Trans row professor fears she will need guards on campus
A PROFESSOR subjected to a student witch-hunt over her views on gender has been told by police she may need security guards on campus.
Kathleen Stock, who teaches philosophy at the University of Sussex, has faced calls to be sacked by an anonymous group of students that accuses her of transphobia.
Her alleged misdeeds include believing gender identity is not more important than an individual’s biological sex.
Although the university is defending her, police have advised she take precautions against possible attacks from students. Officers said stickers put on her building at the university saying ‘transphobic s*** that comes out of Kathleen Stock’s mouth’ were potential harassment.
‘The police have advised me to have cameras on my front door,’ she told The Sunday Times.
‘They have given me advice about moving around. They have put a marker on my phone, if I phone 999 there is an automatic callout to my house
‘I am vulnerable on campus. The police implied that I would need security guards accompanying me to go back on campus. I do not know if this will push me out of academia.
‘I do not want to leave. When I think about my future, I do not know how that looks. How can I walk around Sussex? I am so notorious now.’
Vice-chancellor Adam Tickell says he will investigate activity which has been designed to ‘attack’ Professor Stock for exercising her academic freedoms.
And equalities minister Kemi Badenoch has also lent her backing, saying: ‘As a Sussex Uni alumna, I’m pleased to see this support for Professor Stock.
‘No one should face harassment in the workplace. Robust academic debate is a hallmark of a civilised society. Hounding people out of a job because you disagree with them, is not.’
In January, hundreds of academics criticised the decision to award Professor Stock an OBE for services to higher education in the new year honours. In the open letter, they warned against academics who used their status to ‘further gender oppression’.
A University of Sussex spokesman said: ‘As a university community, we must be able to have complex discussions without bullying or harassment. We will always take swift action when this occurs.
‘Our role as a university is to facilitate such conversations to advance shared understanding and common agreement.
‘We insist that these are carried out respectfully and are always protective of our staff and students.’