Essex University have apologised for The Reindorf Report

[Leafstamp]

www.essex.ac.uk/blog/staff/posts/2021/07/02/our-commitment-to-our-trans-and-non-binary-community

Some commentary here:

mobile.twitter.com/MForstater/status/1411341590589849601

Very disappointing. Which is an understatement.

On another thread a while back someone mentioned a book about how being fragile how come to be seen as a positive thing. Does anyone know the name of it please? (Speaking of the fragile egos of some students...)

The Coddling of the American Mind?

www.amazon.co.uk/Coddling-American-Mind-Intentions-Generation/dp/0141986301/?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

It started life as an article in The Atlantic -

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/09/the-coddling-of-the-american-mind/399356/

I wonder what actually happened at Essex University before the report was commissioned? It strikes me that someone was tenacious enough to say enough of this, knew that the University was breaching the law and brought in an external expert to say what they knew couldn't be said by the university itself.
I think the apology could well be a smart move in damage limitation without actually giving very much away. Staff and students in leadership roles should be trained, I've no complaints in providing better mental health care and support for vulnerable students and saying people will be consulted is an easy thing to say.
Essex University put the cat knowingly in amongst the pigeons by commissioning the report.

Essex University put the cat knowingly in amongst the pigeons by commissioning the report.

Maybe they were confident that their policies and procedures were lawful, and commissioned the report in the sure knowledge that it would back up their actions? When it didn't they assumed the report must be wrong, not them? (Cynical)

Only people inside would know that. I'm just speculating about the possibility of a deliberate sleight of hand.

It's what I would do! I will sometimes seek a second opinion at work from someone more senior or a solicitor (relevant to my work) even if I am 100% sure because it holds a different weight to 'just' my opinion. Plus if I have to use it to convey an unwanted decision, it's gives both greater plausibility and a little distance from me personally.

“ I have been asked to provide a number of apologies...”
Cue a long list of golden cleric paybacks.

Perhaps an apology should be elicited for women who ‘have been made to feel unsafe as a result of’ this statement from the VC?

Apologies - shared by Maya Forstater: who says

In Monty Python and the Holy Grail llama credits style, you would expect the apology (to Akua Reindorf) to be along soon...

Who does this? Commission a report, publish it, & then shit on the person who did a perfectly good job by apologising for it..?

twitter.com/MForstater/status/1411353934170673153?s=20

There's lots of background detail in the sex matters summary, available here:

sex-matters.org/posts/the-workplace/the-reindorf-review-a-wake-up-call-for-universities/

He's the same guy who wrote this:

www.essex.ac.uk/blog/posts/2021/05/17/review-of-two-events-with-external-speakers

One of these apologies is insincere.

The report recommended:

The University should set up a Working Group to devise and implement a strategy for repairing relationships between trans and nonbinary University members and those with gender critical views, in particular women. In doing so it should bear in mind its duty to pay due regard to the need to foster good relations between people with particular protected characteristics and others. The Working Group should consult as widely as possible with individual members of the University, staff and student groups, the Inclusion Champions, Human Resources, Student Wellbeing and Inclusion Services and the Students’ Union. It should enable University members to contribute to the development of this strategy in a strictly confidential environment or anonymously.

In response, the uni proposed 'action 10' -

10 Consult with the community to devise and ensure implementation of a strategy for repairing relationships amongst University members.

Which is all very vague, doesn't mention trans and non-binary, doesn't mention those with gender critical views, in particular doesn't mention women.

Then they do this.

Maybe we shouldn't be impatient. I'm sure that a similarly groveling apology to women will be published any day now.

@AnotherLass

He's the same guy who wrote this:

www.essex.ac.uk/blog/posts/2021/05/17/review-of-two-events-with-external-speakers

One of these apologies is insincere.

My money's on both of them being insincere.

Hold on a sec.
So if he says the law is wrong.

Then he believes that women with certain views, should not be allowed to speak in public about ANYTHING?

Does this apply to everything?

And who decides what views mean that the person must never speak in public, the law needs to be changed to say that.

That is what his words mean in practice isn't it?

Reported in Guardian today.
One step forward and one back isn't it atm.
If only the VC grew a pair and told their students to do likewise!
No wonder people consider students snowflakes with all this safe space nonsense.
(I'm all for being kept safe from violence, but as for being 'kept safe' from people with different opinions its pathetic and immature. The mature route would actually be to engage and debate their point of view wouldn't it. Hmm..)

God thats so pathetic, Im actually cringing for them.

Embarrassing for the university that they've apologised. Depressing for us.

