Should I email my Uni Lecturer about this?

[Magpiemavis]

Hi all, long time lurker, first time poster!

I’m in my first year of a uni degree, and was just listening to one of my online uni lectures. I was quite stunned to hear the lecturer brand JK Rowling a transphobe. Having actually read JK Rowling’s open letter, would it be reasonable of me to email the lecturer and ask why they thought this was a reasonable thing to do?

Would really appreciate some outside views on this!

Hi all! Thank you soo much for your replies! I will email the lecturer and ask her to justify this, it’s come up previously and I am having that feeling of being uncomfortable in lectures!

For those interested, it’s a creative writing and English lit degree, so there’s obviously a strong link to feminism throughout!

@HubertHerbert are you me ? I too get the feeling that this subject really terrifies lectures, as it tends to be skirted round, and I too have trans classmates.

Let us know how you get on. I’m a lecturer and I’m always v careful not to assert my ‘political opinion’. Making an unsubstantiated (and false) claim is completely unacceptable.

The student body is wonderfully diverse and you never know who is sat in your audience.

If you are made to feel uncomfortable (read: unsafe in modern parlance) then I’d complain. I’m just getting too long in the tooth to tolerate bullying - and students are treated more like ‘customers’ these days aren’t they (you are paying £££ after all).

Not everything that says 'feminism' on the tin is actually advancing women's interests. You'll probably encounter a lot of bullsh*t feminism in your degree.

It's great that you have a critical mind - keep up the good work!

Is that the femanisn?

I would phrase it as an enquiring 'I'm just a bit confused', 'please could you help me understand' way. Send a link to the essay.

You'll probably get told that while it's not obviously transohobic, there are lots of dog whistles in the essay, ie it uses coded language.

It's such a difficult subject to broach. I'm currently preparing a presentation on something which would link really nicely to the sex/gender/trans debates but darent include it for fear of causing offence (also a lit student). It's difficult, have tw on my course and also someone who identifies non binary. Both are really vocal about the issues they face, both recieve a fuckton of sympathy and support. I stay fairly quiet because I know my views are vastly different to what everyone else is saying.

I'd definitely ask for clarification. I wouldn't personally as an UG as for sources as I would expect those to come as a matter of course. And I would also make sure you are 100% sure of what the university policy is on trans issues. Because as much as it would piss me off I wouldn't want to break some woke rulez and end up sanctioned.

Hi @Magpiemavis I think it is essential really because education is about understanding and not about parrotting a received view. I would ask where the evidence lies, as other posters have said, politely and rationally of course. There is support here if you are fobbed off. It might be the lecturer expects to be challenged and would welcome it. If you can't ask questions, the degree is not worth doing in my opinion.

and@Frouby, I really don't think it is difficult to argue that Rowling has been slandered by the mainstream press and repeatedly on social media.

I wouldn’t. I’ve had bad experiences with some stubborn “woke” professors. Emailing them on something like this could create bias against you when the mark your work. They could also spread bad rumours about you to other teachers. I’d keep my mouth shut and head down. In the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter what a professor thinks about the author of children’s books.

I generally feel that there is too much going to people's bosses, but I thought this was a good point:
"But actually, there are plenty of heads who don't think JKR is transphobic, and a student email can be enormously useful to them in helping to foster an academic environment that works for both trans allies and GC feminists."

I agree that it would be good to ask for a working definition of transphobia. The woke response is that we should listen to minorities & accept their assertion that something is 'phobic if they say it is. The problem is obviously members of the same minority will disagree on this. So, it would definitely be interesting to know what she thinks it is, to be able to say that JKR is it.

As a lecturer scared to raise my head above the parapet I'd love it if a representative from our student body challenged this

We're cheering you on @Magpiemavis !!

As a lecturer I can also say, although you may feel alone - you really are not. At least in my classes, which also have a gender, humanities tilt there are plenty of women students who are really interested in women's issues and who simply aren't interested or actively opposed to gender identity. Obviously, we don't sit around articulating these thoughts in the classroom, but there certainly are other students that feel like you - or at least there are in my uni (though I think it helps that we're not an elite institution and the students have bigger things on their plate than their gendered identity, like having got up at silly-o'clock to get an early shift in at wherever they work before getting to campus ...)

@frouby - the tongue-biting is very real. I teach a class where we look at Victorian medicine and at how ideas about women and madness (rooting mental illness in the disordered female body, especially reproductive system) led to actual surgeries on female bodies - to remove ovaries, clitoris and uterus etc. I've always taught this as the ideas come first (women's bodies are dominated by their reproductive system which is a cause of sickness and ill health); then come the actions... Obviously, the students are all pretty appalled and think this was bad medicine.

The parallel with today's situations is so striking. First the ideas about male/female brains, being born 'in the wrong body', the 'trans child' etc - then actual surgeries to slice off various female reproductive parts. It's eerily similar, but of course - I don't make this comparison to the students.

@PlanDeRaccordement

I wouldn’t. I’ve had bad experiences with some stubborn “woke” professors. Emailing them on something like this could create bias against you when the mark your work. They could also spread bad rumours about you to other teachers. I’d keep my mouth shut and head down. In the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter what a professor thinks about the author of children’s books.

But it the grand scheme of things it does matter that I feel I am being forced to keep my mouth clamped shut on something that I have a view on. With regards to bias, fortunately this lecturer is covering for our usual one whilst she is on research leave for a month.

Magpie, bear in mind that your lecturer is probably terrified of the trans lobby, who have even more power in universities than outside. They rule student unions and have lost dissident staff and researchers their jobs.

