‘Notorious’ speaker threatens to bring Oxford’s famed debating club to its knees
The Sydney Morning Herald
23-05-21 19:00
The Oxford Union has caused controversy with its decision to invite the feminist philosopher Kathleen Stock to speak about gender. It has sparked protests from various student groups and lobbying by academics, with members of Oxford’s LGBTQ+ society calling for Stock’s invite to be rescinded. Stock resigned as a professor of philosophy at the University of Sussex after “bullying and harassment” in response to her views on biological sex and gender identification. The University of Oxford’s student union has passed a motion to cut financial ties with the Oxford Union, its first-ever such action. Several Oxford colleges have also petitioned to rescind the invitation. In response, over 40 academics, including Richard Dawkins, have signed a letter to The Telegraph supporting Stock’s appearance, arguing that free speech must be upheld. The Oxford Union has said that additional welfare resources would be available during Stock’s talk because of its sensitive nature.