Crowdfunder for Ursula Doyle

[Lovelyview]

Ursula Doyle is taking Hachette to court: 'I have worked in publishing for 30 years. I have left my job after four years of hounding and abuse from peers who think I should not express my GC opinions nor publish authors who share them.' She published Kathleen Stock's Material Girls. There is a Crowdfunder at Crowdjustice.

I just saw this on her page

Latest: May 29, 2025
settlement

I have reached a settlement in my case against Hachette for discrimination on the grounds of my gender-critical beliefs.
Hachette and I have agreed that we will keep the terms of the settlement confid…

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Sorry I belatedly cross-posted about the settlement, if that makes sense - I posted before reading to the end of the thread.

Thanks everyone, glad to hear this will mean she received money, and yes, immensely grateful to her for standing up.

Here's Ursula's statement in full.
https://x.com/blablafishcakes/status/1928050319709413864?t=R2V4XTWQzJdgdj5BNF_hlw&s=19

Here is Ursula's statement in full: "I have reached a settlement in my case against Hachette for discrimination on the grounds of my gender-critical beliefs.

Hachette and I have agreed that we will keep the terms of the settlement confidential except for the information I am sharing in this statement. In bringing this case, I hoped to demonstrate conclusively that employers cannot allow staff to be subjected to abuse because of their lawful views, nor ignore women’s rights to single-sex spaces.

Most importantly of all, I wanted the tribunal to scrutinise the company’s Trans Inclusion and Transitioning at Work Policy, which I strongly believe is discriminatory and unlawful.

While the company has not admitted liability, I am pleased it has confirmed to me as part of discussions regarding my case that it will be conducting a review of its applicable policies including its Trans Inclusion and Transitioning at Work Policy within the next three months to consider whether any changes need to be made.

The last five years have been taxing – emotionally, professionally and, latterly, financially. My health and my peace of mind have both suffered. I am sad that I no longer have the job that brought me great satisfaction and enabled me to publish some brilliant books and work with some brilliant authors and colleagues; nothing can make up for that.

What has kept me going is the importance of the principles at stake, and the incredible support I have had from everyone who has so generously shared and contributed to the crowdfunder and written me such encouraging messages of solidarity.

The battle for sex realism continues. In light of the Supreme Court’s decision in the For Women Scotland case, I am hopeful that UK employers are beginning to realise that a policy they might have adopted in good faith and with the best intentions might have unforeseen consequences which harm women.

I am more grateful than I can say for your support. I would never have got this far without it.

Jane the Empress giving short shrift to someone criticising her settling.
https://x.com/blablafishcakes/status/1928195116793028891?t=9l_yqvzOk-7FIKNVu5sYpA&s=19

Firstly, in Crowdfunding for a case like this, the complainant doesn't get the money, their law team does. So that's one thing you know now.

Secondly, the publisher settling means they lost and they have to pay out money. This is a big learning curve for them. It will have taken them by surprise. They will have been convinced they'd win until their lawyers apprised them of the actual realities of the situation. This has taught them a BIG lesson.

Thirdly, this settlement is now publicly known. Other organisations in the publishing industry will suddenly realise that their own policies may need to be revised and they will need to stop discriminating against women with GC beliefs and they will need to stop their staff doing the same.

Fourthly, this is a victory for an individual woman against a huge corporation. It's inspiring to other women and it gives hope to anyone else going through a similar situation. If you're NOT celebrating this, you're a fucking idiot.

It's been 5 years of her life - and our court system means that it is difficult to refuse a settlement if the amount offered is what a tribunal might award to you. You need to have a backer with deep pockets to do that or have no assets and therefore nothing to lose. The only people with any right to criticise would be those who have gone all the way in similar shoes and I'd bet you dont see any criticism from them.

I'm a bit of a coward, I hate having attention focused on me, and I fear being judged. In short, I'm no Ursula Doyle.

Or Sandie Peggie. Or Denise Fahmy. Maya Forstater. Or Allison Bailey. Or Roz or Jo or Rachel or all the other women who bravely stand up, faced online and media attention, and judgment, and took years out of their lives to establish a point of principle that we all benefit from.

Thank you for those five years of your life, Ursula Doyle, you've earned the settlement, as well as our respect.

Thank you, all you brilliant and supportive and generous mumsnetters. I am full of gratitude for your solidarity, encouragement and understanding. I am hugely relieved it is over. 💐 ❤️

And thank you for publishing "Material Girls" too!

I hope you have a brilliant weekend, Ursula! Congratulations, and very well done.

If you're still around, @suladoyle , I just wanted to tell you that I knew nothing about gender issues until a news item about the hounding of Kathleen Stock alerted me to something weird and nasty going on in academia. I wondered what on earth she could possibly have said to trigger such an extreme reaction, so I bought "Material Girls" and read it. Goodness, it was an eye-opener - not least for the fact that such a sensible book had needed to be written at all. Thank you to Kathleen for writing it and to you for making sure it got published.

So very pleased for you @suladoyle❤️

This is great news.

setting is a victory,

Congratulations Ursula and a big thank you!! Your bravery and determination in standing up to what was/is an extremely hostile publishing industry is inspiring. Here's to you and every strong woman, may we know them, may we be them, may we raise them xxx 💐

Amazing @suladoyle but I hope you take time to care for yourself.

I continue to take strength from these women to speak out both personally and professionally.

Thank you, @suladoyle. Your courage and determination are inspiring.

You are all so kind. It has been difficult, but at least I had some recourse. I keep thinking about the writers and artists whose lives have been turned upside down and their livelihoods destroyed by this stuff - they have nobody to take to the employment tribunal. People like Gillian Phillip, Birdy Rose, Jenny Lindsay (whose book Hounded is well worth reading), Rosie Kay, who lost the dance company that bore her name, Rachel Rooney, author of My Body Is Me, Roisin Murphy…and I’m sure there are many more. They are in an appalling situation, and I don’t know what can be done about it. Anyway, thank you all very much indeed.

When it's all ashes, phoenixes rise. It's the nature of things.

Writers and artists especially. It's almost funny how whatever happens it eventually goes on to become fuel for the work.