Universities have shut down events discussing the impact of transgender rights on schools and the criminal justice system, following pressure from trans activists.
A conference at the University of Edinburgh discussing guidance on how transgender issues are handled in schools was cancelled following pressure from its Staff Pride Network.
Essex University also shut down a seminar set to be given by Professor Jo Phoenix with only a few hours’ notice, after some staff accused her of being “anti-trans”.
‘Unsafe’
Michele Moore was among the planned speakers at the education conference in Edinburgh. She has previously voiced concerns over autistic children being pulled into transgenderism.
The university’s Staff Pride Network called the event “transphobic”, saying it would negatively impact the “trans and non-binary community at the university”.
According to The Scotsman newspaper the conference organisers were told that the safety of their speakers – most of whom were women – could not be guaranteed.
An anonymous university source said: “It has made many women academics feel unsafe on campus and that they are on their own”.
Capitulation
Prof Phoenix previously co-signed a letter to The Guardian with 53 other academics, voicing concerns over the “suppression of proper academic analysis” on the effects of transgenderism.
Essex University’s Centre for Criminology said Phoenix’s seminar was cancelled over concern that “open debate and discussion might be obstructed”.
Richard Garside, the Director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies (CCJS), said: “Appearing to capitulate to a handful of bullies and ideologues is not a good look”.
Earlier this year, a CCJS conference at The Open University was cancelled after pressure from pro-trans activists.