Academics write to the EHRC
In the face of ongoing harassment and discrimination against university staff and students because of their beliefs on sex and gender 240 academics have written to Baroness Kishwer Falkner, Chair of the EHRC asking for the EHRC to undertake a “Reindorf Review” for the higher education sector. Download the letter
The letter appears in edited form in the Sunday Times and also features in an article by Sian Griffiths.
Read the letter
Dear Baroness Kishwer Falkner
Thank you for publicly stating that the attacks on Professor Kathleen Stock at Sussex University are disgraceful, and for calling on other institutions to follow Sussex University’s lead to stop these attacks on freedom of speech.
The EHRC has previously published guidance on freedom of expression in higher education. However this is not just an issue of freedom of expression, but of harassment and discrimination on the basis of characteristics protected under the Equality Act: sex, belief and sexual orientation. Universities have created an intimidating, hostile, degrading and humiliating environment for staff and students who recognise that sex matters.
Sex Matters has logged 80 news reports of similar bullying, harassment and no-platforming incidents across UK Universities including Edinburgh, Bath Spa, Kings College London, Oxford, Reading, University College London, Essex, Liverpool John Moores, Bristol, the Open University, Durham, York, Huddersfield, Exeter, Imperial and Cambridge Universities which have occurred over the past five years. And we know of many other cases which have not been reported in the media. Professor Stock herself has compiled a set of anonymous testimonies from academics facing harassment and discrimination at UK Universities because of their beliefs on sex and gender—compounded in most cases by their sex and in some cases by their sexual orientation.
The review by Akua Reindorf of the events at Essex University highlighted a culture of fear, enabled by policies which violate the Equality Act, and a system of institutionalised discrimination and intimidation by “trans rights activists” within the university. There is ample evidence that this is not limited to Essex University
It is now clear that many university leaders lack the courage or capacity to address the issue, which they have allowed to continue for several years in the face of mounting public criticism. Following the release of the Reindorf review, the Vice-Chancellor of Essex (Professor Anthony Forster) issued an extraordinary apology for the manner of undertaking the review itself, for releasing it “during Pride Month” and to “anyone having been made to feel unsafe as a result of the Review.” In 2019 Imperial College London vice-provost apologised for “liking” tweets by the organisation Transgender Trend. The London School of Economics has taken no public action after the Department of Gender Studies denounced the Gender Critical Research Network established at the Open University, nor after it emerged that the department had promoted a student essay which fantasized about stabbing “TERFs”.
Almost all universities in the UK remain members of the Stonewall Champions Scheme, which promulgates misleading information about the Equality Act. After the EHRC announced it was intervening in the Forstater case in support for freedom of belief, Stonewall together with other members of the LGBT consortium wrote to you castigating that decision. Stonewall have not revised their guidance in light of the Forstater judgment which recognised that believing that sex is real and important is a protected characteristic. The Athena Swan scheme encourages Higher Education Institutions to monitor gender identity not sex.
Universities that have chosen to remain committed members of the Stonewall scheme following the Reindorf Review have shown that they will continue to discriminate against academics who uphold a distinction between sex and gender, especially those who are female.
We call on the EHRC to undertake a comprehensive review of policies and practices in UK Universities that impose a radical gender orthodoxy. This review should recommend new guidance to prevent discrimination against those who recognise that sex is a protected characteristic.
