Raising the issue of gender critical beliefs with the open university

[Lovelyview]

Hi all, I'm new to gender critical activism and would like some advice about how to approach the OU. I am currently studying for an art degree with the Open College of Arts which has recently merged/come under the umbrella of the Open University. I am about to sign up for the next module on my art course and am very concerned about what happened to Professor Jo Phoenix and what is happening to researcher Pilgrim Tucker. I would like to write to the OU expressing my concern about their treatment of gender critical academics and say that without assurances that gender critical beliefs are protected by the OU I will not be able to proceed with my degree with them. Who should I write to? The Vice Chancellor is Tim Blackman and they have a Chief People Officer called Vikki Matthews. Or should I write to the admissions department and ask for their policy on gender critical beliefs? My aim is to get a reply and some assurances about protection of gender critical beliefs but also to make them aware that it will affect my decision to spend money with them.

[antigome]

I'm currently studying with the OU and my student WhatsApp chat is very very Very twaw

We recently looked at Cartesian dualism - I avoided any mention of wrong body/brain scenarios within my writing out of fear of reprisals despite it being relevant in part to the arguments discussed

[Lovelyview]

@antigome

I'm currently studying with the OU and my student WhatsApp chat is very very Very twaw

We recently looked at Cartesian dualism - I avoided any mention of wrong body/brain scenarios within my writing out of fear of reprisals despite it being relevant in part to the arguments discussed

Sorry to hear that. I'm prepared to walk away from my degree but I suspect any message I send will just be ignored. I wonder if an organisation like Sex Matters would be able to suggest how to proceed.

[LogicLoverLlama]

Write to as many people as you can. Ask them about what steps they have taken to ensure academic freedom in all places - including WhatsApp groups - take screen shots, show you are self censoring

They cannot get away from this, the judgement against them absolutely fucked them and I know for a fact they have to take it seriously as they have no money left and are at risk of going under if they have too many more controversies.

Write to them, write to the local Milton Keynes press, write to anywhere you can

(ChatGPT is amazing at writing letters, just FYI, pop the details in, what you want to say, the tone you want, it will do it for you)

[IcakethereforeIam]

Copy in the Free Speech Union 😁

[LogicLoverLlama]

very much the frees peach union
in fact join them, only a fiver

[MrsBlackett]

@Lovelyview , I'd be very interested in their response. I'm not currently a student but am looking at starting an arts-based MA with them in 2025 and had similar questions.

Would it be worth contacting:
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
The Open University
Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA
Email [email protected]
as a first step and cc-ing in Vicki Matthews?

Then there's room to escalate it if it's not answered properly. What deadlines are you working towards? If the OU don't oblige, do you have other course alternatives with deadlines for application?

[LogicLoverLlama]

@MrsBlackett

@Lovelyview , I'd be very interested in their response. I'm not currently a student but am looking at starting an arts-based MA with them in 2025 and had similar questions.

Would it be worth contacting:
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
The Open University
Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA
Email [email protected]
as a first step and cc-ing in Vicki Matthews?

Then there's room to escalate it if it's not answered properly. What deadlines are you working towards? If the OU don't oblige, do you have other course alternatives with deadlines for application?

A more captured organisation does not exist, see the Phoenix trial details for everything you need to know. However, they are supposed to have changed so you can ask them what they have changed and to prove it

[ACatCalledPushka]

Personally, I would write to all of them and copy in the free speech union and/or academics for academic freedom.

Jo P is speaking in Canterbury next week.

[MrsBlackett]

Thanks @LogicLoverLlama . I followed what happened with Jo Phoenix, ditto Pilgrim - and donated - but have only recently decided that I might go for a Master's which is why I've started thinking about all this again in relation to the OU.

[ACatCalledPushka]

https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/events/2024/sex-gender-and-academic-freedom-professor-jo-phoenix

[ACatCalledPushka]

I so want to go to this event but would completely out myself (and I need my job). I literally cannot believe in 2024 we’re too scared to say a man in a dress is still a man.

[Lovelyview]

Thanks for the replies. I'll let you know how I get on. @MrsBlackett maybe you could write separately? It might help if they know a number of potential students are concerned about studying with them. I'm going to look into the free speech union as a first step. I could probably move my final year of studying to a physical university but I'm not very keen because my nearest one is a long way away and it's probably just as full of gender woo as the open university.

