UK

Trans rights protesters interrupt talk at Oxford Union by ‘gender-critical’ academic Kathleen Stock

Trans rights protesters interrupt talk at Oxford Union by 'gender-critical' academic Kathleen Stock

Trans rights protesters have interrupted a talk being given at the Oxford Union by a feminist who campaigns for women’s single sex spaces.

One glued herself to the floor in front of “gender-critical” academic Professor Kathleen Stock, leading to an interruption lasting almost half an hour.

Four police officers spent about 10 minutes attempting to remove her as security asked those in the audience not to record or take pictures of the incident.

Two other protesters emerged waving rainbow flags and throwing leaflets, before being drowned out by the crowd and removed by security.

One audience member told them: “We are here to listen” to (Prof Stock) whether they “like it or not”.

The former philosophy lecturer, who is a lesbian, resigned from Sussex University in October 2021 after being accused of transphobia – an allegation she strenuously denies.

Image:
Professor Kathleen Stock – centre – arriving at the Oxford Union

About 200 protesters gathered at Oxford’s Bonn Square, before marching towards the 200-year-old debating society prior to Prof Stock’s arrival.

Speaking at the rally, Max Van Kleek, associate professor of human-computer interaction at the university, said transgender students suffered from “so much abuse” and were “losing rights around the world”.

“Let us all unite in trans solidarity and show people we are not something to fear,” he said.

Banners carried messages including “Trans Rights Now” and “Our Existence Is Not A Debate”.

There were also a number of counter-protesters.

People protest against a talk at the Oxford Union given by Professor Kathleen Stock

There has been a row over whether Prof Stock should appear at all, with the university’s LGBTQ+ society calling for her invitation to be rescinded, describing her as “transphobic and trans-exclusionary”.

But the university’s vice-chancellor, Professor Irene Tracey, has said her appearance is a matter of “freedom of speech”.

And Rishi Sunak, the prime minister, said a “free society requires free debate” and people should be “encouraged to engage respectfully with the ideas of others”.