Shadow minister says university is failing students on trans rights
A LABOUR MP has accused the Sussex University vice-chancellor of failing to stand up for transgender students, as the party wades into the feminist academic row.
Taiwo Owatemi MP, the shadow minister for women and equalities, praised the lecturers’ union for making a “strong and principled” request for the university to adhere to its own Trans Equality Statement.
But she added that this commitment was “sadly absent” from Prof Adam Tickell’s statement on the treatment of one of Sussex University’s professors.
Earlier this week, Prof Kathleen Stock, who is at the centre of a furore over her views on gender identity, accused the lecturers’ union of “effectively ending” her career after it called on her university to offer “unequivocal support” to trans students.
The philosophy professor has faced calls from students to be removed from her post amid accusations of “transphobia”. Last week, students put up posters calling on the university to fire her.
Prof Stock recently published a book questioning the idea that gender identity is more “socially significant” than biological sex. She denies claims that she is a transphobe.
Ms Owatemi said she was “greatly concerned” about Prof Stock’s work as a trustee of the LGB Alliance group, adding that she shared the concerns of her predecessor as shadow equalities minister who was “highly critical” of the group’s activities.
In a letter to a constituent, Ms Owatemi said that the LGB Alliance – which campaigns for the rights of lesbians, gay men and bisexuals – should be “rejected by all those who believe in equality”.
She said: “They oppose reform of the Gender Recognition Act, which has long been the position of my party and to which we remain committed.”
Ms Owatemi went on to say that a number of the group’s stances – which include the view that adolescents should not be able to access puberty blockers – were “diametrically opposed” to her beliefs and the position of Labour.
A group calling itself “Anti Terf Sussex” describes Prof Stock online as “one of this wretched island’s most prominent transphobes”.
Terf, which stands for trans-exclusionary radical feminist, is used as a derogatory term to describe those who believe that “identifying” as a woman is not the same as being born a woman.
Prof Stock, who has received death threats from pro-transgender activists, has been advised by the police to have CCTV at her front door. Michelle Donelan, the universities minister, has said it is “unacceptable” that Prof Stock is having to be supported by the police.
Ms Owatemi said: “I was clear in this letter that I was not passing judgment on Prof Stock’s academic work, and did not call for action to be taken against her.”