We're being hunted, say Edinburgh University lecturers

[SirTiffikate]

Academics at Edinburgh University claim they are teaching in a climate of fear with some lecturers allegedly “hunted down” because of their failure to comply with the “unchallengeable orthodoxy” of gender identity theory.

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/were-being-hunted-say-edinburgh-university-lecturers-86q37km8r?shareToken=851c16c6d42395d5e405368c26e4bf72&fbclid=IwAR0cfMQwbTQl0Ane9tBLJSNo04j5wEORMVlPiJ_nBqgizVW2pkyZpqc7ZQY

Thank you for the share token!

"Micro invalidations". Bloody hell, whatever next?!

A spokesman for Edinburgh University said it was “a safe place for difficult conversations,” adding: “We are committed to defending freedom of speech and expression, as long as it is carried out within the law and in a respectful manner.

Very good comment below the article:

If you're committed to defending freedom of speech, you do not demand it is done in a "respectful" manner, especially when you set yourself up as the arbiter of what is respectful. Otherwise you are - quite obviously - only committed to respectful speech on your terms.

Stonewall's evolution is perhaps symbolic: an organisation set up to fight intolerance against one group, it then broadens its remit to remain relevant and justify its further existence, and then becomes increasingly intolerant once it has gained a foothold.

It's a phenomenon seen many times in various guises. Once an organisation has been set up, the overriding purpose of that organisation is to perpetuate itself.

@BeanieSue

Thank you for the share token!

Sorry to be annoying, could someone please explain how to do a share token for the times when logged in on a laptop?

I keep trying and it never works I searched but there was only one thread about sharing it from an ipad using the share button.

Some great comments too.

Thanks for the share token. I’m glad it’s being reported on.

When I had a subscription I used to click on the email symbol and then the email with the link would pop up. From that email I could then copy and paste the share token. I’m not sure if that still works tho.

@BeanieSue

When I had a subscription I used to click on the email symbol and then the email with the link would pop up. From that email I could then copy and paste the share token. I’m not sure if that still works tho.

Thanks, I just tried that and I think it works. Cheers!

Charitably, what's meant by "respectful manner" is civil conversation, which should be the requirement/expected norm - should be no place for name calling, threats and abuse. This is how political discussions - and other discussions - should operate in general.

Unfortunately what it often comes down to is that they see any disagreement about the existence and importance of gender as hostile bigotry and an attack, so to be "respectful" to them is to kow-tow to all their ideas and suppress all dissent. You cannot respectfully disagree with them and argue for single-sex spaces and women's rights to define themselves and organise on the basis of sex, because they consider it "disrespectful" to not believe in gender identity and its trumping of biological sex, "disrespectful" to not claim that you can become a woman despite not being female, etc.

And when it comes to actually not behaving in a "respectful manner" in the sense of basic civility, I see that from the supporters of cancel culture/no-platforming/the gender crowd.

I've just come across a phrase in some scholarly stuff on education that I'm reading. The author suggests that a "safe space" is a space in which we feel safe to be uncomfortable, and feel safe to challenge others and be challenged by others.

I think that is genius, and I'm going to adopt it - that we need to feel safe to disagree and be disagreed with. That the world won't end, and that there won't be repercussions.

What do you vipers think?

what it often comes down to is that they see any disagreement about the existence and importance of gender as hostile bigotry and an attack

This is increasingly the issue, isn't it?

That people think that disagreeing with someone is being disrespectful ...

Unfortunately what it often comes down to is that they see any disagreement about the existence and importance of gender as hostile bigotry and an attack

I think you're right. I was told that any discussion which 'denies trans identities' (i.e. fails to accept the literal truth of the doctrine that transwomen are women) is not only disrespectful, but violent. If you give credence to that view you've ruled out any discussion.

I was going to start a masters at this uni in September.

I have deferred my place because of this nonsense. Decided to give it a year and will probably not take the place up because my research is linked to sex. Can't be arsed with this silliness, might go and do it in a different uni.

Doubt I'm alone.