Yours sincerely
Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta FBA FRS, Frank Ramsey Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of Cambridge
Professor Sir Michael Pepper FREng FRS, Pender Professor of Nanoelectronics, University College London
Professor Arif Ahmed MBE, Professor of Philosophy, University of Cambridge
Professor Donald Nicolson OBE, Professor, University of Essex
Professor Sophie Scott CBE, University College London
Professor Ian Acheson FRSA, Visiting Professor, Staffordshire University
Professor Hannah Barker, University of Manchester
Professor Timothy Bates, Professor of psychology, University of Edinburgh
Professor Andrew Bennett, Professor, University of Bristol
Professor Chetan Bhatt, Professor of Sociology, London School of Economics and Political Science
Professor Stephanie Bird, Professor of German Studies, University College London
Professor Robert Black QC FRSE, Professor Emeritus of Scots Law, University of Edinburgh
Professor Simon Blackburn FBA,FAAAS,FAHA, Emeritus Bertrand Russell Professor of Philosophy, University of Cambridge, University of Cambridge
Professor Deborah Cameron, Rupert Murdoch Professor of Language and Communication, Oxford University
Professor Jackie Cassell FRCP, FFPH, Professor of Primary Care Epidemiology, Brighton and Sussex Medical School
Professor Sin Yi Cheung, Professor of Sociology, Cardiff University
Professor David Curtis FRCPsych, Honorary Professor, University College London
Professor Andrew Davies, Professor of Modern Social History, University of Liverpool
Professor Paul Du Gay, Professor,
Professor John Dupré FAAAS, FAAAS, FRSA, Professor of Philosophy of Science, University of Exeter
Professor Debbie Epstein, Emerita Professor of Cultural Studies in Education, University of Roehampton
Professor Matthew Fox, Professor of Classics, University of Glasgow
Professor Rosa Freedman, Professor of Law,Conflict and Global Development, University of Reading
Professor Sarah Garfinkel, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, UCL
Professor Matthew Goodwin, Professor, University of Kent
Professor Simon Goodwin, Professor of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Sheffield
Professor Lesley Gourlay, Professor of Education, University College London
Professor Anne Green, Professor of Physics, University of Nottingham
Professor Lee Grieveson, Professor of Media History, UCL
Professor Francois Guesnet, Professor, University College London
Professor Jonathan Hearn, University of Edinburgh
Professor Robin Hogan, Professor of Atmospheric Physics, University of Reading
Professor Stephen Jenkins, LSE
Professor Matthew Kramer FBA, Professor of Legal & Political Philosophy, Cambridge University
Professor Richard Laing MRICS FRSA, Professor (Architecture and Built Environment), Robert Gordon University
Professor Ellie Lee, Professor, University of Kent
Professor Mary Leng, Professor of Philosophy, University of York
Professor Eva Lomnicka QC (Hon), Professor of Law (semi-retired), Dickson Poon School of Law
Professor Colin MacCabe, Dept of English and Humanities, Birkbeck, University of London (retired)
Professor John Macdonald, Professor, Cardiff University
Professor John Maloney, Associate Professor of Economics, University of Exeter
Professor Kieran McEvoy FAcSS MRIA FBA, Professor of Law and Transitional Justice, Queens University Belfast
Professor Aileen McHarg, Professor of Public Law and Human Rights, Durham University
Professor Jane Monckton Smith, Professor of Public Protection, University of Gloucestershire
Professor Michele Moore, Head of Centre for Social Justice and Global Responsibility, London South Bank University
Professor Tim Newburn, Professor of Criminology and Social Policy, London School of Economics
Professor Katherine Newey, Chair of Theatre History,University of Exeter, University of Exeter
Professor Sean Nixon, Professor, University of Essex
Professor Lindsay Paterson FBA,FRSE, Professor of Education Policy, University of Edinburgh
Professor Sarah Pedersen, Professor of Communication and Media, Robert Gordon University
Professor Richard Percival, Professor of Criminal Law and Practice, University of Sheffield
Professor Jo Phoenix, Chair,criminology, The Open University
Professor David Pilgrim, Honorary Professor of Health &Social Policy, University of Liverpool
Professor Lucinda Platt, LSE
Professor Sally Power, Professor, Cardiff University
Professor Angelique Richardson, Professor, University of Exeter
