Student in gender row probe now suing her university
Top QC Cherry to help her in fight for compensation
A STUDENT who was investigated in a gender row by her university has instructed lawyers to sue.
Lisa Keogh, 29, was probed by Abertay University after classmates complained that her ‘inappropriate comments’ could be discriminatory.
Following a two-month investigation, which took place during her final year, the disciplinary board of the university decided not to uphold the misconduct charge against her.
They found there was no evidence Miss Keogh had discriminated against anyone when she said ‘women have vaginas’. The mother of two is seeking compensation from the Dundee university for stress she claims was caused by the incident.
Lawyer Joanna Cherry, QC, Nationalist MP for Edinburgh South West, has been instructed to represent Miss Keogh. In a social media post, Miss Keogh said: ‘Delighted to announce that my solicitors MML Legal, Dundee have instructed Joanna Cherry, QC, to assist with my case.
‘Please consider donating to my crowdfunding page.’
More than £13,700 has been raised so far and she aims to raise £25,000 in total.
Speaking earlier, Miss Keogh said: ‘I believe that universities have an obligation to protect their students in exercising their academic freedom of speech.
‘I believe that Abertay University acted unlawfully in pursuing this vexatious complaint against me and I believe it must protect all of their students, not just a select few.’
A spokesman for Abertay University
confirmed it was aware of the action.
In a letter clearing Miss Keogh, the university said the allegations against her ‘were not in relation to personal opinions but to alleged behaviour in class’. It said the accusation against her was as follows: ‘Made inappropriate comments during class discussions which could be construed as discriminatory and continued to make offensive comments and behaved in a disrespectful manner, despite being made aware that your behaviour was harmful to others and despite reminders about the university’s policies related to conduct.’
Miss Cherry was appointed a QC in 2009 and was first elected to Westminster in 2015.
In May last year she resigned from the SNP national executive committee and said ‘a number of factors’ had prevented her fulfilling her mandate ‘to improve transparency and scrutiny’ and ‘uphold the party’s constitution’.
She played a leading role in legal battles with the UK Government during the Brexit process, but has clashed with a number of SNP colleagues at Westminster over transgender rights and the party’s strategy for independence. Miss Cherry was approached for comment.
Last October, one of Scotland’s top scientists criticised the SNP’s transgender reforms.
Professor Dame Anne Glover hit out at its stance on the Gender Recognition Act.
Dame Anne, Scotland’s chief scientific adviser between 2006 and 2011, said: ‘[A trans woman] is different because she was born sexually as a man – it’s the denial of that that makes me concerned. The denial of basic biology... makes no sense to me.
‘Why would [the First Minister] say scientists might be wellmeaning but wrong? I don’t know where the authority comes from to reject that knowledge and say, “I’m right”.’
‘Vexatious complaint’