University of Essex apologises to Jo Phoenix and Rosa Freedman for infringing their freedom of speech

[RoyalCorgi]

Both Rosa Freedman and Jo Phoenix had invitations to speak at the University of Essex rescinded because of their "transphobic" views.

The university's vice-chancellor has now conducted a review and concluded that the cancellations were wrong.

twitter.com/jophoenix1/status/1394604603300253696

seem to have NOT picked up on the stonewall thing

Am hoping its as they are going to do a larger expose or something. It will be interesting watching the woke decry it as obvious lies 'because its the mail', only to have it backed up from every possible source (bar stonewall themselves, and maybe Action for Trans Heath or some other such interesting characters too)

Don't despair headisfucked there's the Allison Bailey case and win or lose, the sunlight will be blinding

The Universities regulator OFS has said "This is a welcome report which demonstrates the importance of ensuring free speech is protected. We hope other universities and colleges find this report and its conclusions helpful in meeting their own obligations to protect free speech."

This is fantastic on many levels.

HeadIsFucked - I'm puzzled at that too. This ought to be HUGE in terms of reputational damage to Stonewall. It's essentially been found to have lied to the university about the law in two key areas (equalities legislation and hate crime), misleading the university to the extent that the university acted unlawfully.

We all know that Stonewall has been misleading, not just the University of Essex, but dozens of other universities, schools, NHS trusts etc. All of those organisations are potentially in breach of the law as a result of following Stonewall's guidance.

This ought to be bigger than Kids Company. Not quite sure why the Mail and Times haven't fully grasped what to me is the most important part of the story. The THE, bless 'em', did at least mention it.

Cardinallolzy where did you see that statement?

I went looking on their Twitter, it's on there. There's also a relevant blog post about free speech on their website
www.officeforstudents.org.uk/news-blog-and-events/blog/robust-but-civil-debate-how-the-ofs-protects-free-speech-on-campus/

This is the link to the tweet. twitter.com/officestudents/status/1394937774214635523?s=20

@CardinalLolzy

The Universities regulator OFS has said "This is a welcome report which demonstrates the importance of ensuring free speech is protected. We hope other universities and colleges find this report and its conclusions helpful in meeting their own obligations to protect free speech."

That could be a very very useful comment. It gives leaders of the nervous woke a strong get-out clause: 'We have no choice because our regulator tells us we have to do this'.

I think the media are terrified of criticising Stonewall as Stonewall are synonymous with gay rights. I think they worry that criticising them will be seen as homophobic and they are just too scared to go there.

Plus most media organisations are Stonewall champions....

@Theeyeballsinthesky

Plus most media organisations are Stonewall champions....

Interesting move from stonewall, they have hidden their list of organisations signed up as diversity champions. I'm sure it has nothing to do with this report, nothing at all.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4249184-Stonewall-hide-organisations-signed-up-as-Diversity-Champions

Very interesting.

A litle too late though I presume, given there are a shitload of FOI requests, to all of the Champions anyway, so a list would not be too hard to 'find'. Infact, wont the replies to them be coming in soon? Not heard of those since the list was completed..I am a little behind it seems.

I understand the 'not wanting to come off homophobic thing. I know a lot of gay people seem to still think stnewall advocate for same sex rights. But, it can be proven by their own words that the opposite is infact the case, and that something went very rotten, very quickly in regards to that?! They actively advcate against same sex rights now. To the point where they have even renamed same sex attraction as same gender, and there have been instances where recent CEO/staff have said blatantly homophobic things in the press, and even on the likes of social media. The proof is there, unless thats all being hidden away too. Which would be even more interesting.

Also, as an aside as it is anecdotal, almost all 'older gay people' I know seem to be well aware of the dodgy turn Stonewall has taken on matters to do with sex, including same sex attraction. It appears to be largely a younger 'queer' thing to be happy with them these days? And half the 'queer' lot appear to be hetersexual people who just want to feel included in something, which doesnt really look too grand. That could of course, be my circles rather than universal though. Its just been an interesting divide I have seen develop over the past 5 years or so of following this stuff and watching people, slowly but surely, see the problems.

Wondering now, if (assuming those I know are 'accurate-ish' recent stonewall knowledge wise) it would acually be seen as homophobic, to take the side of homosexual people who define themselves as homosexual, over 'queer' people who often are NOT homosexual...is interesting also!

I mean, even stuff like their open campaigning to have the rape by deception laws changed, because 'privacy for trans people' plays horrifically on paper surely..

There is the (perhaps too hopeful..) slight chance too, that they have hidden them, as they are haemorrhaging members quickly also, and that doesnt look good to others feeling uncertain about wether to continue trusting a company that has been proven to actively purposely lie about the law and potentially cause serious legal issues for those in its schemes..

HeadIs - I wonder if you've seen this great piece on the subject of same-sex attraction excerpted from Kathleen Stock's new book?

quillette.com/2021/05/18/lesbians-arent-attracted-to-a-female-gender-identity-were-attracted-to-women/

I havent yet, will read now..have been meaning to order that book, though I understand theres a bit infighting about certain aspects of it and much 'do not waste your money' stuff, which honestly, makes me want to buy it even more. Saying dont to me, on stuff like this is like a red rag to a bull in honesty

Great news.

Now, someone sort out Edinburgh Uni, please!

I wonder if Gendercriticalessex or anyone else can answer this - what is it that made Essex commission this review? How come they took that step when other uni's have had similar situations arise and haven't addressed the problem. It seems important to remember that some senior people decided to do this. What was going on there that isn't going on elsewhere?

Thanks for the links above to the office for students statement.

The Times have picked up the Stonewall bad advice angle. The statement from Stonewall at the end of the article beggars belief.

Stonewall ‘gave bad advice’ to university in free speech row

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/2bc11fae-b8d6-11eb-9a91-c8c89595f50e?shareToken=c33a75f94f45350170f507d29babfd10

I was going to link to that article too noneedtoexpelme
It's one of the top stories in the online edition too, very prominently placed.

@MidsomerMurmurs

From recommendation 28: If the university considers it appropriate to continue its relationship with Stonewall, it should develop a strategy for countering the drawbacks and potential illegalities described above

Sunlight! Very, very interesting to have this spelled out so clearly. Interesting to see how this intersects with the FOI requests about involvement with Stonewall in universities and other public bodies earlier this year.

Yes, sunlight.. thank you for this thread.

@ValancyRedfern

I think the media are terrified of criticising Stonewall as Stonewall are synonymous with gay rights. I think they worry that criticising them will be seen as homophobic and they are just too scared to go there.

Yep

@noneedtoexpelme @Igneococcus

Ooh can you share the text of the stonewall quote within that article on here, as I can't read the article?

Liz Ward of Stonewall said: “Our advice on the Equality Act is based on guidance provided by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which was recently reaffirmed in the High Court.”

@RoyalCorgi

Liz Ward of Stonewall said: “Our advice on the Equality Act is based on guidance provided by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which was recently reaffirmed in the High Court.”

Thank you!

Wow. Always someone else's fault, always semantics, always everyone else misunderstanding them. No Stonewall, we understand what you have done and we understand the comment re you advising based on what you'd like the law to be rather than what the actual law is.

No other charity could get away with the level of careless and inconsistent nonsense they spout.