{"id":127941,"date":"2023-05-18T11:57:57","date_gmt":"2023-05-18T15:57:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/?p=127941"},"modified":"2023-05-18T11:57:57","modified_gmt":"2023-05-18T15:57:57","slug":"dozens-of-oxford-scholars-oppose-canceling-feminist-who-supports-biological-sex","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/dozens-of-oxford-scholars-oppose-canceling-feminist-who-supports-biological-sex\/","title":{"rendered":"Dozens of Oxford scholars oppose canceling feminist who supports biological sex"},"content":{"rendered":"

Scholars supporting Kathleen Stock’s speech represent political beliefs from both left and right\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Forty-four Oxford University academics warned students this week against the proposed banning of gender-critical feminist and academic Kathleen Stock.<\/p>\n

High-level Oxford dons, including evolutionary biologist Professor Richard Dawkins and theologian Professor Nigel Biggar, have written a letter in support of Stock’s planned appearance at the Oxford Union, centuries-old debate society, The Telegraph<\/em> reported<\/a> Tuesday.<\/p>\n

“In one of the most significant interventions by academics in recent free speech controversies, 44 Oxford dons with ‘a range of different political beliefs, Left and Right’ have signed a letter stating that universities should be ‘places where contentious views can be openly discussed,'” according to the paper.<\/p>\n

A “don” is Oxford’s term for a “professor, lecturer, or a Fellow,” according to the University of Oxford’s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“Professor Stock believes that biological sex in humans is real and socially salient, a view which until recently would have been so commonplace as to hardly merit asserting,” the letter stated.<\/p>\n

“Whether or not one agrees with Professor Stock’s views, there is no plausible and attractive ideal of academic freedom, or of free speech more generally, which would condemn their expression as outside the bounds of permissible discourse,” the letter continued.<\/p>\n

English philosopher Kathleen Stock, who has affirmed the male-female binary and argued that gender should not trump sex in all circumstances, is scheduled to speak at the Oxford Union at the end of the month, The College Fix<\/em> reported<\/a> earlier this week.<\/p>\n

The union stated that during the event, it would provide a \u201cnon-student support team that will remain in a separate welfare space to offer counseling and advice,\u201d according to The Fix.<\/em><\/p>\n

It will also offer \u201cstudent welfare officers.\u201d Students will be allowed to ask questions anonymously online.<\/p>\n

The university\u2019s LGBTQ+ society released a statement last month condemning the Oxford Union for inviting Stock, accusing her of being a \u201ctransphobic and trans-exclusionary speaker\u201d and the union of ignoring the welfare of the society\u2019s members under the guise of free speech, The Times UK<\/em> reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Stock described the statement on Twitter as \u201cprobably defamatory.”<\/p>\n

\u201cAlso, it makes you look utterly ridiculous,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n

MORE: Oxford looks to move away from \u2018white European music from the slave period\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

IMAGE: @DocStockk@Twitter<\/p>\n

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