My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Kathleen Stock’s union betrays her.

190 replies

MangoSeason · 12/10/2021 11:17

Pathetic. Weak. Craven.

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

OP posts:
Report
lionheart · 12/10/2021 12:48

This is Sussex UCU so it will be interesting to see if the national organisation will deviate from this utterly craven backstabbing crap.

I suspect we know the answer.

Report
RedDogsBeg · 12/10/2021 12:54

UCU has a long history of enabling members to self-identify, whether that is being black, disabled, LGBT+ or women.

So, UCU were fulsome in their support for Rachel Dolzeal, weren't they? They rallied the troops to condemn the abuse RD received and explicitly stated that RD was right, they did didn't they?

Report
Igmum · 12/10/2021 12:58

Wrong wrong wrong wrong. This is appalling. On this logic our next generation of doctors and nurses will be unable to differentiate between the sexes. And that will severely impact trans healthcare as well as the rest of us. At least this letter is only from the local branch, but I don't hold out much hope of UCU high command rejecting it.

Report
ChristinaXYZ · 12/10/2021 13:00

If we don't like the politics of our unions then we should stop paying our subs. Many of the TUC related ones seem very male and have been slow to protect women.

Alternatives to standard captured unions include:

Affinity

workaffinity.co.uk/

"Affinity represents thousands of people working in a wide range of industries including banking and finance, accountancy, retail, manufacturing, education, the law, hospitality and travel and tourism. Its members include teachers, bank staff, IT consultants, financial advisers, academics, local government staff, lawyers and civil servants.

"Currently in its centenary year, Affinity is different to most trade unions in that it has no party political affiliations, is not a member of the Trades Union Congress and has no ties to the employers it deals with, leaving it free to protect the rights and interests of its members without fear or favour."

There is also the Workers of England Union

workersofengland.co.uk

If you're a member of the Free Speech Union then there are discount offers for joining the above - you should check your membership emails. freespeechunion.org/

For teachers there is also Edapt which is legal cover and employment advice - they're not strictly speaking a union.

www.edapt.org.uk/

Report
Dotoallasyouwouldbedoneby · 12/10/2021 13:03

@JoodyBlue

I think we should start to take issue with the term transphobia. It is used as a silencing tool and I sometimes think that it is given far too credence. A fear is one thing, a hatred is another. The "be kind" mantra appealing to female socialisation and acceptance of others is pretty revealing that the majority of women don't participant in hatred. Fear on the other hand is entirely rational when it comes to men. Males are stronger than women and we know that sufficient male born people wish harm to women. Being afraid is rational. The easy banding about of the word transphobia is part of the control technique isn't it? It is really disgusting behaviour.

The other one used is to say 'if you think that, you must be a bigot then'...
I must re-read '1984'.....Orwell was only a few years out of kilter it seems.
Report
CatsOperatingInGangs · 12/10/2021 13:14

I’m so angry about this. So angry.
This situation has been allowed to spiral out of control because the University failed to stand up and support Prof Stock years ago.
I hope she is considering taking legal action against them. Fucks sake, there’s a lot of really angry women out there more than happy to chip in to a fighting fund.

Report
yourhairiswinterfire · 12/10/2021 13:18

Has Kathleen Stock ever even said anything transphobic?

Nope, but nobody's going to let that get in the way of a good witch-hunting harassment campaign.

Report
Riapia · 12/10/2021 13:20

It contained a link to a policy document endorsed by the UK-wide union that states: “UCU has a long history of enabling members to self-identify, whether that is being black, disabled, LGBT+ or women.

Being able to identify as a different sex was never going to satisfy these cunts.

Being able to identify as disabled?

FFS when will these twats be satisfied.

Report
MargaritaPie · 12/10/2021 13:22

The letter didn't say anything about ending anyone's career did it? It seems to just say it is against transphobia and inequalities. So why is Prof Stock so offended by it?

Report
NutellaEllaElla · 12/10/2021 13:28

I've read it a few times, it's completely incoherent isn't it?

Report
JoodyBlue · 12/10/2021 13:30

want to say "don't feed the troll"

Report
GCAcademic · 12/10/2021 13:32

@MargaritaPie

The letter didn't say anything about ending anyone's career did it? It seems to just say it is against transphobia and inequalities. So why is Prof Stock so offended by it?

You do seem to need a lot of pretty basic things spelt out to you, don't you?
Report
PattiPritell · 12/10/2021 13:33

Yes, I struggled to make sense of it and I see it is signed by Executive and Reps whoever that is. Without names it is a bit meaningless to most people.

Report
PattiPritell · 12/10/2021 13:36

I think we should start to take issue with the term transphobia. It is used as a silencing tool and I sometimes think that it is given far too credence. A fear is one thing, a hatred is another

I will email the BBc about this point - it is ridiculous when you think about it - I might hate someone or something or disagree with something or someone but it's not a phobia.

Report
happydappy2 · 12/10/2021 13:37

I've just bought her book-as a way to show support-I hope she's alright.

Report
EishetChayil · 12/10/2021 13:38

I'm going to self-identify as the Vice-Chancellor and ask the UCU to help me negotiate a £200k salary.

