because of their actual or potential roles as mothers. They have been discriminated against in ways that men are not; biology matters. If we don’t define woman and men as separate sexes, then how do we categorise them?”

It is great that the media are pursuing this story and highlighting the authoritarian irrationality of this lobby's activists

At last. I feel there isn't the change in other countries, hopefully it's just a matter of time.

Great that it's shining some light on this. Do the Telegraph do share tokens? I can only see the first few lines.

Selina Todd's interview with Emma Barnett on R5 this week was fantastic, clear, measured, just brilliant.

igmum
Sadly the Telegraph doesn't seem to do share tokens, but I think you can register and get access to a few articles.

Here is the concluding part of the article. The final sentence is not only indicative of the Telegraph's support for Selina Todd, but it is a far more accurate representation of public opinion on this topic than the shouty activists who dominate Twitter.....

It’s an emotive subject and boundaries are being pushed. For the average citizen it can be hard to understand why long-held principles are being disputed. Take British journalist Fred McConnell, born a woman, who transitioned into a man but kept his reproductive organs in order to conceive a child and give birth. He recently lost a lengthy court battle to be recognised as the father of his son, rather than his mother and plans to appeal the decision. In the current climate it’s a brave commentator who would question his motives or mindset. It’s that sort of creeping self censorship that Prof Todd and her peers are seeking to challenge. She is due to appear at further events, including one at the University of Kent, which has already met with opposition, again from trans-activists even though she would be discussing her biography of the late pioneering playwright Shelagh Delaney. “This has all been difficult,” Prof Todd admits. “The onslaught from keyboard warriors on social media can be upsetting and isolating but I am proud to belong to a history faculty that supports women’s history. “I’m just the latest generation of a feminist movement that leads back to Mary Wollstonecraft and our strength comes from being part of a collective. I need to speak out, to keep speaking out.” It is in all our interests that she does

Thanks for the link - very good article on both Selina Todd and the wider assault on free speech.

I've registered with the Telegraph for a few free reads a week and recommend it. Admittedly I'm not seeing the whole range of articles but, from what I'm reading, the standard is high and, when I need a break from it all, the sport and fashion are pretty good too.

Slight derail but I've noticed the comments are overwhelmingly from men or at least male names. Is that a reflection of the readership does anyone know?

floisme
Yes, I like the fashion and beauty section too, I like their reviews of new products. I googled its demographic, but the statistical site is subscription based. Dunno, I imagine the readership is about 50/50 female/male? I think it is attracting a more politically diverse readership because of the dismal state of the Guardian....

Admitting you read the Telegraph used to be akin to admitting you were in favour of being racist, sexist and all the other -ists. A friend advised me not to admit I read the Telegraph in job interviews. But I always loved the crossword, the motoring pages and the letters, especially when you were able to read the comments in the letters.

And they did an excellent job is exposing the MPs' expenses scandal.

I'm glad we're allowed to like the Torygraph again, the country did vote for the Tories rather than Labour.

Apols for typos 🙄

And they did an excellent job is exposing the MPs' expenses scandal.I'm glad we're allowed to like the Torygraph again, the country did vote for the Tories rather than Labour.

Well said. Absolutely agree. Also, given the Guardian's penchant for refusing to report news it seems 'problematic,' if you don't read an eclectic mix of newspapers, you will remain ignorant about what is actually going on.

Thanks BovaryX. That's an excellent article.
The press are meant to report the news - even uncomfortable issues, albeit with their particular political slant (as opposed to the BBC who are meant to be politically neutral but have somehow become the mouthpiece for those wishing to "trans" children).
I was listening to Andrew Doyle of Titania McGrath fame speaking about the Amber Rudd no platforming issue on Sky News this morning and he spoke about how people claiming to feel "unsafe" were simply being exposed to alternative opinions - a bit like all those in meltdown at Suzanne Moore article.