Category: Academics and researchers

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Academics and researchers

I am surrounded by intelligent, well meaning work colleagues, but reading their social media posts makes me question their critical thinking

This matters to me because I have a young child, I see that the teachers, politicians, union reps, work colleagues they have to deal with in future may well be pushing gender ideology.

As an academic I am surrounded by intelligent, well meaning work colleagues, but reading their social media posts makes me question their critical thinking. Their social media post that a man can mestruate for example; how can they peddle this rubbish?

My most reccent lived experience  – I opened the door to leave a cubicle in a ladies toilet and a man was facing me. We were alone & I was terrified. I had no idea why he was there. Fortunately, he left, but other women have had worse things happen to them when confronted by a man in an enclosed space. The idea that I would be in the wrong for complaining about him being there is a threat to all women’s safety

I have joined a feminist alternative to Twitter.

Kathie W

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Academics and researchers

It feels as if all of my struggles for equality have been thrown in the bin

I have been a feminist for forty years. I have had to share a work bathroom with a trans person who is a stereotype of femininity and gets lauded by colleagues for their stiletto shoes and fishnet tights and mini skirt. It feels as if all of my struggles for equality have been thrown in the bin. I care about the safety of women and girls in sport, prison, school, the toilets . . .

I have engaged lightly on social media, I have spoken fully with friends and have attended women’s meetings behind closed doors.

I know one of my colleagues (a ‘trans-ally’) is aware of my views and I’m sure has been responsible for tearing down flyers I have put up outside my office (from Women’s groups such as WPUK) and replacing them with trans flag flyers.

TREA, Lecturer

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Academics and researchers

This is gross medical negligence and should not be celebrated as ‘progressive’

I care about this because I am both a woman and a scientist and care deeply against the spread of misinformation. I am also against the normalisation of bodily mutilation of primarily young lesbians. This is gross medical negligence and should not be celebrated as ‘progressive’.

I have a Twitter account.

I brought this issue up with a few individuals in my day to day life (mainly men) and I am immediately met with the parroted transactivist script from people I wouldn’t even consider to be in the cult. The main negative is unstabilized relationships because they are not even able to debate the topic without just resorting to calling me a bigot or a TERF.

AW, Scientist with common sense, I wish I could provide this but I fear backlash

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Academics and researchers trans familiy

My brother wants to transition to be my sister. In the beginning we were all supportive

This matters to me because my brother wants to transition to be my sister.  In the beginning we were all supportive – even my elderly parents . This period lasted two years and then as we began to learn more and question (especially me about women’s rights) my sibling grew aggressive.

Our refusal as a family to be bullied into thinking and accepting his normality without question led to huge rows and now he does not speak to us. 

Worse, he has given very personal information about me to my ex husband (my marriage was one of coercive control) and he is using this to destroy me financially and professionally (I’m an academic).

I joined Groups on Facebook & Twitter and tried to educate myself in the issues.

Financially and as a family – My work is at risk from being named.

NS, Academic and feminist

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Academics and researchers

I am concerned that the rise in these views…will make it unsafe for me to use women’s toilets and other women’s spaces

As a woman, I am concerned that the rise in these views I strongly oppose – they make my skin crawl – will make it unsafe for me to use women’s toilets and other women’s spaces.

I’ve written to University authorities to ensure correct labelling of toilet facilities.

I have had only minor consequences like losing friends and being blocked on twitter.

S, campaigner

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Academics and researchers

Women can never fully escape the consequences of their reproductive role

This matters to me because after embracing feminist beliefs for my entire adult life I have now accepted that women can never fully escape the consequences of their reproductive role. This does not make women inherently weak or vulnerable (far from it), but in patriarchal societies it does create periods of economic dependency (on individual men or women or on the state, in which patriarchal concepts of citizenship are deeply embedded) and has longer-term consequences for how women are positioned in the labour market and treated in society.

It is not possible to fully escape biological reality. However, what feminism can do-and has done-is to ameliorate as far as possible the social, economic, political and legal consequences of this through legislation (women’s rights/women’s human rights) and by working to change socially and culturally embedded ideas about gender and gender roles. 

Transgender ideology, and self-ID specifically, puts all these gain in jeopardy. On an intellectual level, I understand Butler’s (et al) purpose -and intent-in arguing that sex is a social construct.

However, a wishful idealism that denies material reality is doomed to fail. The political project is thus naive, yet jeopardises all the concrete gains made by feminists over decades of struggle.

In so far as it challenges all boundaries, it can also enable bad actors that pose a risk to vulnerable groups.

I work in a university, most closely with feminist colleagues sympathetic to Queer Theory. I am generally supportive of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion agenda. However, I have spoken out publicly (email, meetings) about the dangers of this agenda being  hijacked and I have publicly spoken out against no platforming.

Interestingly, some Queer Theory/feminist colleagues have told me privately that they agree with me, so too a Non Binary colleague who now believes that no platforming is not the way to resolve this conflict. That’s good enough for me.

