Academic Freedom, Harassment and GC academics - ask me any questions

[ProfJoPhoenix]

Hi Mumsnetters

Jo Phoenix here - as in the academic cancelled by Essex and harassed by colleagues at the OU. I decided to join mumsnet because I know that several women here are supportive of what it is that we (GC academics) are going through and dealing with. I thought I would start a thread - a sort of ask me any question thread. I'll be making an announcement on twitter (@JoPhoenix1) on Sunday morning that you might find interesting. What's happened to Kathleen Stock has left all of us reeling and I am going to do something that, I hope, will help. Watch this space.

@YetAnotherSpartacus

Middling Anguish

Excellent

It surely has a claim to be the worst poetry I’ve ever read, and I have a professions interest in that so that’s saying something

“Myn pinke scrunchie”

*professional ffs! The style is clearly wearing off on me

Myn pinke scrunchie

Is that a euphemism?

One can only hope so, it might give the thing more depth and complexity

I've done some gardening. And I know there will be many women who can't donate but would like to - so I doubled my donation to include you.

There have been times in my life when I couldn't afford to help out causes I cared for, and even now as the main wage earner in my family I can't be as openly GC as I'd like as I can't risk losing my job or being bullied out of the university. So @ProfJoPhoenix thank you for taking a stand and know that many women (more than can afford to contribute) are standing behind you

Does someone identify as a Vogon?

Wow, that poetry is something else. Maybe some blue tac got stuck in the computer keyboard?

I can see why Jo might be described as an intellectual threat after reading that...

Jo has now raised over £25k - a great show of support!

I still don't know how to join the OU GC research network. Does anyone know? I have emailed Jo at the OU, but I hadn't realised she was off work. I have emailed one of the other co-founders, Jon Pike, but not heard back. I am a gender critical academic and want to join!

Does someone identify as a Vogon?

I’ve done a little digging, thanks Jo for doing this, we will all benefit from your stand.

Currently at £32K of an £80K stretch target. Fingers crossed Jo gets all the money she needs to take this on.

Over 35k carrots sprouting up in just one day. Awesome. Women are amazing.

Not sure about carrots - I think there is a dinosaur tree growing in this garden!!!

Those dino eggs are expensive!!

@Blessex

Not sure about carrots - I think there is a dinosaur tree growing in this garden!!!

Are you implying dinosaurs hoard valuable stuff that they can turn into horticultural readies?

Thank you so much Jo! I've just donated x

Donated, thanks Jo

Support you Jo and any other women in your position.

Jo just popped on to message you support

@Grumpyosaurus

Hello Jo. Good luck in your ongoing struggles and thank you for raising you head above the parapet. A friend of mine worked at the Uni of Essex and wasn't a fan of some of the academic staff - up themselves may have been the term she used.

Incidentally, I have surname envy.

I changed my name in my early 20's - never realised I'd become a Prof. But Prof Phoenix does rather have a ring about it, huh? ;-)

Hello all the fantastic gardeners and dinosaurs here. Yesterday was such a HUGE day for me. I have felt exceedingly lonely for years - since Essex cancelled me and the harassment started in my department. To then have gone through my summer - my mother passed away at the end of April (I managed to get the USA to see her just before she died) and then a week after I got home, I had my spine fused. Then, 5 days after I got out of hospital the Reindorf Review was published. I was vindicated in public, but that's when the harassment stepped up a gear - especially on twitter.

When the Forstater ruling come out, my colleagues and I knew that the path was clear for the OUGCRN and so we went for it. I didn't realise then that the reaction would be as bad as it was. I may have been harassed and victimised - but I AM NOT A VICTIM. It may have buckled by knees for a little while there, but these people will not keep me down. Especially now, now that I have such an army of supporters behind me.

Seriously, please know this - I spent most of yesterday in tears (complicated tears) overwhelmed by the support, the shows of love and the realisation that we are a movement! So many small donations.

Let's give them a real show of strength, eh, and see if we can smash the target by the end of the week. Anything I can do to help you help me - please post comments.

Thank you for holding me.

Jo

@GCmiddle

Jo has now raised over £25k - a great show of support!

I still don't know how to join the OU GC research network. Does anyone know? I have emailed Jo at the OU, but I hadn't realised she was off work. I have emailed one of the other co-founders, Jon Pike, but not heard back. I am a gender critical academic and want to join!

Please email me again today / tomorrow. We had our website support removed by the part of the university hosting it because they did not want to be associated with us. So, everything sort of ground to a halt. I meet with colleagues on Wednesday, as I think, we have tech support again now. [email protected] I am so sorry that we left you hanging.

Over half way there now. Thank you for your bravery.

£40,796 from 1657 donations! That's an average of £24.62. When a certain vulpicidal windbag starts blathering on again about funding from the Heritage Foundation or whatever it is, he could perhaps reflect on this.

for you Jo. We’re with you all the way X