[Working6til8]

Name changed for reasons which may be obvious…

Yes, do write. You’ll probably get a response talking about the independent review that’s taking place (as announced in Tim Blackman’s statement on the tribunal ruling) and reassuring you that they’re taking it seriously. Do copy Vicki Matthews, I think she gets it, and I suspect she will appreciate more evidence to help her make the changes that are needed. When she speaks about HR changes to large groups of staff she specifically speaks about the outcomes of Jo’s tribunal and the lessons to be learned. Whereas the other senior leaders refer to it indirectly.

But, you have to be aware that it is the most captured of institutions, has a very high number of trans staff, and is 100% TWAW. That will affect your student experience. I can totally understand antigome self censoring and I suspect any other GC students will be doing the same.

[Lovelyview]

@Working6til8

Name changed for reasons which may be obvious…

Yes, do write. You’ll probably get a response talking about the independent review that’s taking place (as announced in Tim Blackman’s statement on the tribunal ruling) and reassuring you that they’re taking it seriously. Do copy Vicki Matthews, I think she gets it, and I suspect she will appreciate more evidence to help her make the changes that are needed. When she speaks about HR changes to large groups of staff she specifically speaks about the outcomes of Jo’s tribunal and the lessons to be learned. Whereas the other senior leaders refer to it indirectly.

But, you have to be aware that it is the most captured of institutions, has a very high number of trans staff, and is 100% TWAW. That will affect your student experience. I can totally understand antigome self censoring and I suspect any other GC students will be doing the same.

Thanks @Working6til8 that's very useful information.

[MrsBlackett]

@Lovelyview

Thanks @Working6til8 that's very useful information.

Yes, thanks from me too. I'm going to mull this over a bit more but I think I will write.

[MrsBlackett]

@Working6til8, the Gender Critical Research Network still seems to exist with Jo still a member but obviously now at Reading University. There are several OU staff still listed on their membership list. Do you think there might be any mileage in trying to contact them since they are the most visible GC people at the OU and might be in contact with concerned students. Has there been any attempt by current GC students to link up that you know of?

[LogicLoverLlama]

all OU email addresses are [email protected].

[Wopaqo]

@MrsBlackett

@Working6til8, the Gender Critical Research Network still seems to exist with Jo still a member but obviously now at Reading University. There are several OU staff still listed on their membership list. Do you think there might be any mileage in trying to contact them since they are the most visible GC people at the OU and might be in contact with concerned students. Has there been any attempt by current GC students to link up that you know of?

Yes it’s running, with regular events. You can email them and sign up to the mailing list https://www5.open.ac.uk/health-wellbeing/research-themes/gender-critical-research-network.

OP- I work at the OU and I’d say it’s a lot more variable than the headlines. There’s a hard core of TRAs but that’s far from the whole picture. By all means write to the senior leaders to register your concern (it’s good to reinforce the message!) but it’s likely you’ll be fine in the actual course.

[Happyinarcon]

This whole gender frenzy stuff is dying out. Unless I felt it would directly impact my line of study i would ignore it and continue with my enrolment.

[OnHerSolidFoundations]

Good for you op 👏
The stance my old uni takes makes my blood boil!

[OnHerSolidFoundations]

@ACatCalledPushka

I so want to go to this event but would completely out myself (and I need my job). I literally cannot believe in 2024 we’re too scared to say a man in a dress is still a man.

It's fucking nuts.
Literally.

[OnHerSolidFoundations]

@Happyinarcon

This whole gender frenzy stuff is dying out. Unless I felt it would directly impact my line of study i would ignore it and continue with my enrolment.

I think there's still a long way to go.

[dunBle]

While we're mentioning the OU, what's happening with Pilgrim Tucker's case? Is she still in need of gardening?

[Lovelyview]

@dunBle

While we're mentioning the OU, what's happening with Pilgrim Tucker's case? Is she still in need of gardening?

Yes, she posted an update in January. The case is complicated because she is a postgraduate student rather than an employee and she's looking for additional funding so I'm sure a bit of gardening would be most welcome.