Looniversity Challenge!
Michael Foran, Associate Professor of Law, Oxford Uni, and author of Gender Identity and the Law, had his lectures disrupted. I have been sent, by a student, clips of the madness.
Michael Foran, had two of his lectures, entitled Sex, Gender Identity, and the Law, disrupted by trans activists (29 May, and 5 June). Foran announced on X today that he would discontinue the lectures, and cancel the two remaining in the series.
He posted: ‘Due to escalating disruptive protests, I have decided to cancel the remainder of these lectures. This is deeply lamentable, but the disruption has undermined the academic nature of this series. Students shouldn’t face bullying or harassment when attending academic events.’
What a disgrace!
A student sent me the videos of the protesters, and provided the quotes below. Let’s all protest this censorious nonsense, NOT the ideas and theories that make these muppets claim to be triggered by them (videos below).
“It’s a shame that the lectures are now called off as we’re now denied exploring this contentious area of the law. I deeply regret that the university allowed protestors to disrupt the talk and i feel not enough is being done to protect the free speech and academic freedom.
Not all of us hold gender critical views but GC is recognised under the UK law as a protected philosophical belief so anyone holding such views should be free from intimidation and harassment.
I went to the lecture series to learn more about this highly controversial area from a legal perspective — I read parts of Michael Foran’s work and found them to be of high rigour, examples of scholarly brilliance.
He argues for the protected characteristic of gender reassignment under the Equality Act, so anyone who says he’s transphobic needs to explain how the Equality Act/gender reassignment protection is transphobic.
Protestors could’ve asked sharp questions and challenged him. They say it doesn’t matter because he won’t change his mind. But let us make up our own minds! Instead we’re just told to shut up and blindly follow the activists. It’s extremely patronising.”
They also sent me clips of Foran, responding the the protests. Could he sound any more reasonable? And well done those (majority of) students for refusing to capitulate to the bullies.
But surely he could publish his lecture on a website of his own and students could read them for themselves? And have seminars over Zoom with those who want to have honest discussion?
And what does the University lecturers union have to say about this?
I don't see that the disrupters have to win. Or he simply gives his lectures over Zoom and cuts out anyone who tries to disrupt. Ian
The purpose of “trans” communication is purely to deflect and confuse, and avoid at all costs examination of men mimicking women.
It has no other purpose.