I'm a lecturer and I love it when students challenge me, it's what we are here for! And this year is so demoralising (cameras off, little interaction) that any student reaching out for a debate is fantastic.

But it the grand scheme of things it does matter that I feel I am being forced to keep my mouth clamped shut on something that I have a view on.

It’s good practice for the outside corporate world. You will one day have a bad line manager/upper management/HQs staff. Knowing when to pick your battles is a vital skill. I wouldn’t pick this one.

@thinkingaboutLangCleg

Magpie, bear in mind that your lecturer is probably terrified of the trans lobby, who have even more power in universities than outside. They rule student unions and have lost dissident staff and researchers their jobs.

If you're terrified of the trans lobby, you can simply keep your mouth shut. You don't have to take the opportunity to denounce people in your lectures. It is very easy to avoid calling JK Rowling a transphobe in a English literature lecture.

I'm afraid I wouldn't trust someone this unprofessional, OP, to engage with your concerns in a positive way. Those lecturers in this thread who are saying they are happy to be challenged are probably not the sort of people who would be denouncing wrong-thinkers in their lectures in the first place.

@dumpling23

We're cheering you on *@Magpiemavis* !!

As a lecturer I can also say, although you may feel alone - you really are not. At least in my classes, which also have a gender, humanities tilt there are plenty of women students who are really interested in women's issues and who simply aren't interested or actively opposed to gender identity. Obviously, we don't sit around articulating these thoughts in the classroom, but there certainly are other students that feel like you - or at least there are in my uni (though I think it helps that we're not an elite institution and the students have bigger things on their plate than their gendered identity, like having got up at silly-o'clock to get an early shift in at wherever they work before getting to campus ...)

@frouby - the tongue-biting is very real. I teach a class where we look at Victorian medicine and at how ideas about women and madness (rooting mental illness in the disordered female body, especially reproductive system) led to actual surgeries on female bodies - to remove ovaries, clitoris and uterus etc. I've always taught this as the ideas come first (women's bodies are dominated by their reproductive system which is a cause of sickness and ill health); then come the actions... Obviously, the students are all pretty appalled and think this was bad medicine.

The parallel with today's situations is so striking. First the ideas about male/female brains, being born 'in the wrong body', the 'trans child' etc - then actual surgeries to slice off various female reproductive parts. It's eerily similar, but of course - I don't make this comparison to the students.

The tongue biting is painful sometimes. Especially I think this year because so much interaction has been online in chat rooms and WhatsApp groups or facebook, I have to be very careful what I say because once it's out there it's out there. I'm pretty sure at least one of my lecturers has similar views to me and she teaches a similar module to what you do by the sounds of it. But I am a bit disappointed with the student response if trans issues are raised and was disappointed by the candidates personal statements when the elections for SU were held. The womens officer candidates were particularly disappointing as were the LGBT candidates.

I'm doing a dual hons degree, lit with philosophy and very much looking forward to the debates on the feminism/sex modules. I'm hopeful that there will be real debate not woke virtue signalling.

@GCAcademic
I'm afraid I wouldn't trust someone this unprofessional, OP, to engage with your concerns in a positive way. Those lecturers in this thread who are saying they are happy to be challenged are probably not the sort of people who would be denouncing wrong-thinkers in their lectures in the first place.

Exactly. You wrote it more eloquently than I have. My opinion is that OP shouldn’t engage on defending JK Rowling, she has enough defenders such that OP doesn’t need to fall on her sword and sacrifice her uni career prospects over this. This professor doesn’t sound reasonable minded at all, and probably deliberately said that as a way to fish for “transphobes” to hate on.

Could you ask them clearly what they mean by transphobic?

Ie world rugby has completed an enquiry into the safety of all competitors if males can compete in women’s rugby. Completing this safety report has been labelled transphobic. Is this what they mean?

Males are identifying as women and joining lesbian groups and dating websites. Some lesbians have been labelled transphobic for raising concerns. Is this what they mean?

98% of convicted sex offenders are male. Women who have raised concern about women’s prisons (rather than specific transgender units) have been labelled transphobic. Is this what they mean?

Swimming pool changing rooms contain naked 14 yr old girls. Some people who have raised concerns about Males having access to these spaces on the basis of identity have been labelled transphobic. Is this what they mean?

Face to face might be better.

[quote PlanDeRaccordement]@GCAcademic
I'm afraid I wouldn't trust someone this unprofessional, OP, to engage with your concerns in a positive way. Those lecturers in this thread who are saying they are happy to be challenged are probably not the sort of people who would be denouncing wrong-thinkers in their lectures in the first place.

Exactly. You wrote it more eloquently than I have. My opinion is that OP shouldn’t engage on defending JK Rowling, she has enough defenders such that OP doesn’t need to fall on her sword and sacrifice her uni career prospects over this. This professor doesn’t sound reasonable minded at all, and probably deliberately said that as a way to fish for “transphobes” to hate on.[/quote]
But sadly also this. There’s no shame in picking your battles

Unfortunately I think GCAcademic is right

@GCAcademic and @PlanDeRaccordement,

I think you’ve both got it right, although I’ve decided to send the email anyway. From a quick google and check of Twitter, I think I know exactly what response I’ll be getting - and it won’t be an open minded debate. “Lecturer” however is probably a bit strong - they’re a recent phd grad, covering a class. So fingers crossed I’m not going to face any fall out.

Thank god you emailed. Friend who is junior lecturer has appended ‘controversial’ to subject of gender as covert signal in hope that her students won’t go for woke as likely to find that kind of thinking on the particular subject she gave the lecture on if they read only a couple of the most recent articles.
There are gc students around ... should there be a secret handshake