If we can have public debate, free from intimidation, I believe gender critical feminists will prevail and we can then move on to a constructive discussion on how to tackle the discrimination faced by trans people, without sacrificing women’s sex-based rights.

I have outed myself twice on Twitter (were I am not anonymous), with no serious consequences for me,  but I generally do not engage on Twitter on this or any other matter. Anonymity removes accountability for comments posted and the growing factionalism and polarisation squeezes out moderate voices.

I accept that engagement on social media was necessary when MSM (Mainstream Media) and politicians wouldn’t touch the issue and I admire the courage of those who have spoken out at great cost to themselves during this time. However, I fear the debate on Twitter is now so toxic that it is better to utilize other spaces and possibilities for discussion, more of which are opening up as the tide turns in the favour of gender criticals (in the UK at least).

I resigned from the Labour Party over the Woman’s Place debacle. I have written to the Labour Party about the issue. I have supported numerous crowd funders.

Any backlash was likely to come from trans and non binary colleagues and students, but it hasn’t happened (yet) and, as above, some colleagues have told me privately they agree with me. One non binary student approached me after a lecture and complained about my “cis language.” I invited them to talk to me later when we had more time to discuss their concerns. I feared an official complaint was in the offing, but I never heard from them again.

That said, I do not feel that I can be completely honest about my views. To the extent that I actively self-police, I acknowledge that there is still a problem and we have some way to go. We all need to engage with our colleagues respectfully and with civility, but it is necessary to air important matters in ways that do not obfuscate the issues. This is not happening in my institution or indeed across my wider feminist network. Instead, both sides are dealing with the conflict by not confronting it.

I am also experiencing this on a personal level. I know my daughter agrees with me on certain issues-e.g. that trans participation with decimate women’s sport and that bad actors will exploit self-ID in ways that put women at risk. However, she lives in one of the Wokiest cities in the UK where most of her friends and much of her social support comes from her LGBT network. We have discussed in the past, but recently she has asked me not to talk to her about this (a way of not confronting her own feelings, I think) and so we don’t, even as we are very close and can talk openly about just about any other subject.

Annys, Academic

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Academics and researchers

I am being asked to deny my life experience

I am an Adult Human Female. Sex-based oppression is real; my experience as a human being of the Female Sex IS my life.

When a Man insists that he is a Woman because he says so, I am being lied to. I am being asked to lie. I am being asked to lie about what I can see in front of me. I am being asked to deny my life experience.

This GREAT UNTRUTH harms Women and Girls.

Sex (Male/Female) is our biological, material reality: it’s why an estimated (ref UN) 200 million women and girls alive today have undergone some form of genital mutilation.

Gender is a set of constructs and stereotypes: it’s why little boys are dressed in blue.

When we conflate the meaning of Feminine Gender with the Female Sex, decades of Women’s suffrage is eroded.

In my opinion as a Lecturer in the Arts and Humanities, this ‘great untruth’ is located most conspicuously in the general conflation of the words ‘Sex’ and ‘Gender’. The ‘great untruth’ and its advocates have quietly confused and manipulated our foremost legal, cultural and educational UK institutions. Squeamishness against using the word ‘Sex’ to denote sex is an innocuous reason for this conflation.

A deeper analysis and understanding of Gender Ideology and its philosophical beginnings, in particular, can offer a genuine insight into its hold (for anyone who actually cares to unpick its message). So educators like me have to be careful at the moment – I could be reprimanded or ‘no platformed’ for questioning the practical need for same-Sex toilets or pointing out my unease . I have been warned several times of ‘stirring up trouble’….

There are practical reasons why Women have Sex-based protections; the most obvious is Safeguarding and there is overwhelming, uncomfortable and compelling evidence that Women clearly need protection from Men. The uncomfortable truth is that Women need Sex-based protections and the Equalities Act went some way to provide it.

In practical terms, if a Man can self-identify into Womanhood, the protections in the Equalities Act become meaningless. Our Sex-based Sports, Sex-based toilets, Sex-based changing rooms, Scholarships, Bursaries, Women of the Year Awards, Women & Girls’ Health and the actual word for Women are being blindly co-opted.

Philosophically,  I believe Women are being ‘deconstructed’. As any good Academic will tell you, when you deconstruct an image, a word, an idea, it becomes meaningless.

The thing is, Women are not an image, a Word or an idea. Women are Human Beings and our reality is located in practicalities.

The ‘great untruth’ does not require the default Adult Human Male to do anything. Adult Human Males are not required to accept or safeguard other Adult Human Males who wear Feminine Gendered clothing or make-up, or who undergo life-changing surgery to appear as a Feminine construct. It means that Adult Human Males do not have to confront their part in why Women need practical Sex-based protections.

I have (and probably) will continue to receive death threats for exposing the ‘great untruth’ – Men cannot ‘change’ into Women.

