16/10/2021
Pink News reports on a campus row at the University of Sussex over the employment of gender-critical feminist professor Kathleen Stock, who teaches in the University's Department of Philosophy. A new campaign group, which describes itself as consisting of trans and gender non-binary students, but appears not to be linked with the LGBTQIA Society at the college, has taken non-violent direct action protests against Stock, who denies that she is transphobic. Stock has said that a considerable number of transwomen have male genitalia, although she has also stated ““I am definitely not saying that trans women are particularly dangerous – they are definitely not. Most trans people are law abiding and wouldn’t dream of harming anyone”. Stock has said that certain situations where women undress or sleep should be off limits to transwomen. The activist group said ““The university is actively enabling and encouraging her transphobia by not firing her, which whilst not surprising, has continued for far too long. Our demand is simple: fire Kathleen Stock. Until then, you’ll see us around.” The BBC News Channel has since added that the University is approaching the controversy as a free speech issue. But Pink News has also unearthed and published comments by Stock in an 2018 interview in which she said “Violence against females is endemic. Trans women are biologically male, and though most are law-abiding, some small proportion are not. There is a general social need to continue to protect females in communal female-only spaces from the possibility of male violence.” Direct action postering and stickering at the University continues.
