Anyone else work at a Uni?

[Phunkychicken]

Just having a uni wide 'meeting' - much pressure from the LGBTQ+ group about what they are going to do re the SC ruling to ensure trans staff/students are safe - management saying they're seeking guidance on what to do practically going forward. Tentatively posted that some of us welcome the ruling and have had 6 thumbs up - so they're at least 6 of us.

It's so hard not giving myself away but the push back has been insane

Yes this overseas interference is interesting. When most overseas based individuals don't necessarily understand our (ie UK) democratic laws, particularly Americans. I had an interesting social media conversation last year when an individual claimed that we (ie UK) were executing trans-individuals. I just politely provided the dates of our last executions of male and female, and suggested that if his friends and allies were providing him with such poor quality data which could be easily refuted, then it might be sensible to look at what other data they were providing him.

I don't remember if we were allowed to campaign against eg the reversal of Wade vs Roe for example.

Yes mine also said that (possibly the same?). I have strong suspicions one of our Exec is a TERF but I would still be very cautious to say anything publicly about this. We also quietly exited Stonewall about 4 years ago.

While we're on the open letters - just checking that you lot are aware of this letter from a group led by Prof Alice Sullivan, raising concerns about the EDI requirements for the next REF and their lack of credible evidence-base. Some of you might wish to sign? You have to log in with your ORCiD number so the data-gathering is a bit more robust than that from our other friends ;-)

lucaf.org/viewdocument.php?id=6

Oh interesting! It's so hard to know what people are thinking on the matter isn't it. As one side is necessarily very quiet!

Our UCU has sent out a statement of trans solidarity including a link (amongst others) to Mermaids.

The UCU is run by idiots. My local branch is still making public statements about Israel & Palestine. Nothing about the dissolution of the uniersities by a thousand cuts.

Glad I resigned 2 years ago.

@ParmaVioletTea sounds like my UCU branch - my institution is being destroyed by cuts, and morale is in the pits - but all the branch sends out is information on palestine demonstrations, and sadness that men can't access women's spaces

Our employer has actually sent out a somewhat surprising letter. I had expected the usual one sided thing but actually the letter (that has angered many who have drunk the kool aid) says -

1. here are the facts of the SC ruling
2. we are expecting updated code of conduct from ECHR
3. we understand it has caused various viewpoints to be aired
4. we note some people feeling uncertain and anxious
5. we note that org has rules against bullying and discrimination
6. we also note that org has a free speech mandate (with links) and free debate of all view points
7. if anyone requires wellbeing support here are usual channels.

i confess I was positively surprised to receive that..

Ours was basically:
People are anxious.
We await further external guidance.
We are inclusive.
You can get support if your are unsettled.

Another statement to sign:
'We are leaders of centres, research groups and networks, of scholarship, teaching, learning, and expertise in gender, feminist, women’s and sexuality studies across the UK. We are dismayed by the recent Supreme Court judgment on the meaning of ‘sex’ in the Equality Act 2010.'

https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTlPrVc6AjQSFRYgnpfggRZii7ee0LWmZUxH32cNojIExJzYUdqQLVLGbkIZwMi17UZDAijyiKB1Q9t/pub

Oh FFS. Groups doing group-think.

We really need a facepalm 🤦‍♀️ emoji on Mumsnet.

And yes to the [muffled curses] UCU. Ours sent out an email telling us to think of some action to take in solidarity with our trans comrades 😑 and has apparently written a commentary on the Cass Review. I’m not going to download it. I have high blood pressure already.

This is just nuts

Some have signed it twice…

I've started to analyse the list in Excel so I could look for duplicates. There aren't too many. My analysis probably wont pick up unusual names!

It's modern day Lysenkoism, without the Gulag / being shot in the Lubyanka.

ISTR there have been prominent TRAs (possibly even MPs/councillors) who were keen on the idea of re-education camps for disobedient unbelievers... and we've seen in the recent protests that there are plenty of Righteous folx (including Jo Grady, various MPs) who are happy to turn a blind eye to threats of gory death.

That letter is completely unhinged.
We unequivocally reject the idea that women can be defined by their biology
How ELSE do you define the word 'women'? What did the word develop to describe?

And that guff that transpeople are no threat to women. Welcome to safeguarding, peeps.

That letter is precisely the kind of thing that makes the general public despise academics. And which means that the humanities and social sciences will be at the top of the list for the chopping block when Reform win the next election.

I agree, GCAcademic. Dons in their Ivory Towers, unconnected to the real world and the public assume that they're all of the same mind.

Exactly so. There is little sympathy for the claims made by lecturers with regard to pay and conditions but more importantly, this comes at a time when the entire sector is in crisis.

Yes. Reform have spotted the scope creep of so many organisations and it’s hard to argue against their policy of returning public bodies to their core purpose and removing roles such as DEI.

i loathe and detest Farage and everything he stands for, but policies like this and the “no political flags over county hall” in the local elections will get people voting for him without too much scrutiny of his economic and social policies.

the humanities and social sciences will be at the top of the list for the chopping block when Reform win the next election

Forgive me if I don't cry for very long about this, particularly if the identity wank is the first to go. I'm a STEM technician and this nonsense is infesting even my field, which really offends my sensibilities about data being correct and meaningful.

Yeah a world without humanities research sounds great 🙄👌 I mean who needs to learn from history, amirite

I mean, STEM techbros are destroying the fabric of society but I still support tech research