Gender identity row professor accuses union of ‘effectively’ ending her career

A professor at the centre of a row over her views on gender identity has accused a union branch of “effectively” ending her career after it called on her employer to take a “strong stance” against transphobia.

Kathleen Stock, a professor of philosophy at the University of Sussex, has faced calls to be removed from her position amid accusations of transphobia.

But last week, the University of Sussex vice-chancellor said the institution would not tolerate threats to “academic freedoms”, adding that everyone at the university has the right to be free from “harassment and intimidation”.

In a statement, the Sussex branch of the University and College Union (UCU) has said all trans and nonbinary members “now more than ever should receive the unequivocal support” of the University of Sussex.

It added: “We urge our management to take a clear and strong stance against transphobia at Sussex.”

The statement comes after an anonymous group, reportedly set up by students, launched a campaign to get Prof Stock sacked over her views on gender identification.

Posters calling for Prof Stock to be fired were reportedly put up near the campus, and an image emerged on social media of a campaigner holding a banner saying: “Stock Out”.

Prof Stock, who shared the UCU Sussex statement on Twitter on Tuesday, said: “My former union branch @sussexucu has just effectively ended my career at Sussex University. This just sent to all members.”

The UCU said members of the Sussex branch executive are now receiving “personal threats” which the union is raising with university leaders.

The statement from the UCU Sussex Executive and Reps said: “Now is the time for our university leadership to uphold the institution’s stated values by ensuring that the dignity and respect of trans and nonbinary staff and students, and their allies, are enshrined at the core of the university’s culture, a commitment that was inexcusably absent from the vice-chancellor’s statement on Thursday October 7.”

Addressing the campaign targeted at Prof Stock last week, Prof Adam Tickell, vice-chancellor at Sussex, said in a statement: “Everyone at the university has the right to be free from harassment and intimidation.

“We cannot and will not tolerate threats to cherished academic freedoms and will take any action necessary to protect the rights of our community.”

The UCU Sussex branch has called for an “urgent investigation into the ways in which institutional transphobia operates” at the university.

But the statement added: “We do not endorse the call for any worker to be summarily sacked and we oppose all forms of bullying, harassment, and intimidation of staff and students.”

A UCU spokesman said: “UCU supports the statement from UCU Sussex branch which makes clear its opposition to the harassment and bullying of staff and students.

“The statement is also clear that UCU is not calling for any staff to be dismissed from their post.

“The statement, which was made in response to the recent message from vice chancellor Adam Tickell to staff, reflects union policy with regards to trans inclusion.

“UCU is a proud and unequivocal supporter of trans rights and echoes the calls from UCU Sussex branch for the university to match its strong stance on academic freedom with an equally strong stance on trans inclusion.

“UCU condemns the personal threats now being received by members of UCU Sussex branch executive, which include the identification and publishing of contact details.

“These matters are being raised immediately with leadership at the university.”

Prof Stock has previously said she is “at odds” with a large section of academics as she believes gender identity is not more important than facts about biological sex, “particularly when it comes to law and policy”.

In January, hundreds of academics criticised the decision to make Prof Stock an OBE for services to higher education in the New Year Honours.

In the open letter, the philosophers condemned academics who use their status to “further gender oppression” and said they denounced “transphobia in all its forms”.

A statement shared by the University of Sussex Students’ Union on Friday said: “We stand in solidarity with our trans and nonbinary student community — a community that has not been mentioned in the statements made by the university and Adam Tickell, the vice-chancellor.”

It added: “Peaceful protest, which is all that the protest group has done, is not censorship. It has a basic democratic function; those involved are exercising their civil liberties.”

A University of Sussex spokesman said: “We have acted – and will continue to act – firmly and promptly to tackle bullying and harassment, to defend the fundamental principle of academic freedom, to support our community and continue to progress our work on equality, diversity and inclusion. We care deeply about getting this balance right.

“There are a range of very strong views and opinions held across the university on a whole variety of issues and topics, including how we support our trans and non-binary community particularly at this time.

“As a community, we need to come together and talk about what is happening at the moment and to look at the way forward.

“We will be doing this in the coming weeks and this will be led by our newly appointed pro-vice chancellor for Culture, Equality and Inclusion.”