Professor Sheila Riddell, Professor of Education, Moray House School of Education, University of Edinburgh
Professor Karen Ross, Professor of Gender and Media
, Newcastle University
Professor Judith Rowbotham FRSA,FRHistS, Visiting Professor, University of Plymouth
Professor Alan Sokal, Professor of Mathematics, University College London
Professor Irena Spasic, Professor, Cardiff University
Professor Perdita Stevens, Personal Chair in Mathematics of Software Engineering, University of Edinburgh
Professor Jill Stewart, Professor of Systems Modelling and Optimisation, University of Derby
Professor Doug Stokes, Professor, University of Exeter
Professor John Strawson, Honorary Professor of Law, University of East London
Professor Judith Suissa, Professor of Philosophy of Education, UCL Institute of Education
Professor Alice Sullivan, Professor of Sociology, University College London
Professor John Tasioulas, Professor of Ethics and Legal Philosophy, University of Oxford
Professor Selina Todd, Professor of Modern History, University of Oxford
Professor Robert Tombs CPA, Emeritus Professor of French History, University of Cambridge
Professor James Treadwell, Professor of Criminology, Staffordshire University
Professor Alison Twells, Professor of Social and Cultural History, Sheffield Hallam University
Professor Roger Waston FRCN FRCP Edin FRCN, Professor of Nursing, University of Hull
Professor Peter Watts QC, Visiting Professor of Law, Harris Manchester College, Oxford
Professor Timothy Williamson FBA, FRSE, MAE, IHMAAAS, Wykeham Professor of Logic, University of Oxford
Professor Robert Wintemute, Professor of Human Rights Law, King’s College London
Professor David Wootton, Anniversary Professor of History, University of York
Professor Emeritus Steve Hall, Retired, Teesside University
Professor Emeritus William Scott, Professor Emeritus, University of Bath
Professor Emeritus Iain Hampsher-Monk, Emeritus Professor of Political Theory, University of Exeter
Dr Sophie Allen, Lecturer in Philosophy, Keele University
Dr Arianna Andreangeli, Senior lecturer in Competition Law, University of Edinburgh
Dr John Armstrong, Senior Lecturer, King’s College London
Dr Peter Astheimer, Ex Professor/ Director, University of Abertay Dundee
Dr June Balshaw, Lecturer retired/visiting fellow, University of Greenwich
Dr Elizabeth Barrett, Senior Lecturer in Education, Sheffield. Hallam University
Dr Stephen Basdeo, Lecturer,
Dr John Baxendale, Visiting Fellow in Cultural History, Sheffield Hallam University
Dr Shereen Benjamin, Senior Lecturer in Primary Education, University of Edinburgh
Dr Michael Biggs, Associate Professor of Sociology and Fellow of St Cross College, University of Oxford
Dr Linnie Blake, Reader, Manchester Metropolitan University
Dr Janice Blenkinsopp, Research Associate, HWU
Dr Paula Boddington FRSA, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Healthcare, University of West London
Dr Diane Brewster, Retired Academic, Sussex & OU
Dr Rachel Broady, Lecturer, Liverpool John Moores
Dr Heather Brunskell-Evans, retired academic, Kings College London
Dr Peter Bryden MRCGP, PhD Candidate. Retired Medical Practitioner, University of Exeter
Dr M. Chirimuuta, Senior Lecturer, University of Edinburgh
Dr Sharon Clancy,
Dr Gary Clapton, Honorary Fellow, University of Edinburgh
Dr Fiona Cosson, Head of School,Humanities and Social Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University
Dr Elizabeth Dalgarno, Lecturer, University of Manchester
Dr Madeleine Davies, Associate Professor, University of Reading
Dr Roopal Desai, Research Fellow, University College London
Dr Juliana Dresvina, University of Oxford
Dr Debbie Du Preez, Lecturer in Economics, University of Exeter
Dr Nadia Edmond, Principal Lecturer, University of Brighton
Dr Mark Ellerby, Honorary Research Associate, UCL
Dr Fiona English, Senior Honorary Research Associate, UCL
Dr Jessica Evans, Senior Lecturer,Sociology Department., The Open University
Dr Jeanette Findlay FRSA, Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Glasgow
Dr Dalvir Gill, Senior Lecturer, University of Roehampton
Dr Luna Glucksberg, Research Fellow, LSE
Dr Charlotte Goodburn, Senior Lecturer, King’s College London
Dr Amanda Gosling, Senior Lecturer, School of Economics,University of Kent
Dr Yvonne Hail, Research Fellow, University of Stirling
Dr Laura Hamilton, Research Fellow, University of Hertfordshire
Dr Johanna Harris, Senior Lecturer, University of Exeter
Dr Anna Hartnell, Senior Lecturer, Birkbeck,University of London
Dr Sheila Henderson, Retired Senior Lecturer, University of Dundee
