Cambridge row over trans speech deepens

A FREEDOM of speech row at a Cambridge college has deepened after it emerged that senior academics tried to block promotion of a talk by a gendercritical feminist.

Pippa Rogerson, master of Gonville and Caius, and senior tutor Andrew Spencer sparked controversy last month by announcing they were boycotting a visit by Helen Joyce.

In an email to students they said the bestselling author’s views on transgender people were ‘offensive, insulting, and hateful to members of our community’. In the October 19 message the pair said they could not ‘stay neutral’ and would avoid the talk, which had been organised by Arif Ahmed, a Gonville fellow and professor of philosophy.

But the academics also prevented Professor Ahmed from publicising the event on Venn, the college intranet system, Varsity student newspaper reported. Professor Ahmed told colleagues: ‘I have tried to advertise this event on the Venn but the master and the senior tutor have told me that I cannot do this, on the grounds that “further publicity will only inflame already heightened tensions in college”.’

Dr Joyce, who maintains biological sex is binary and immutable, spoke at the college on October 25.

A Gonville and Caius college spokesman said yesterday: ‘Cancellation was never considered.’

Professor Rogerson messaged graduates to say she believed in free speech but disagreed with Dr Joyce’s views and approach to criticism. This view, she said, was shared by Dr Spencer, and they had both expressed ‘personal opinions – as is our right’.

She added: ‘Individuals are free to choose to attend events or not.’

Professor Ahmed declined to comment last night.