Protesting students demanding the resignation of lecturer Kathleen Stock have mostly defended their decision to remain anonymous.
A professor of philosophy at the University of Sussex has been subjected to a student-led campaign over his views on trans rights – with further action planned for this afternoon.
The campaign is believed to be led by a group of 15 students who have previously been seen posing in balaclavas and holding a sign reading ‘Stock Out’.
Due to the threat he faced from the demonstrations, he was advised to install CCTV at his home and to appoint security on the university campus to protect him.
Students protesting demanding the resignation of lecturer Kathleen Stock (pictured) have mostly defended their decision to remain anonymous
So far, the students involved in the campaign have chosen to remain anonymous, but are talking many timesRio Jacques, 23, who was involved in the demonstrations, defended the rights of other students to hide their identities.
Speaking to the newspaper, he said: ‘We try to anonymity as much as possible. This is also a laudable denial.
‘It’s a cloak and a dagger, but it’s not what we want it to be. Undercover, it’s not meant to be intimidating. This is just for the safety of those who want to be outspoken.
‘No one wants to lose their place in the university, but we don’t want to forsake our right to defend ourselves with our words.’
The groups calling for Stock’s resignation are known as Reclaim Sussex and Anti Turf Sussex, of which Jacques – who is transgender – is both involved.
He said that part of his motivation for joining the campaign was as a result of his parents’ reaction that he wanted to make the transition, adding that his negative views were informed by online stories from Stock.
So far, the students involved in the campaign have chosen to remain anonymous, but Rio Jacques (pictured), 23, who participated in the demonstrations, defended the rights of other students to hide their identities.
And although he acknowledged that performance on the stock must have been tough, he claimed that the stock was negatively impacting the mental health of the trans community.
comes after BBC She was forced to reform Live On Air after a University of Sussex student union official was allowed to falsely accuse Stock of supporting anti-transgender statements.
Presenter Joe Coburn interviews union-elected Amelia Jones on Wednesday’s broadcast of BBC Politics Live transgender And the non-binary reps about a feminist academic at the center of a free speech row across the universities.
During the event, Ms Jones made several remarks about 48-year-old Professor Stock, alleging that students had previously boycotted her classes and saying she had publicly “eliminated trans people in law”. supported the announcement.
The student union representative said there was a ‘strong feeling within the community’ that transgender students at the university were ‘vulnerable’ and felt ‘intellectually threatened’ by Professor Stock.
The campaign is believed to be led by a group of 15 students who have previously been seen posing in balaclavas and holding a sign reading ‘Stock Out’. Pictured: Members of Anti Turf Sussex hide their faces in a photo of their protest on social media
But on the broadcast of Politics Live the next day, host Joe Coburn read out an official correction after Professor Stock rebuked Ms Jones’ comments.
It comes as public demonstrations by students of the University of Sussex are planned for this afternoon – after the gender expert was branded a ‘transphobe’ and posters were put up around campus last week demanding his resignation .
Professor Stock, a trustee of the active group LGB Alliance – who has previously been accused of ‘anti-trans’ policies – has been advised by police not to visit the campus, and due to concerns for his safety, he has been giving lectures online. Teach.
She has faced a stream of abuse online, and has been branded a ‘terf’ for writing that she disagrees with the ‘transwoman woman’ mantra, and that women are demanding safe places.
The word ‘terf’, which stands for Trans Exclusive Radical Feminist, was coined on JK Rowling after she disagreed with an online article describing ‘menstruating people’.
Amelia Jones (above) The elected transgender and non-binary representative of the University of Sussex said Professor Kathleen Stock publicly supported the declaration of ‘eliminating trans people in law’.
She also said there was a ‘strong feeling within the community’ that transgender students at the university were ‘vulnerable’ and felt ‘intellectually threatened’ by a gender expert.
Further protests are planned at the University of Sussex against Professor Stock
Ms Jones told Politics Live on Wednesday: ‘Professor Stock in Sussex, who has signed the Declaration on the Sex-Based Rights of Women, which seeks to eliminate trans people in law and stop the teaching of trans identity in British schools I think that when a professor likes who is employed by a university, trans students feel that if someone out there puts those views they don’t feel safe with the professor holding those views.
‘Feminists argued that universities have a duty to protect students and workers from sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination in the classroom.’
He reiterated that trans students felt ‘intellectually threatened’ by Professor Stock, who is a trustee of the LGB Alliance, and suggested that students have rebelled against him before.
“People have changed course because of them, people haven’t attended their modules because of strong disagreements with their views,” said Ms Jones at the program.
But the official correction from the BBC was broadcast in Thursday’s version of the programme.
That statement read: ‘We discussed the issue of freedom of expression on university campuses. We talked about the case of Kathleen Stock, an academic at the University of Sussex who is accused of transphobia.
‘Yesterday, we spoke to a student union official at the university, who said Pro Stock had signed a declaration that wanted to eliminate trans people in law.
‘Professor Stock has contacted us to inform that she supports the protection of gender reassignment, saying that the text of the declaration she signed does not equate to the claim that the law eliminated trans people. should go
‘She said my arguments are about the precise legal form protections should take all trans people and how they interact with other groups to protect themselves.
‘I don’t want to stop all teaching of trans rights or trans identity in British schools, and I never said that.’
In April, Amelia Jones was elected as the trans and non-binary representative of the University of Sussex.
In her manifesto, Ms Jones accused the university’s ‘trans equality policy’ of being ‘full of blank words’ and promised to make the curriculum more representative on the teaching of trans issues.
She also claimed that she would ensure ‘Sussex remains a Stonewall diversity champion.’
Last week signs put up under the A27 in the pedestrian tunnel connecting Falmer train station to the university’s campus said Pro Stock ‘makes trans students vulnerable’ and ‘we cannot pay £9,250 per year for transphobia’ are’.
Professor Stock has since been advised to teach his students online for fear of their safety, and has warned that his academic career has been ‘effectively terminated’ by the Sussex Union branch.
It came as Sussex Police launched an investigation into whether a university philosophy professor was the victim of harassment after he faced a campaign of ‘bullying’ over his views on trans rights – as warned students that they could be disciplined.
Responding to the BBC’s reform, Professor Stock said on Twitter that he was pleased that his ideas were now presented correctly.
She wrote: ‘Yesterday on BBC Politics Live some false statements were made about me, without any challenge, by a student who was clearly unfamiliar with my work and ideas. Glad to find improvement in today’s program.
Signs demanding firing of Professor Stock have been put up in the foot tunnel connecting the Falmer train station to the university campus under the A27.
Responding to the BBC’s reform, Professor Stock said on Twitter that he was pleased that his ideas were now presented correctly.
The BBC has been contacted for comment.
Banners saying ‘stock out’ have been put up with burning flames and many are criticizing them under the Twitter hashtag #ShameOnSussexUni – though many others are using it to support it.
The university’s vice-chancellor, Professor Adam Tickell, said last Friday that if any students involved could be identified, ‘we will certainly investigate and take disciplinary action under our rules’.
Pro Stock was backed last week by the head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Baroness Faulkner of Margravine, who called the attacks shameful.
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