Cambridge academic who sparked student protests appointed to Government’s equality board

[IwantToRetire]

(I wonder if the Tories really care or are doing this to put two fingers up to those who they think are just too "woke"!)

A Cambridge don who sparked protests by inviting a “gender critical” feminist author to speak to students has been appointed to the board of the Government’s Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Professor Arif Ahmed, a philosophy lecturer at Gonville and Caius College, will be among experts charged with enforcing equalities legislation.

He rose to prominence for his opposition to Cambridge students who attempted to shut down a talk he organised with Helen Joyce, a gender critical feminist.

(As it happens the article is by Helen Joyce or is it possible that the article writer is also called Helen Joyce. Originally published in the Telegraph but reproduced by yahoo news, which is interesting in itself as they more usually stick to the Guardian mode of reporting on gender critical issues.)

uk.news.yahoo.com/cambridge-academic-sparked-student-protests-190000313.html

He's probably a good person to include on this committee, seems like he's pro free speech and more diverse diversity than some...

Apart from inviting Helen Joyce, according to his wiki page 'At Cambridge he has been an advocate for tolerance of diverse political views, in reaction to the university administration's cancellation of an invitation to the politically conservative academic Jordan Peterson'

(The article is by a Tony Diver; the reference to Helen Joyce is just a link to further info as she's mentioned in the piece)

That is interesting retire. Because I couldn’t work out if he was someone who agreed with Helen J or just someone who made a point of prying open free speech to include people who others sought to deplatform.

Either way, I hope he will keep the EHRC lively with discussions about what is acceptable to all vs a small minority.

I get the impression his primary focus is free speech particularly in academia.

I was very impressed with his speech at the Cambridge Union supporting both free speech and Kathleen Stock. He said then that he's also a union rep. Sounds like he's a great person to have on board.

Here's his University webpage: www.phil.cam.ac.uk/people/teaching-research-pages/ahmed

I'm sure he said he didn't agree with everything she says but that the right to discuss is more important

I could be wrong - it's not the point though.

It's about the ability and importance of debate and discussion

V impressed with both his involvement with Joyce and the Cambridge debate with stock. He's a great one to have on board

He’s also up for election to the University of Cambridge’s Council - significant parts of the Uni get the free speech issue. We’ve not all been captured!

Good

This is good news!

This professor has been aware of issues for over a year. Remember seeing him on you tube and issues about compelled speach. Link for reference.

I remember he said that too. But, of course, we don’t know what the issues were that he disagreed with Doc Stock on.

Either way, he does seem to be about enabling discussions.

He’s a very impressive guy.

yep, I very much enjoyed his evident intelligence and self possession during the speech he gave at the Cambridge Union event. he strikes me as a great choice

Why isn't he getting bashed around the head with the transphobic sick?
It seems like the only charge sticking to him is enabler.

Women in similar positions are labelled before the word free leaves their lips...

Stick. I meant stick not sick

Thanks, 'transphobic sick' has really made laugh on this miserable morning!

@Blister he is getting bashed with it big time by students and academics in Cambridge. Still he seems to have held his cool, in a polite and courteous manner. I was at the Helen Joyce talk. There were difficulties due to protests, not least from the Master of the college. He handled it all as far as I could see really well, despite it being an obviously stressful situation, coming out to the Porter's Lodge himself to ensure people got in ok and felt supported and secure. He also ensured that the trans people at the talk had very ample opportunity to ask questions and he stated upfront that all were welcome to be there. Including those who took a trans flag with them. Impressive. What we need.

He may have direct or indirect experience of the treatment of apostates.

Anyone who has managed to defend 'diverse political opinions' in academia sounds like someone who will probably be an asset to EHRC.

I wonder what views he holds on Panspermia.

Also completely irrelevant but he's bloody gorgeous

@WarriorN totally agree

Good news, I read about him before and he sounds like a good person.

@ErrolTheDragon thanks for pointing out my misreading of the page re who wrote the article. My only excuse is that it was late and I was tired.

But it did make me think I should check out who else the Tories have appointed. Because as far a I remember, the whole lets reform the GRA and make self id easier, came from a proposal from the Women and Equality Committee.