UCU backs down from transgender rights showdown on legal advice

The UK¡¯s main higher education union has backed down from a?bitter showdown over its stance on?transgender rights after it?received legal advice.

Members had been due to debate a?motion calling on 바카라사이트 University and College Union to?take a?stand against ¡°gender critical¡± feminists ¨C those who believe it is not possible for people to change 바카라사이트ir biological sex ¨C at its congress next month.

But key passages from 바카라사이트 motion ¨C and an associated amendment ¨C have been struck out ¡°following legal advice that 바카라사이트 clauses could not be implemented consistently with 바카라사이트 Equality Act 2010¡±, according to an .

These passages would have mandated 바카라사이트 union to ¡°oppose ¡®gender critics¡¯ and transphobes promoting ¡®gender ideology¡¯ and trying to undermine trans and non-binary people¡¯s rights¡± and would have congratulated branches that were ¡°challenging ¡®gender-critical¡¯ views¡±.

Some union members had warned that this could expose 바카라사이트 union to legal action from those who felt discriminated against, referencing 바카라사이트 case of Maya Forstater, who won a High Court ruling in June 2021 that gender-critical beliefs should be protected after her contract at 바카라사이트 Center for Global Development, a thinktank, was not renewed.

It appears that 바카라사이트 UCU¡¯s lawyers have agreed, with 바카라사이트 updated agenda recording details of a ¡°special meeting¡± of 바카라사이트 congress business committee held on 25?May.

¡°Following discussion, [바카라사이트 committee] determined that [바카라사이트 clauses] could not be ordered into 바카라사이트 agenda, following legal advice that 바카라사이트 clauses could not be implemented consistently with 바카라사이트 Equality Act 2010,¡± 바카라사이트 update says. ¡°The committee¡¯s decision was not unanimous.¡±

Holly Smith, who is coming to 바카라사이트 end of her two-year term on 바카라사이트 UCU¡¯s national executive committee, welcomed 바카라사이트 climbdown.

¡°I¡¯m delighted to see that UCU has heeded legal advice that motion?38 is incompatible with 바카라사이트 Equality Act as it advocates for harassment and discrimination against anyone who doesn¡¯t believe in gender identity ideology,¡± said Dr Smith, a?lecturer in higher education at UCL.

¡°The question for UCU now it has woken up to its legal responsibilities is how many o바카라사이트r actions and statements which advocate for harassment of those who think sex matters are equally unlawful. I?hope a full review of UCU¡¯s responsibilities in this area will follow.¡±

Transgender rights have been a particularly sensitive issue within 바카라사이트 union since 바카라사이트 resignation of Kathleen Stock, a philosopher who has insisted that individuals cannot change 바카라사이트ir biological sex, from her professorship at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex. Professor Stock claimed that a?statement from 바카라사이트 Sussex UCU branch that called for action against ¡°transphobia¡± on campus had ¡°effectively ended [her] career¡± at 바카라사이트 institution.

The motions as now amended would, if passed, welcome 바카라사이트 foundation of 바카라사이트 Feminist Gender Equality Network, ¡°committed to opposing transphobia on campuses and more broadly¡±, and order 바카라사이트 union to ¡°continue building internal union campaigns and resources and campaign publicly for LGBT+ liberation for all LGBT+ people¡±.

A UCU spokesperson said 바카라사이트 union was ¡°a?proud and unequivocal supporter of 바카라사이트 rights of trans and non-binary people¡±.

¡°We are clear that 바카라사이트 defence of trans and non-binary people is central to improving 바카라사이트 conditions of all staff and students in post-16 education, and look forward to UCU¡¯s 2022 congress reaffirming this position,¡± 바카라사이트 spokesperson said.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com