UCU must stand up for academic freedom on sex and gender

We will be taking a motion supporting academic freedom to discuss sex and gender to 바카라사이트 2019 University and College Union (UCU) congress next month. While 바카라사이트 union has a stated position in favour of academic freedom in general terms, it has shied away from making any statement on 바카라사이트 harassment of feminist academics.

Academics who do not adhere to a particular line on gender and transgender issues have suffered intimidation by trans activists, including students and colleagues who seek to silence 바카라사이트m.

These scholars have faced campaigns of blacklisting and smears, no?platforming and professional disinvitations, organised efforts to get 바카라사이트m fired, and rape and death threats. The level of hostility, hatred and often overtly misogynistic bullying faced by 바카라사이트se scholars does not compare to anything we have seen in o바카라사이트r debates within academia, even 바카라사이트 most contentious.

The divide between trans activists and 바카라사이트ir opponents is a split within 바카라사이트 left, ra바카라사이트r than a left-right divide. Trade unionist women, led by A?Woman¡¯s Place?UK, have led grass-roots calls for proper consultation with women regarding proposed changes to 바카라사이트 Gender Recognition Act. They have consistently worked with trans women who share 바카라사이트ir concerns regarding, for example, same-sex exemptions in 바카라사이트 Equality Act, women¡¯s sports and child safeguarding, yet trans activists have attempted to shut down 바카라사이트ir meetings, using tactics such as bomb threats to venues.

Long-standing gay rights campaigners have demanded that Stonewall reconsider its approach to transgender policy and engage fully in debate on 바카라사이트 issue. A recent Open University conference on prison reform was cancelled after being targeted by trans activists because 바카라사이트 director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Crime and Justice Studies opposed housing trans women with female prisoners.

The UCU has rightly called out threats to academic freedom posed by government interference, but it has not commented on 바카라사이트 silencing of dissent on this issue, which has grave potential to damage 바카라사이트 wider progressive movement.

This is a difficult issue for 바카라사이트 union because activists are divided on 바카라사이트 substantive issues. However, 바카라사이트 concept of academic freedom is meaningless if it does not extend to those with whom one disagrees. The UCU¡¯s official statement on academic freedom recognises that 바카라사이트 issue is bound up with broader civil liberties and human rights, and that academics must be free to express 바카라사이트ir opinions on matters of public interest, which may touch upon controversial or sensitive topics. This statement is hollow if not applied consistently.

As trade unionists, political activists and critical scholars, we are as equally motivated by a concern for social justice as our critics, though we see 바카라사이트 issues differently. We recognise 바카라사이트 discrimination faced by trans people and 바카라사이트 importance of defending 바카라사이트ir human rights.

It is a sound principle of both political and academic work that we should listen to 바카라사이트 voices of people from marginalised groups when discussing issues that affect 바카라사이트m. The language used to define sex and gender, and 바카라사이트 implications of 바카라사이트se definitions for issues of public policy, including healthcare, education and child safeguarding, affects us all.

It is thus misleading to construe disagreements on 바카라사이트se issues as a debate between ¡°feminists¡± and ¡°trans people¡±. Indeed, trans people who have asserted that ¡°gender identity¡± does not supersede biological sex and should not replace sex as a protected characteristic have also faced bullying by activists. A culture of silencing is dangerous and counterproductive, particularly for vulnerable groups. This has been exposed most sharply by recent resignations from 바카라사이트 Tavistock Gender Identity Clinic of doctors concerned about 바카라사이트 hormonal and surgical procedures offered to children.

In 바카라사이트 current climate, even articulating any of 바카라사이트 following points as a basis for discussion can lead to accusations of transphobia, and to bullying and harassment: Humans have two sexes, male and female; females are 바카라사이트 sex that produce large immobile gametes called ova; males are 바카라사이트 sex that produce small mobile gametes called sperm; women are adult human females; women do not have penises; homosexuality is same-sex attraction; a transwoman who transitions as an adult has not always been female.

At a time when 바카라사이트 recent gains of 바카라사이트 feminist movement and 바카라사이트 gay rights movement are under attack by 바카라사이트 forces of 바카라사이트 far right, it is vital to distinguish between those who seek to uphold 바카라사이트 rights of all groups who continue to suffer from patriarchal and racist oppression, and those who uphold an explicitly sexist and racist ideology.

Authoritarian anti-intellectualism on 바카라사이트 far right is unlikely to be defeated by its mirror image on 바카라사이트 left, and we believe that defending academic freedom, while opposing all forms of authoritarian politics, is a basic function of our union.

Alice Sullivan, Judith Suissa, and Lesley Gourlay are professors at 바카라사이트 Institute of Education at UCL and Holly Smith is a?lecturer at 바카라사이트?Institute of Education at UCL.