Dr Rebecca Hibbin, Lecturer, Uclan
Dr Emma Hilton, Postdoctoral researcher, University of Manchester
Dr Sian Hindle, Senior Lecturer, Birmingham City University
Dr David Hirsh, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Goldsmiths,University of London
Dr Andrew Hobbs FRHistS, Senior Lecturer, University of Central Lancashire
Dr Zoe Hollowood, Alumni, University of Cambridge
Dr Sarah Honeychurch, Good Practice Adviser, University of Glasgow
Dr Clare Horrocks, Senior Lecturer, Liverpool John Moores
Dr Chloe Houston, Associate Professor, University of Reading
Dr Rachel Howell, Lecturer in Sociology/Sustainable Development, University of Edinburgh
Dr. Miroslav Imbrisevic, Associate Lecturer, Open University
Dr Robin Ion, Senior Lecturer, University of the West of Scotland
Dr Robin Ion, Senior Lecturer, University of the West of Scotland
Dr Paula James, Retired senior lecturer classical studies, Open University
Dr Betty Jay, Senior Lecturer, Royal Holloway, University of London
Dr Jagbir Jhutti-Johal, Reader, University of Birmingham
Dr Stephen John, Associate Professor, University of Cambridge
Dr Jane Clare Jones, Director, Centre for Feminist Thought
Dr Louise Kay, Lecturer, University of Sheffield
Dr Elliot Kendall, Associate Professor, University of Exeter
Dr Ann Kolodziejski,
Dr Sian Lacey Taylder, PhD student, University of Exeter
Dr Ann MacDonald, Senior Lecturer in Primary Eduction, University of Edinburgh
Dr Gale Macleod, Senior Lecturer, University of Edinburgh
Dr Angela Mansi, Senior lecturer, University of Westminster
Dr Janette Martin, Teaching and Research Manager, University of Manchester
Dr Susan Matthews, Associate Research Fellow, Birkbeck College
Dr Caoimhe McAnena, Senior Lecturer, Goldsmiths,University of London
Dr Alison McClean, Lecturer, University of the West of England
Dr Laura McGrath, Lecturer, Open University
Dr Colin Mills, Associate Professor, University of Oxford
Dr Emma Milne, Assistant Professor in Criminal Law and Criminal Justice, Durham University
Dr Victoria Moul, Reader, UCL
Dr Kath Murray, Research Fellow in Criminology, University of Edinburgh
Dr Paul Norman, Associate Professor, University of Leeds
Dr Sarah O’Flynn, Deputy Dean in School of Education, Roehampton University
Dr Deirdre O’Neill, Lecturer, University of Hertfordshire
Dr Alison Penn, Senior Lecturer, The Open University
DR Laetitia Pichevin, Senior researcher, University of Edinburgh
Dr Jon Pike FRSA, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, Open University
Dr Eva Poen, Lecturer in Economics, University of Exeter
Dr. Thomas Prosser, Reader in European social policy, Cardiff University
Dr Helen Pryce, Senior lecturer, Aston University
Dr Hannah Quirk, Reader in Criminal Law, King’s College London
Dr Helen Rogers, Research Fellow, Liverpool John Moores University
Dr Michael Rosie, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, University of Edinburgh
Dr Michael Sanders, Senior Lecturer, University of Manchester
Dr Eurig Scandrett, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Queen Margaret University,Edinburgh
Dr Eleanor Scott, Retired, Newcastle University,Leicester University,Open University,Reading University,Winchester University; Portsmouth City Council Cabinet Member.
Dr Susan Scott Hunt, Retired Associate Professor of Law, Middlesex University
Dr Lesley Semmens, Senior Lecturer (retired), Leeds Beckett University
Dr Simon Shackley, Reader, University of Edinburgh
Dr Danielle Sinnett, Associate Professor, UWE
Dr Edward Skidelsky, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Exeter
Dr Holly Smith, Lecturer in Higher Education, UCL Institute of Education
Dr Ian Stark, Senior Lecturer, University of Edinburgh
Dr Jill Steans, Senior Lecturer (retired), Birmingham/Keele/NTU/OU
Dr Ray Stoneham, Principal Lecturer (retired), University of Greenwich
Dr Geraldine Stoneham, Principal Lecturer (retired), London South Bank University
Dr Neil Thin, Senior Lecturer, University of Edinburgh
Dr Mira Vogel, Lecturer, King’s College London
Dr Lynne Wainwright, LJMU
Dr Lee Walters, Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Southampton
Dr Paula Warrington,
Dr Carina Westling, Senior Lecturer, Bournemouth University
Dr Emily Wheater, PhD alumna, University of Edinburgh
Dr Elizabeth White, Senior lecturer, UWE
Dr Peter Williams, Affiliated Lecturer, Faculty of Divinity,University of Cambridge
Mr Jonny Best, PhD student, University of Huddersfield
Mr Chris Blue, Retired lecturer in Social Work., Durham University.
