UK University Apologizes for Canceling Feminist Prof’s Lecture After Complaints About Transgender Views
“Students branded Prof Phoenix a ‘transphobe’ on social media after the contents of her talk was revealed in 2019.”
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 staff
A 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:
1. BREAKING NEWS. After 18 months, University of Essex has concluded its review into the cancellation and disinvitation of me to speak. They have offered me an open apology including for infringing my freedom of speech. https://t.co/G7X4RzswNd
— Jo Phoenix (@JoPhoenix1) May 18, 2021
2. I welcome that apology and welcome the approach taken – even if it took EIGHTEEN MONTHS to complete. The report is very clear about a number of things: the fact that disinviting a speaker is outwith current legislative framework:
— Jo Phoenix (@JoPhoenix1) May 18, 2021
3. That the university failed to take immediate action regarding a violent and profane flyer that was targeted at me (with SHUT THE F**K UP TERF text, a visual of a gun pointed at the reader and a list of examples of my alleged transphobia)
— Jo Phoenix (@JoPhoenix1) May 18, 2021
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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Comments
The Rainbow of inclusive exclusion: trans/homos, and NOW feminists. Karmic irony. Progress.
Another problem with Intersectionality is that people with single victimhood status like women are trumped by those with multiple victimhood status like Trans Women who are Transgender and Women. Or, with Lesbian Women who are Gay and Women.
In the world of the victims, the most victimized person is King (or Queen).
And Increasingly, privilege cancels out victimhood in a one to one ratio. So, a white woman is not a victim because she is white. And, you will soon see that Gay whites will no longer be considered victims.
Coercive policing of ideological purity.
How very Marxist and Big Brotherly of them.
Please quit calling it “higher” education. There is nothing “high” about today’s college education – except that maybe the partakers of it are all high on drugs.
I think “high” in this context means simply that it comes after “lower”, “middle”, and “high” school. I prefer the term “tertiary education” which makes it clear that it’s simply the third stage of schooling, not necessarily better than any of the other stages.
Her main point is that rapists and other sex offenders who are in prison will say that they “identify” as female so they will be moved to a women’s prison, where they rape other inmates. It’s like a fox saying he “identifies” as a hen to get moved into the henhouse.
Off topic: looks like the FBI is going after Susan Collins.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/susan-collins-campaign-donations-from-defense-firm-prompt-fbi-investigation
Make no mistake – Collins is the real target, just as Mitch McConnell’s wife has been threatened by the Inspector General. Being a Franz von Papen Republican apparently doesn’t protect you from the Communists’ wrath.
“Make no mistake”? You’re jumping to wild conclusions with no basis. There’s almost no way such an investigation can ever get to the candidate. The only way she could possibly have known about the illegal contributions is if Kao personally told her, and good luck proving that.
It seems pretty clear to me that this was just a bycatch of the fraud investigation. Once they got Kao on the fraud, they went through his books to see what else he might have been up to, and found the contributions.
“Franz von Papen Republican apparently doesn’t protect you from the Communists’ wrath…”
Those are usually the first to ‘go’. (Just ask Stalin and Hitler and Castro.) Karma.
Considering the blantant corruption of Pelosi and family, Cuomo, Biden and family, Obama and his 63 million dollar ‘book’ deal, Clinton MASSIVE corruption and treason – it’s a good thing they’re gonna put that gangster Collins behind bars.
Predators go for the weakest member of a pack – the one lagging behind, so they can move in for the easy kill. Simple Darwinism. And it’s at work here. When Collins circles the drain, will Boehner, McConnell and the rest of the GOPe Romney-like trash save her? Nope.
There’s no middle ground anymore. Either you’re with us, or you are a primay target of the WHOLLY corrupted FBI and Justice Department. What an ironic name: “Justice” Department.
These 35 rats are on the FBI radar, too. And ours:
https://www.thedailybeast.com/house-passes-bill-creating-jan-6-commission-over-gop-objections
This is why we can’t afford rinos: we cannot circle the wagons around them. They weaken our herd.
“What an ironic name” :Justice” Department”
>>> This is fully consistent with the Orwellian days we live in.
Soon we will get the “Ministry of Truth” to make sure all the lying narratives are consistent.
I don’t hear anything about letting her speak now. So the lunatics win anyway.
No one’s mentioned it, but isn’t that aging tattoo on her right arm a turn-on?
It says, “I was a real party animal before the colostomy!”
And the other inmates say she’s not crazy enough for the asylum. Jeez….
I wouldn’t use TERF to describe her, but maybe “turf”, as in she looks like an old nag who is one inch from the glue factory.
.
Professor: This talk will inform you of details and complications that are not intuitively obvious.
Students: If it’s anything other than what we already believe, we don’t want to listen to you, and we don’t want to let you speak to others, either.
Maybe colleges need to create a new type of “participation trophy diploma” for people who go to college just for the work credential and not to actually learn anything.
Glad there was an apology, took far too long though. I thoroughly detest the term TERF
The left has a hierarchy of victim classes and gays (especially transgenders) outrank feminists.