Gender lectures should be brought back despite trans protests, academics urge Oxford University
Gender lectures should be brought back despite protests from transgender activists, academics have urged Oxford University.
More than 100 academics have called on the university to reinstate a lecture series on gender after it was cancelled amid protests.
Among the 117 academics is Professor Richard Dawkins, who famously wrote The God Delusion.
He and other signatories wrote to The Times after Dr Michael Foran's gender law lectures were cancelled by the prestigious university.
The lectures would explore how the issues of sex and gender have impacted the law, such as the controversies over single-sex spaces, privacy, sport, sexual intimacy and freedom of expression.
Dr Foran, an associate professor of law at Oxford, was scheduled to deliver four lectures on the themes of his new book: Sex, Gender Identity and the Law.
On Sunday, however, the gender and equality law expert confirmed on social media he was cancelling the remainder of his talks after the first two were interrupted by protesters, calling it "lamentable".
He wrote on X: "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."
He continued to describe how protesters had "disrupted the event for about 10 minutes".
The academic said he had to cancel because he "cannot guarantee for attendees, including students, that further disruption won't occur".
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Videos from the disruption show the trans activists, who are understood to also attend the university, standing in front of Prof Foran, calling him a "bigot".
The protester said the academic "masks his transphobia behind a thin veneer of academia".
They continued: "If you are here in a critical capacity to challenge his ideas … that is not the same as refusing to platform him. He will not be convinced by your arguments. Please join me in walking out and refusing to platform this bigot."
Oxford University's proctors' office had given permission for the protest to go ahead.
It is the role of the office to approve protests occurring at the university, which should be peaceful and not disturb "the lawful exercise of freedom of speech".
However, sources from the university described the protest as disruptive, rather than peaceful.
In the letter, the 117 signatories wrote, they wrote: "It appears that the university proctors authorised and facilitated protests inside the lecture theatre and did nothing to remove miscreants.
"Members of the proctors’ office, including senior figures, can be seen in videos of the disruption.
"The proctors have enabled the exercise of a heckler’s veto."
The letter urged the university to reinstate Dr Foran's lectures as well as the proctors needed to "receive training to ensure they understand their duties".
An Oxford spokesman said freedom of speech and academic freedom were central to its values, but added it also supported the right to lawful protest and civil disagreement.
They said the university remained committed to working with Dr Foran to find a way for his remaining lectures to proceed.
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