Students Call For Sussex Uni Professor To Be Sacked For 'Transphobic' Comments

The University & College Union at Sussex appears to have sided with transsexual activists against one of its professor's views on gender identity.

Philosophy Professor Kathleen Stock, an advocate for trans rights, has been vilified by students and staff for her views on the Gender Recognition Act 2018.

Although a supporter of the trans community ("I gladly and vocally assert the rights of trans people to live their lives free from fear, violence, harassment or any discrimination" - Wikipedia) Stock, believes that, as long as someone has male genitalia, they should be excluded from women-only spaces, such as changing rooms.

This view has brought with it anger from some students and staff, who feel that identifying with a particular gender, means you are that gender.

On Thursday, October 7th, Vice Chancellor at the Uni, Adam Tickell sent a letter to all staff and published it online:

"Yesterday (Wednesday 6th), there was a protest on campus which, from the initial evidence, appears to have been designed to attack Professor Kathleen Stock for exercising her academic freedoms, and to pressurise the University to terminate her employment.

"Although the overwhelming number of messages I have received about the incident have supported Kathleen, I have been disturbed to receive amongst them a message calling for Kathleen to be sacked.

"An investigation into the incident and its aftermath is underway and, in order not to prejudice any subsequent action, I don’t want to comment too much at this stage. However, the University cannot and will not tolerate threats to cherished academic freedoms and will take any action necessary to protect the rights of our staff."

His letter was met by opposition from The University & College Union, which yesterday (Wednesday, October 14) urged university leaders to take a strong stance against transphobia. The online statement reads:

"We urge our management to take a clear and strong stance against transphobia at Sussex. Now is the time for our University leadership to uphold the institution’s stated values by ensuring that the dignity and respect of trans and nonbinary staff and students, and their allies, are enshrined at the core of the University’s culture, a commitment that was inexcusably absent from the Vice Chancellor’s statement on Thursday 7 October."

Stock then released her own statement on her blog site:

'Hate, Heresy and the Fight for Free Speech', Battle of Ideas Saturday 9th October

"I'm an academic philosopher at the University of Sussex, a feminist, and have written on contentious issues about biological sex, gender identity, women’s rights and transactivist demands. I had hoped to address you personally at this session, and am very sorry to miss it. Unfortunately, events on my campus this week have prevented me.

"Since the beginning of the week, I've been subject to a campaign of harassment, explicitly designed to have me fired for my academic views. My first inkling of it came when I came across stickers all over my building talking about the ‘transphobic shit that comes out of Kathleen Stock’s mouth”.

"The next day I came across posters that named me, defamed me, and demanded I be fired, plastered all over my route into campus. Things escalated from there and now the police are involved and treating it as harassment."

Other outspoken trans women have supported Stock, including physics teacher, journalist and transsexual Debbie Hayton, who, along with 16 other transexuals, wrote to The Times on Tuesday Oct 12th:

Stock has since announced she thinks she will likely lose her job over the dispute.  

She then posted the statement released by the UCU.

The hashtag #IStandWithKathleenStock has been trending on Twitter.