Report
ChristinaXYZ · 12/10/2021 13:40

@MargaritaPie

The letter didn't say anything about ending anyone's career did it? It seems to just say it is against transphobia and inequalities. So why is Prof Stock so offended by it?

Because it talks about employment rights and academic freedom being weaponised against the trans community. At the moment this can only mean they are talking about KS (they are her union, how dare they fan the flames) and how sinister is talking about employment rights and academic freedom as though these things are being misused protecting a woman's job when she has done and said nothing wrong?!!
Report
PronounssheRa · 12/10/2021 13:43

@MargaritaPie

The letter didn't say anything about ending anyone's career did it? It seems to just say it is against transphobia and inequalities. So why is Prof Stock so offended by it?

Because it's put a target on her back and has legitimised the threatening and abusive behaviour from students. No-one can work in an environment where the police tell you for your own safety not to attend campus, get cctv and private security. This is what stock is currently living with.

I write this for anyone reading, not for you. I don't believe for a second you don't understand the implications of what the union has done.
Report
ChristinaXYZ · 12/10/2021 13:48

@RedDogsBeg

UCU has a long history of enabling members to self-identify, whether that is being black, disabled, LGBT+ or women.

So, UCU were fulsome in their support for Rachel Dolzeal, weren't they? They rallied the troops to condemn the abuse RD received and explicitly stated that RD was right, they did didn't they?

"UCU has a long history (from predecessor unions) of enabling members to self-identify whether that is being black, disabled, LGBT+ or women." Read their doc yourself

www.ucu.org.uk/media/10565/UCUs-position-on-Trans-inclusion/doc/Trans_inclusion_November_2019.doc
Report
Eucalyptustrees · 12/10/2021 13:51

The UCU becomes more and more useless every day. The people they employ would not get work anywhere else at the money UCU members pay them to be this stupid.

Report
RoseAndGeranium · 12/10/2021 13:51

Someone may already have said this, but what incenses me about this shitty statement is that it implicitly endorses the idea that Stock and her ideas are transphobic. There’s a grudging acknowledgment that she shouldn’t face bullying or calls for summary dismissal but no suggestion that the union recognises that a) the belief that biological sex is real and matters is legally protected, b) there are diverse opinions on what constitutes transphobia, including in the trans community, c) that Stock has only ever expressed her views in a careful and respectful way. Basically it reads like a full-throated endorsement of the TRA reasons for wanting Stock out whilst paying lip service to the idea that they’re going about getting her sacked the wrong way. It stinks to high heaven.

Report
ChristinaXYZ · 12/10/2021 13:55

There is a useful twitter htread on legalities of all this
twitter.com/Jebadoo2/status/1447884240188760069

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

secular111 · 12/10/2021 14:15

UCU has been promoting transracialism as well as transabelism since as long as I can remember. The statement that the union supports enabling members to self-identify, whether that is being black, disabled, LGBT+ or women has been a part of its core established doctrine and is never challenged by others in the union, particularly those who are black.

I think it's because UCU has determined that the natural evolution of transgenderism, which allows (mostly) white men to self-identify as women, is to allow white men to self-identify as black. The capability of, predominantly, white males to colonise other spaces, whether they be those of women or black people appears to be a key stance of the union and its senior members, and is paramount over any other considerations.

Transracialism is often seen as a contentious subject for discussion, but UCU have been following its pro-transracialism line for so long without serious challenge, that I reckon it reflects the views of many of the (predominantly white) academics and students who profess a hatred of Dr. Stock. UCU is much more of union to reflect their views rather than Kathleen's. If there was a union for 'whiteism' then UCU would likely be closest to fulfilling that description.

I don't reckon the UCU's support for transracialism is influenced by the two key examples that are always trundled-out when discussing transracialism - Rachel Dolezal and Senator Elizabeth Warren, but rather it's a recognition by UCU that their vision of 'inclusion and diversity' can only be achieved when, most notably, white males will be able to claim to be both women and black, with the option of self-declaring as disabled in addition.

In the face of that, it really isn't a surprise that they have identified Dr. Stock as an enemy; if you are an advocate for rampant transgenderism at the cost of women and girl's rights and transracialism at the cost of black peoples identity and heritage, then 'Doc Stock' is always likely to be someone you would be fearful of.

Report
MidsomerMurmurs · 12/10/2021 14:18

UCU is functionally useless now. Time for a new union

Absolutely. I left at the start of this year. They didn’t reply to my email explaining why. I would gladly return to paying £30ish a month for an effective union. UCU under Jo Grady is not worth it.

Report
ehtelp · 12/10/2021 14:20

I've been considering cancelling my UCU membership for a while. Partly because of their lack of support for gender critical feminists, and partly because of their mishandling of the most recent strike action ("four fights", "no detriment"...).

Up until now I've stayed a member, in order to vote for people like Shereen Benjamin, who are 'fighting from within'. However this has reached a point where I don't want to have anything to do with an organisation that acts like this. Unless the UCU centrally disavows the Sussex statement (which I think is extremely unlikely), I will be leaving. The only question is how to do it most effectively. Have too many people already left over this issue, for a mass resignation to be effective?

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.