Ms Elizabeth Burrough, Research Associate, University of Edinburgh
Mr John Collins, Professor, University of East Anglia
Ms Wilma De Jong, Retired senior lecturer, University of Sussex
Ms Cathy Devine, Independent Researcher,previously Senior Lecturer in Sport and Physical Activity, Previously,University of Cumbria
Mrs Charlotte Edun, MA Researcher, University of York
Ms Liz Elkind, Lecturer in Community Eduction (retired), University of Edinburgh
Ms Sue England, Lecturer in Law,Abertay University and Dundee University,retired
Solicitor England and Wales, Abertay University Dundee University
Ms Lucinda Evans, PhD student, University College London
Mr Tim Green, Student, Regent’s Park College,Oxford University
Ms Susan Hawkes, Principal Lecturer, University of Wolverhampton
Mr Rod Hine, Antenna Consultant, University of Leeds
Ms Andrea Holland, Lecturer, University of East Angia
Mr Peter Jenkins, Senior Lecturer (Retired), University of Manchester
Ms Kathleen Jenkins, Retired lecturer, University of Edinburgh
Ms Judy Keiner, Former Senior Lecturer in Education,University of Reading, University of Reading
Mr Tim Kent, Programme Leader MA Inclusive Education, Roehampton University
Ms Sue Kilminster, Retired, University of leeds
Ms Alison Lacey, PhD researcher, University of Sussex
Ms Tracey Logan, PhD student, University of Leicester
Ms Joanna Lowry, Principal
Lecturer (retired), University of Brighton
Mr Gilbert Markus, Researcher, University of Glasgow
Ms Aileen McColgan QC, Former professor of law, King’s College London and the University of Leeds
Ms Janice McGhee, Honorary Fellow,School of Social and Political Science, The University of Edinburgh
Ms Sally Millar, Research Fellow,Centre Director (retired), University of Edinburgh
Mr Paul Milnes, Retired Senior Lecturer, London Metropolitan University
Mrs SK Moss, Associate Lecturer, Open University
Ms Maureen O’Hara, Senior Lecturer in Law, Coventry University
Ms Stella O’Malley, Research Postgraduate Student, Dundee
Ms Ellen Pasternack, PhD Researcher, University of Oxford, Department of Zoology
Mr Levi Pay, Former Director of Student Services, King’s College London
Mrs Samantha Pay, DPhil student, University of Oxford
Mr Timothy Pitt-Payne QC, Former Visiting Professor of Information Law, University of Northumbria
Ms Lynne Pratt, Coordinator of PGDE secondary teacher education programme – retired, University of Edinburgh
Miss Florence Richardson, Rapid Prototying Engineering Technician, University of Bath
Ms Rose Rickford, PhD student, University of York
Ms Jane Sedgewick, Lecturer in Education, University of Sussex
Ms Geraldine Shaw, International Primary Science Author
Former Senior Lecturer in Science Education, Sheffield Hallam University
Ms Deborah Siddoway, PhD Candidate, University of Durham
Mrs Gillian Staerck, retired, Institute of Contemporary British History
Ms Denise Sumpter, PhD Student, Birkbeck College London
Ms Georgia Testa, Associate Professor, University of Leeds
Ms Sally Wainwright, Senior lecturer, retired, Heriot Watt university
Ms Jessica Winkler, Safeguarding Manager, UWE Bristol
Ms Freda Wolfenden, Professor of Education and International Development, The Open University
Mr Scott Wortley, Lecturer in private law, University of Edinburgh