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!

Has it got more like the students think they know more than the lecturer?

Ha ha, yes. And I will hold my hand up, I do learn things sometimes from my students. I lecture in a very fast moving, ever evolving field and sometimes as I spend all my time lecturing it can be hard to keep 100% up with some changes. I'm very happy to have discussions and learn about those sort of things.

But I'm not going to sit back and be told by anyone that having an opinion like JKR makes you a terf. I think my students are generally more sensible.

But I see a lot of Students Union type activity which does make me mentally roll my eyes. Posters, campaigns, etc.

@GCAcademic

Honestly, I wouldn't bother with her any more. But I would make a complaint to the department or the regular lecturer. As JoodyBlue points out, a humanities degree should foster critical thinking, not act as an opportunity for an activist to proselytise, citing dubious sources, while you get charged £9k for the privilege.

Hear hear. Also a lecturer. Sick of lack of critical discourse and the dystopian so called leftie right think and wrong think. Hate it.

Is this lecture recorded? I would be of the mind to send it to JKR and let her sue for slander

@EyesOpening I think that’s taking things a little far! Whatever happened to just talking (and listening!) to one another as a first option?! Blimey.

[quote Run1000km2021]@EyesOpening I think that’s taking things a little far! Whatever happened to just talking (and listening!) to one another as a first option?! Blimey.[/quote]
Well this person seems to be telling all their students that it’s a “fact”, in the name of education. The OP has emailed and the lecturer has stood by their assertation. A letter from a solicitor to the uni, instructing them that proceedings will be taken if this continues would probably be enough for the uni to take action against this kind of talk and possibly make them do something about the culture of silencing of dissenting opinions on this topic.

I don’t think it’s going to far because the lecturer should be accountable for what she says.

I would have felt I comfortable and unrepresented as a woman. I would feel that this lecturer has a very rigid world view, possible someone who wold be spiteful and ‘punish’ those who don’t agree.

HI All,
It's only tangentially related, but for those of us in universities and concerned about the climate for GC feminists - matters are not helped, of course, by the fact that so many universities have become Stonewall Champions.
HOWEVER - there is a wonderful and very easy campaign just launched, sending Freedom of Information requests to public bodies (including universities obvs) about their involvement with Stonewall.
It's a five minute cut-and-paste job.

legalfeminist.org.uk/2021/02/04/shining-a-light-on-stonewalls-activities/?_thumbnail_id=451

I've just done one for a uni other than my own and am hoping that before long somebody will come along to FOI my own. It honestly takes no time at all!

That’s so helpful. I found out recently my university (in the top 100 ranking) won’t be reapplying this year which is so reassuring especially as there are staff redundancies on the table. Otherwise I would be all over this (and may well be in the future).

well done. My son has started and run a debating club in his 6th form and has raised all these issues successfully and changed the culture a bit.
However, as a young man not emotion about the topic it's easier for him of course.

Its not a good idea to start creating an environment where universities receive solicitors letters for academics stating their opinion, even if the opinion is rigid or wrong. Academic freedom is also important & this really would have a chilling effect. I'm sure it wouldn't be a good idea to persue defamation action in this context given the small audience, the junior position of the academic. I don't believe for a second jkr would want to do it.

The stonewall foi thing is a clever initiative.

Please can I side-track us all with a confusing debate about whether a recorded lecture is slander or libel? Pleeeeeeease

Weighing in a bit late on this but here goes anyway. Early career academic here - I'm absolutely appalled (but sadly, not shocked) to read some of the experiences of students and other lecturers here. They very much coincide with mine. I used to consider gender studies my field but it's a joke now, so am actively distancing myself these days!

@Magpiemavis I admire your courage in emailing this totally unprofessional substitute lecturer. It is important we start pulling people up on this in higher education otherwise they assume everyone thinks the same way and it will become harder and harder for anyone to dissent. Honestly the fact that there is so much to fear in an environment where intellectual freedom should surely be defended... I despair!!

There is a new website for GC university staff and students.

gcacademianetwork.weebly.com/

Discussion thread here:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4159525-New-website-for-GC-university-staff-and-students

@Magpiemavis

I have no idea whether or not to respond to her, even if it is literally just to point out I don’t share her opinion. The response was a long list of reasons why JK Rowling was a transphobe, with the overarching tone being that of course I would agree with her on this.

I would email her a rebuttal to each of her long list of 'reasons' Be polite and open, use lots of logic and science (post the 'reasons' here and we can give you all the arguements you will need if you are unsure of any points). She will already have you pegged as 'on the other side' despite the tone of her email. A reasoned, detailed, well argued rebutle relying on facts will discourage her from trying to take you down imo.

Haven't rtft but as another poster said, lecturers should welcome debate.

I do! I love it when students come up with ideas, but I agree be careful.

[quote NonnyMouse1337]There is a new website for GC university staff and students.

gcacademianetwork.weebly.com/

Discussion thread here:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4159525-New-website-for-GC-university-staff-and-students[/quote]
www.gcacademianetwork.org/ is great at getting the message out there. awful stories.

OP @Magpiemavis did you get a response from the senior Lecturer?