Louisa Jones, Film Lecturer

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Academics and researchers Healthcare

I see children in my city being encouraged to take life altering decisions at too young an age

I care because firstly I can’t lie and collude with the idea that sex can be changed, either medically or by declaration. I care because gender ideology reinforces rather than challenges the concept of sex-appropriate behaviour and I’ve personally fought against this my whole life.

I care because I see children in my city being encouraged to take life altering decisions at too young an age (thanks Allsorts…) and this is cruel. I care because until 6 I thought you could choose to change sex at 10 yrs old, I was a tomboy and feel these days I’d be at risk of being transed or forced to over-think it. It’s cruel.

I also object to the obliteration of the  understanding that being female is a material reality that carries with it the baggage of a history of discrimination. Being female is an axis of oppression that’s nonsensical to ignore.

I care lastly because I have daughters, aunts, a mother, cousins and friends who have all experienced both subtle and profound discrimination on the basis of their female sex. Sex matters.

I have tentatively broached with a sympathetic friend. When I first was aware of the Hyde Park Corner incident I mentioned it in the pub assuming people would see it as nonsense. The people there were self-declared ex-Terfs who told me how they’d seen the light. It was surprising and put me on the back foot.

I have spoken up at work about using sex rather than gender in our surveys – small act, but I work in Higher Education where gender ideology is being forced into every part of the organisation.

I have engaged on social media (including with my MP Caroline Lucas), as an anonymous, attended conferences, donated to crowdfunders. I haven’t done enough. My daughter is very scared of me raising any issue with the school, or speaking out. She is gender critical but also scared of speaking out. The school still have sexist practices that reinforce sex-based stereotypes,  but does nothing about these, while pushing gender ideology.

I have had no negative consequences but that’s because I’m careful to maintain anonymity. I also haven’t spoken out enough.

Maggie, Woman in the street

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Academics and researchers Healthcare

This movement has truly shown that women are at the bottom of the pile

I care because the pro-gender lobby is hugely sexist, and aims to trample women’s rights – our rights to safe, female-only spaces, our rights to self-definition and even discussion of female reality and biology. I care because of the huge safeguarding concerns for women in vulnerable situations e.g. prison and hospital, and also the danger to children’s health and wellbeing.

It is cruel that gay, autistic, gnc etc children are being taught they are in “the wrong body” and must undergo a lifetime of medical alterations by adults who seem to gave forgotten their own childhood. I care because this movement has truly shown that women are at the bottom of the pile, considered less important than male feelings.

I have spoken with family about this, who said they wouldn’t have been aware otherwise. I have posted gender critical (but fairly mainstream, approachable) articles on social media for friends and coworkers to see (and had a few surprise “likes”).

I responded to the Scottish GRA. I researched gender ideology and the many areas of concern, and wrote a well-sourced email to my MP (Labour MP Cat “3 homes” Smith – useless, says transwomen are women, believes I am wrong and didn’t care about any of the quoted articles or stats in my letter).

I also wrote to Labour leadership and deputy candidates (apparently Kier’s team had nothing to say about women’s rights or protecting Equality Act 2010, but promise to protect non-binary people in whatever that means). I wrote to Tory women’s minister and got a better response from the GEO (that the Equality Act 2010 was safe, women’s rights matter).

I donate regularly to causes such as lawsuits, campaign groups. I vocally opposed my employer (a uni) changing ladies and gents toilets to unisex by virtue of simply changing the sign.

Our male union rep (Unite) said he wasn’t fussed and it was more important that non-binary and trans people don’t feel like “the odd one out” by using the other, single uni unisex toilet already available in the same corridor. Women’s safety didnt matter.

Thankfully more powerful women than me pushed back and the sign was quietly changed back.

I have had very uncomfortable arguments with colleagues and union reps and received very dismissive replies from politicians. Mostly it is just stressful because I have anxiety anyway. I am afraid of speaking out and losing my job at a uni that works closely with Stonewall and Gendered Intelligence. I am more afraid, however, of not standing up to bullies.

G

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Academics and researchers Healthcare

It is the biggest threat to women’s rights we have ever seen

This is the most important issue to me because it is the biggest threat to women’s rights we have ever seen. It will remove our legal definition and protection in one foul swoop forcing many women into self exclusion from public places. We are losing a generation of lesbian and gay children and enabling paedophilia to cloak under the rainbow.

I have written to my MP, I have attended meetings in the House of Lords, I have attended women’s meetings, I write regularly bringing the primary sources to quick access for people. Indeed I have spent hours of my life and written thousands of words on the topic. I have demonstrated, I have placed stickers, I have spoken to all women I know and every woman I meet. I wear slogan t-shirts out to start conversations.

I lost any prospect of work within my university, I lost close friends, I was attacked online by supposed allies to women resulting in a week with police interviews and therapy. I have been doxxed, no-platformed, lost a book deal.

Dr Em, academic, radical feminist, campaigner