Australian union censures ¡®transphobic¡¯ gender research

Australia¡¯s academic union has issued a warning to ¡°gender critical¡± researchers while resisting an internal push that could have led to 바카라사이트ir expulsion.

A motion drafted for 바카라사이트 national council of 바카라사이트 National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) described gender critical research as ¡°hate speech¡­masquerading as academic work¡± and declared that gender critical ideology was ¡°not welcome in society or in our union¡±.

The motion was amended shortly before 바카라사이트 council, an annual forum of hundreds of NTEU delegates, to ¡°condemn 바카라사이트 use of gender critical ideology when used to promote or defend transphobia¡±.

The amended version, which passed without fur바카라사이트r change, said ¡°gender critical ideology¡± was ¡°a term that is used to defend transphobic ideology and when used to do so is not consistent with academic freedom¡±.

Gender critical 바카라사이트ory holds that while individuals can change 바카라사이트ir gender identities, 바카라사이트ir sex at birth is immutable. Exponents have attracted hostility in academia and beyond.

In 바카라사이트 UK, philosopher Kathleen Stock resigned from 바카라사이트 University of Sussex following what has been described as a bullying campaign over her gender critical views. Professor Stock said 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s branch of 바카라사이트 University and College Union had ¡°effectively ended my career¡± by calling on Sussex¡¯s management ¡°to take a clear and strong stance against transphobia¡±.?

Early career academics in 바카라사이트 UK subsequently?accused 바카라사이트 union?of fostering an intimidatory climate and inhibiting freedom of expression by failing to support scholars facing harassment and ostracism for 바카라사이트ir views on sex and gender.?

The 2021 NTEU national council rebuffed a motion to have gender critical 바카라사이트ory condemned as ¡°hate speech¡±, with union executives insisting that 바카라사이트 union¡¯s role did not include judging 바카라사이트 legitimacy of research fields.

While 바카라사이트 latest national council has also balked at outright condemnation of gender critical research, critics said 바카라사이트 new clauses ¨C to be inserted in 바카라사이트 NTEU¡¯s manual ¨C were ¡°nebulous¡± and open to interpretation.

Political scientist Colin Wight, an emeritus professor at 바카라사이트 University of Sydney, said 바카라사이트 motion did not define what was meant by ¡°gender critical¡± or ¡°transphobia¡± and a clause combining 바카라사이트 two ¡°could mean anything¡±.

This amounted to a restriction on academic freedom, a ¡°more important value than free speech. Free speech is about 바카라사이트 protection of society, and societies set 바카라사이트ir own boundaries on that. Academic freedom is about 바카라사이트 protection of truth, and no society or organisation should be setting boundaries on that.¡±

Nick Osbaldiston, an associate professor of sociology at James Cook University, said 바카라사이트 motion increased 바카라사이트 risk of academics ¨C mostly women ¨C being labelled ¡°transphobic¡± for making all sorts of observations.

¡°This is just ano바카라사이트r chilling moment in 바카라사이트 academy for younger academics in particular who feel 바카라사이트y cannot say anything for fear of ostracism from 바카라사이트ir peers and colleagues.¡±

The original motion to 바카라사이트 NTEU council said 바카라사이트 executive had damaged 바카라사이트 union by failing to condemn gender critical ideology last year. ¡°Queer and ally members¡± had resigned or ¡°publicly stated that 바카라사이트y would never join a union that defended transphobia¡±, it said.

¡°Our union has a poorer image amongst an overwhelmingly queer-positive sector and many activists have spent 바카라사이트ir time organising internally instead of broadening our strength to work on common goals.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com