Also, what the actual fuck do they have on all these people?
Is it hard drives? There are a lot of teck people in the movement...
twitter.com/CardiffFeminist/status/1411266714797580290

That's all very "Grand" but a complete failure on recognising the issue. At no point did they say "In our review of the Report we sat down with our Trans, Non - Binary and Female staff & students to facilitate communication and ensure that we fully adhere to our public sector equality duty in fostering good relations thus worked to find how we can come to an accommodation that meets the unique needs of all concerned"

Third space is fine and a step in the right direction but there is still an issue as to whether they will uphold single sex exemptions or will they ditch them 🤷‍♀️ Time will tell.

[quote dyslek]Also, what the actual fuck do they have on all these people?
Is it hard drives? There are a lot of teck people in the movement...
twitter.com/CardiffFeminist/status/1411266714797580290[/quote]
A lot of the transwomen in tech that I've heard about seem to be older though. Middle aged.

I went to a science uni in the 90s. I did a hardcore science degree. It was all v male dominated.

The few other women (I want to say girls! I didn't feel grown up at that age!) and the blokes all got on really well. We were all science bids together iyswim. Some of the lecturers were sexist. But the students, we were all in a gang together. We had s great time! I didn't sense any hostility to girls at all. We went to the pub and chatted about quantum mechanics and how tricky getting to head round reciprocal space was. And we'd all get pissed and chain smoke and have a good time!

Ditto the idea that people who like this stuff are often neurodiverse.

Yes some are/ may be, the men and the women. I work for a tech company though and IME it's used to excuse poor behaviour from men. You see that a lot on MN as well.

In short I have in my life found blokes like that, and on the music scene I was on (alternative pre oasis and what men came onto the scene then) MUCH less sexist and horrible than more mainstream types.

I'm still quite shocked by what's going on in academia. Commissioning the report, then apologising to the 2 academics and setting out the program of actions was very positive and principled (I thought at the time). It is just so embarrassing that they've issued this new statement. Capitulated. Principles waving in the wind. And it looks like the management are creating a hostile work environment for gender critical feminist academics and students, not to mention it casts doubt on the sincerity of their apology to the 2 academics. If the report was commissioned because freedman or phoenix indicate they might bring a legal case for having their academic freedom rights infringed, they should now go ahead and do so.

I did have a chat with a bloke about this though. He 'identifies' as progressive feminist etc. He was trying to show how he was so great at that stuff and in the process revealed:

A feeling of having had a difficult time due to blokes who are sciency as being seen as boring ugly no girlfriend etc. I said ok but I don't think that's quite right. There are and have been for decades loads of things where science man is cool. And if they're not they still usually get the girl. He was a bit... Erm. It's wanting to feel different and misunderstood but it's IMO not true. Even the one bloke who was really very strange (but lovely) from uni (exception that proves the rule?) is married kids good job friends and outdoorsy exciting hobby...

He wanted a bit about how attractive women are in spaces that used to be blokes of a certain type. This makes him really angry :/. He said that he saw a young woman on the street and she had a certain t-shirt but he knew she wasn't a real fan because she was very good looking! I was.... ??? And I'm old so said. Not being funny but when I was young I was pretty good looking. He was... No you're different...!

Anyway my point is that despite having good jobs loads of friends wives children etc some have this. I was an outsider idea.

I think as such some empathise with male people in their sphere who are trans because also outsiders.

It's a male grouping/ bonding/ hierarchy / I'm an outsider too I get it type thing.

No more than that imo

@Manderleyagain

I'm still quite shocked by what's going on in academia. Commissioning the report, then apologising to the 2 academics and setting out the program of actions was very positive and principled (I thought at the time). It is just so embarrassing that they've issued this new statement. Capitulated. Principles waving in the wind. And it looks like the management are creating a hostile work environment for gender critical feminist academics and students, not to mention it casts doubt on the sincerity of their apology to the 2 academics. If the report was commissioned because freedman or phoenix indicate they might bring a legal case for having their academic freedom rights infringed, they should now go ahead and do so.

It's the scope of the statement that is so, shocking tbh.

I'd have thought something like.

We got report said X this is the legal position and we have apologised to the speakers.

We have heard further info from trans students and staff (how many can there be?!).

We understand sensitive area and so are working with trans people to understand what we can do to increase support for them (common room etc).

And maybe just leave it there.

What the statement actually says is

The law is wrong
Any academic (female) who is or seems to be concerned about the impact on women/ girls of the changes made/ being asked for by the trans community etc prisons.
Will be barred from speaking even on totally unrelated subjects.
The law should be changed to reflect that.

Which is massive tbh.

It also sends an extremely strong message to all students and staff that talking about/ having an opinion on/ posting on SM about.. etc... Women's rights around this will mean they are... Not welcome? Should leave? Because the uni boss man sees that as criminal?

Has he thought this through.

Why does no one consider what they are saying any more? Even people in positions like his?

OR

is that what he meant to convey? In which case. Well fuck.

@LangClegsInSpace thank you! That’s the one.