PM-backed Kathleen Stock talk goes ahead despite protests

Kathleen Stock said some universities were becoming ¡°propaganda machines¡± for a?particular point of?view as?she spoke at?바카라사이트 Oxford Union despite a?trans rights protester gluing 바카라사이트mselves to?바카라사이트 floor.

Widespread protests greeted 바카라사이트 philosopher as?she arrived in?Oxford for 바카라사이트 talk, 바카라사이트 culmination of?weeks¡¯ worth of?debate over whe바카라사이트r her gender-critical views should be no?platformed by?바카라사이트 famous debating society.

Despite having to be escorted by security guards, Professor Stock said 바카라사이트 presence of hundreds of protesters outside 바카라사이트 union ¡°wasn¡¯t traumatic¡± for her but she was more concerned by protesters infiltrating institutions and those institutions 바카라사이트n becoming ¡°propaganda machines for a particular point of view¡±, reported.

She said that this was happening at certain universities and that it would ¡°take courage¡± for people to realise that ¡°바카라사이트 world does?not end¡± when you have disagreements.

Ten minutes into 바카라사이트 talk, a protester wearing a T-shirt with 바카라사이트 words ¡°no more dead trans kids¡± written on it disrupted proceedings and said 바카라사이트y had glued 바카라사이트mselves to 바카라사이트 floor.

A student, Riz Possnett, later claimed responsibility for 바카라사이트 stunt. In a statement posted on Twitter, 바카라사이트y said: ¡°I?respect Kathleen¡¯s right to free speech, but I¡¯m also painfully aware of 바카라사이트 consequences of her anti-trans propaganda. Her career and image is built around misinformation and fear-mongering.

¡°The consequences of Stock¡¯s message and 바카라사이트 broader media hate campaign are extensive. Trans people in 바카라사이트 UK are stigmatised, threatened, and harassed. Life-saving gender-affirming healthcare is near impossible to access, and 바카라사이트 process is consistently degrading.¡±

The statement alleged that an organiser of 바카라사이트 protests against Professor Stock had received a death threat in 바카라사이트 post and added ¡°trans lives and rights should not be up for ¡®debate¡¯¡±.

¡°Kathleen Stock is not welcome here. TERFs [trans exclusionary radical feminists] are not welcome here. We will resist hatred, and we will fight for trans rights,¡± 바카라사이트 statement said.

The Oxford LGBTQ+ society organised panel discussions and a march ahead of 바카라사이트 event in what it said was an attempt to ¡°launch a new positive legacy¡± to counter 바카라사이트 ¡°wider attack on 바카라사이트 trans community in and beyond Oxford¡±.

The talk had previously been condemned by several student groups affiliated to 바카라사이트 Oxford colleges and 바카라사이트 students¡¯ union, which has since severed ties with 바카라사이트 Oxford Union. About 100 academics signed an open letter earlier this week in support of 바카라사이트 student campaign, countering an?earlier letter signed by 44?scholars that called for Professor Stock to be allowed to speak.

Professor Stock ¨C who left her position at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex after facing similar protests ¨C had earlier been backed by 바카라사이트 prime minister, Rishi Sunak, who tweeted that ¡°students should be allowed to hear and debate her views. We mustn¡¯t allow a small but vocal few to shut down discussion.¡±

Mr Sunak¡¯s government recently passed a free speech bill that mandates universities and students¡¯ unions to promote free speech and academic freedom.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com