SRC boycotts open lecture over perceived transphobia
THE UCT student representative council (SRC) boycotted an open lecture by writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie yesterday, accusing her of transphobia.
Instead they held their own open lecture, “The Dangers of Sectional Feminism, in the Context of Trans Women”.
Recently, Adichie came under fire for an essay on her official website titled “It Is Obscene”, published in June. In the three-part essay, Adichie addressed two unnamed authors she took under her wing, who later criticised her for “transphobic comments” made in a 2017 interview where she said “trans women are trans women”.
She was widely criticised by members of the LGBTQIA+ community for the comment, with it being labelled as transphobic and her feminism described as “lacking intersectionality”.
The SRC wrote an open letter to the vice-chancellor (VC), stating its concern after the university announced Adichie as a guest speaker for its virtual second VC’s Open Lecture of the year.
The SRC said Adichie was a commendable writer who without doubt had been a powerful voice for women’s rights. However, her comments in 2017 during an interview with Channel 4 were "extremely transphobic statements", especially coming from someone who was meant to be representing the voice of all women.
They said coming as it did shortly after Pride Month (June), the announcement was came as a betrayal of UCT’s LGBTQI+ community, as the webinar provided a platform to an individual who made transphobic remarks about a group of people who had historically been marginalised and violated by society for simply existing.
In a letter seen by the Cape Argus, VC Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng wrote back to the SRC, saying it was her view that the invitation to Adichie to deliver the open lecture, entitled, “The Idolatry of Theory: a defence of storytelling” “in no way diminishes, undermines or changes their ongoing efforts in creating a culture of inclusivity, tolerance and acceptance for their diverse community within the university”.
UCT spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala said the university appreciated the letter from the SRC and the views it expressed, and was pleased to see the SRC’s intention to stand up for the rights of those who were often marginalised, abused and violated by society.
Shabalala said UCT was constantly working to adapt to shifting contexts, especially around transformation and inclusivity. She said one of the most fundamental points it constantly highlighted and strove for was to enable a non-discriminatory environment for all on campus.
She said Adichie was known for her LGBTQIA+ rights advocacy in Nigeria. While her advocacy had been controversial, it had to be understood in the full complexity of its context.
Shabalala said UCT viewed the lecture as all the other VC lectures, and it was an opportunity for debate, for an exchange of ideas, for grappling with issues and different perspectives on the same issue.
She said cancelling the lecture would have robbed them all of the opportunity to share, to express, to learn and to change their minds.