In 2019, the University of Essex canceled a talk by Professor Jo Phoenix after students and faculty complained about her views on transgenderism.
Phoenix is not anti-trans. She is an old-school feminist who was deemed insufficiently pro-trans.
Jemma Carr of the Daily Mail has the backstory:
University of Essex apologises for cancelling lecture by visiting professor after her transgender views were attacked by students and staffA university has apologised for cancelling a lecture by a visiting professor after her views on transgender people were attacked by students and staff.Open University criminology professor Jo Phoenix was booked to give a lecture entitled ‘Trans rights and justice: complicated contours in contemporary sex, gender and sexualities politics when thinking about issues of justice and punishment’ at the University of Essex in 2019.It was set to explore tensions around placing transgender women – who were born men – in female prisons in Britain.But the Centre for Criminology cancelled the event a few hours ahead of it taking place, citing concerns that the ‘open debate and discussion might be obstructed’…Students branded Prof Phoenix a ‘transphobe’ on social media after the contents of her talk was revealed in 2019.A flyer was circulated around campus which featured an image of a gun pointed at the reader and the words ‘shut the f*** up TERF’.The term stands for trans exclusionary radical feminist.
Phoenix commented on Twitter:
Here’s an excerpt from the statement released by Essex University:
The cancellation of any event and any withdrawal of an invitation to a speaker is a serious cause for concern. As a result, I commissioned an impartial review of these issues to be carried out by a person independent from the University. The reviewer was appointed by a representative panel of staff, who also appointed three assessors to review and provide comments on the draft report. A wide range of stakeholders were invited to make submissions directly to the reviewer, either in their own name or anonymously, and those who were referred to in the draft report had an opportunity to offer comments on matters that related to them before the report was finalised by the reviewer. These steps have ensured that the report is evidence based and completed independently of the University. Details of the context of the review and the remit, including the governance arrangements and sign off processes for all elements of the review, as well as the process for selecting the reviewer are at: Terms of reference [.pdf]We have published the Report and the actions that have been developed in response to each of the recommendations made in the review. The University’s Senate and our governing body, our Council, have this week considered the final review report and agreed to take a series of actions in response to the recommendations.The report makes clear that we have made serious mistakes and we need to do our very best to learn from these and to ensure they are not repeated. The review notes the particular responsibility placed on universities to protect freedom of speech within the law, and to ensure that a diversity of voices and views can be heard on our campuses. On behalf of the University, I have issued an open apology to each of Professor Phoenix and Professor Freedman.I was deeply concerned to read the input into the review from some staff and students who said that they felt constrained to self-censor their speech and activity because of concerns about how we manage the balance between freedom of speech and our commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion.
There is an ongoing struggle in higher education between feminists and people further to the left who demand blind support for the trans community.
The fact that a derogatory term like ‘TERF’ is thrown around by leftists in higher education is a remarkable example of progressive hypocrisy.
Featured image via YouTube.
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