Kathleen Stock’s union betrays her.

[MangoSeason]

Pathetic. Weak. Craven.

twitter.com/Docstockk/status/1447863827018702855?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

[secular111]

UCU is affiliated to the Trade Union Congress.

Affinity isn't affiliated to the TUC and its literature makes it clear that it is entirely politically independent.

I suspect Affinity doesn't have a national policy backing transracialism.

I think the TUC has grounds to disaffiliate UCU on the basis that it has undermined the core purpose of the trade union movement, bringing it into disrepute. The Secretary Jo Grady has determined that the UCU will not perform as a trades union in any form, and its support for transracialism constitutes targeted abuse of black union members of any union or those who aren't a member of one.

[WhereAreWeNow]

She was in UCU. She left because they're shit and have failed to support her. I would leave too if I was a member.

[MouseTheDog]

Oops just posted on the wrong thread 😖

I read this thread the other day and resigned my UCU membership. I cited Prof Stock and that I felt the union should focus on supporting members rather than political posturing. Our rep has asked me to reconsider as “gender politics and identity is core union business and directly supports its members.”

That’ll be a no.

[girafferafferaffe]

Wish my MP would respond to anything I've sent him! He's useless.

[ChattyLion]

As to what can we do, We have to keep talking about it to everyone we know to keep it on the agenda as an issue of deep public concern and writing to our MPs so legislators know that we will support them to take steps as needed to democratically and legally shore up women’s rights to be equally full and free members of society as men. Supportive statements from Ministers are good, but not enough because of all the institutional failures around this.

Ironically these failures have been encouraged by the marketisation of higher education that political parties and Parliament brought in so they owe it to us to make their model work to protect academic freedom and thought and if they can’t make it work then the model needs to be changed.

[ChattyLion]

I am trying to stay hopeful because so many people don’t agree with this awful persecution of a lesbian academic just for having some opinions and speaking facts but I understand just how you feel giraffe.

It’s bloody terrifying that women are being threatened because they think and say certain things. Truths- as it happens- but she should be just as free to say legal non violent wrong or subjective opinions.

It’s terrifying because there have always been reactionary woman-hating nutters out there but now social media allows them to gather and normalise and amplify their actions. At the same time, because institutions are so reliant on PR, and scared of social media critics, they seem to have stopped doing their jobs properly and so far do nothing a actually robust to stop this outrageous behaviour. And women will always come off worst in that.

It feels like (to me anyway) this issue has exposed a breakdown in a really important part of our social fabric which leaves women very vulnerable. Maybe there never was much of a legal safety net but in days gone by, surely a social one- those in authority would have said to such harrassers that they couldn’t impose their politics on everyone else like that with threats, and then they would have expelled or otherwise sidelined the bullies from within their institutions? Not doing that probably from a anti-misogyny angle probably but at least from the pro-freedom of speech side?

I also can’t imagine what all this is doing to Professor Stock personally and really feel for her. All she did was her actual job, and speaking up for women at a time when our rights are under huge threat.

[girafferafferaffe]

I'm actually frightened of where this leaves us as women. What the fuck do we do? I can't believe I'm bringing up my daughter in this absolute shitshow.

[CityMumma78]

Disgusting! Team Prof Stock 100% and her being silenced is frightening.

[SwordBilledHummingbird]

@chilling19

Ditched UCU last night: hello Affinity: filled in their form last night, had a call this morning and now have representation. Really nice guy, confirmed that they offer in-person representation if needed and 24/7 helpline for employment issues and others (i.e. horrible neighbours!). £7.65 per month. Cover for new issues starts immediately. Been meaning to ditch UCU after being horrified by their stance; after their complete capitulation to the bullies in Prof Stock's case, enough is enough.
workaffinity.co.uk

Husband and I are doing the same. We're about to fill in the Affinity membership form then will cancel UCU (and telling them why) once it's set up.

[GCAcademic]

She identifies as being in the UCU. Bigot.

Being in UCU and not being in the UCU is not a binary thing. It’s complicated. Educate yourself.

[Chrysanthemum5]

I left UCU a while ago - I had hung in as I felt it was important to have a union looking out for casual workers in universities but then I realised UCU are all about the posturing - if they really cared about casualisation they wouldn't have tied it in to other fights. I've been out of a union since then but I'll take a look at affinity

[Fariha31]

@DisgustedofManchester

She's not in the UCU

She identifies as being in the UCU. Bigot.

[Fariha31]

Surely as a union they are not fit for purpose. Can members claim their money back I wonder?

[merrymouse]

@DisgustedofManchester

She's not in the UCU

Whether or not she is in the union, their apparent policy of suggesting that legislation designed to protect workers should be ignored undermines their status as a union.

Transgender ideology is fundamentally very right wing.

[lionheart]

Yes, not just her.

[LooksGood]

@lionheart

Yes, I've seen that 'She's not in the union' line all over social media.

I'd imagine she left for a reason ...

Anyway, it's not just her they're accusing of hiding transphobia behind appeals to academic freedom / employment rights, is it? Apparently lots of us are at it ...

[PronounssheRa]

@lionheart

Yes, I've seen that 'She's not in the union' line all over social media.

So the argument now is its OK for unions to side with bullies who threaten women in the workplace, threats serious enough that the police have to give the women advice on security, as long as the women in question isnt a union member 🤔

[lionheart]

Yes, I've seen that 'She's not in the union' line all over social media.

[YetAnotherSpartacus]

There are hushed whisperings amongst the GC of us about whether we will still be able to research women's experiences for much longer because our work hinges on the power of women in society and therefore biological sex

We can't.

[GCAcademic]

@DisgustedofManchester

She's not in the UCU

OK, if we're going to be pedantic: "the union that represents academics has betrayed tens of thousands of its members".

[Stapledyet]

It is terrifying. I've name changed because I'm an academic, I study gender (where the field has typically conflated sex and gender) and I feel like I'm in the handmaid's tale. There are hushed whisperings amongst the GC of us about whether we will still be able to research women's experiences for much longer because our work hinges on the power of women in society and therefore biological sex. But no one will say anything out loud and you have to be very very careful who you raise this with. We all have pronouned signatures for fear of being outed and put on trial.

[Tesla73]

Good article here on Spiked

www.spiked-online.com/2021/10/12/kathleen-stock-is-the-real-victim-of-hate-here/

[Andante57]

@girafferafferaffe

There is something so fucked up about this witch hunting. I wish there could be something done about it. I'm sure there are lots of people like me who are terrified to speak out at work even though concerning things are happening. It must be awful for her

I agree with what you and many other posters say.
However it’s too late. The no platformed, cancellers, call them what you will, have realised what power they have.
Institutions and unions crumble tamely under any pressure and it’s curtains for anyone who steps out of line.
I think it’s terrifying and I hope there will be a proper backlash but I doubt it somehow.

[AlfonsoTheDinosaur]

If, during UC, Sussex had just said that they "identify" their answers as being correct, they would have won.

[DisgustedofManchester]

She's not in the UCU