Debbie Hayton has written for the Spectator on the shocking case of FSU member Connie Shaw. The 20 year-old Leeds University philosophy undergraduate has been suspended from her role as head of daytime at Leeds Student Radio (LSR) for expressing gender-critical views.
Following a complaint about her social media activities, Connie was given a “notice of suspension” by the Students’ Union (SU). Her ‘crimes’ included commenting unfavourably on Leeds University’s pro-trans ideology in a post for the gender-critical comedy writer Graham Linehan’s Substack, and interviewing the prominent ‘detransitioner’ Charlie Bentley-Astor on her own personal podcast.
SU officials decreed that Connie’s actions brought the radio station “into disrepute”, violated its “values, ethos and expectations” and failed to uphold “a duty of care to all society members”. She has since been removed from the LSR committee and told she will remain banned unless she sends “a written apology” and attends an online political re-education course.
Here’s an extract from Debbie Hayton’s terrific defence of Connie Shaw:
Should the ‘D’ in ‘EDI’ extend to diversity of opinion? If it doesn’t, this acronym so beloved of HR departments and external ‘training providers’ shouldn’t be worth the candle. But heaven help anyone who speaks the truth about sex and gender within some places of education.
Say the wrong things and the thought police might check your thinking and ensure that you are cancelled. Connie Shaw, a third-year philosophy, religion and ethics student at Leeds University is one of the latest victims.
Shaw’s piece – “Gender madness at the University of Leeds” – exposed the ludicrous, the worrying and the downright dangerous impact of an ideology that is anything but liberal and progressive. From the freshers’ fair, where stall holders were asked to introduce themselves with pronouns and display a ‘diversity statement’, to the Union “Gender Expression Fund” from which trans, non-binary, genderqueer or gender-nonconforming students – some of whom will be just 18 years old – can pick up cash for ‘gender-affirming’ products such as breast binders.
The accompanying health warnings, that alert users to risks including ‘scarring, swelling, rib fractures and respiratory infections’ means that the student union knows the practice is dangerous.
Light was also shone on the academic side of university life at Leeds. Essay titles that included “Is having a female gender identity necessary to be a woman”, and “Can someone, such as a very powerful Queen, not be systematically subordinated, but still be a woman”, were shared with a wider audience than perhaps originally intended. The answers of course are ‘no’ and ‘yes’, respectively and it’s hard to see how further effort is going to produce meaningful and useful knowledge.
But this seems to be about furthering an ideology. A third essay title that Shaw reported asked students to consider whether it was true that, ‘in an important way, trans women in transphobic societies are not women’. I would concur with Shaw’s point that students are being nudged in one direction only.
I’ve tired of repeating the point that trans woman are not women because we are the opposite sex to women. Biology, however, seems to be far less important than gender identities to people who set assignments like these. Personally, I am saddened that places of learning are promoting such a regressive ideology. Gender identity can’t even be defined without recourse to circular reasoning – the gender that someone identifies as – or sexist stereotypes. It’s a hollow concept that has been used to compromise women’s boundaries and sell an impossible dream to vulnerable children distressed about their sex. If a transsexual like me doesn’t need a gender identity to live my life, then nobody does.
However, it’s easier for me to say these things with the privilege of age (in in my 50s), sex (I’m still male) and with an established career than it is for a 20-year-old student like Shaw. Kudos to her for saying what she thinks and standing her ground. Perhaps inevitably it has come at a cost. She was handed a ‘notice of suspension’ by Leeds University Union and barred from her role as head of daytime radio at Leeds Student Radio (LSR).
In a statement, Shaw said: “It is ironic that LSR promoted a freedom of speech event – the Battle of Ideas – as a result of being given media passes to attend, and then have in my opinion, removed me from my position due to the interviews I conducted at that event, and more generally for expressing my legal right to freedom of speech.”
It’s not just ironic, it is a shocking indictment of parts of society that have abandoned critical thinking. The ray of light though is the fortitude of young people like Shaw. It is harder to impose authority, conformity and exclude unwelcome opinions when a philosophy, ethics and religion student is willing to stand up and say what she thinks. Indeed, isn’t that what a philosopher should be doing?
Worth reading in full.
The FSU has sent a letter to Leeds University warning of potential legal action.
We’ve pointed out that the treatment of Ms Shaw, an FSU member, is contrary to the Equality Act 2010, which counts gender-critical views among its “protected beliefs”.
We’re also appealing the SU’s decision on her behalf, and have promised to support her financially if she chooses to lodge a discrimination claim.
Ms Shaw’s ordeal demonstrates perfectly why the free speech duties imposed on students’ unions in England by the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act are so badly needed. This is one of the (many) reasons the FSU is bringing a legal challenge against the Labour Government over its shocking decision to STOP commencement of this vital piece of legislation. The fact that the Administrative Court has given permission for our case to be heard in the High Court on 23rd January 2025 means that we have, at the very least, an arguable case. So if you can, please donate to our legal fighting fund and help us ensure that what happened to Connie Shaw is much less likely to happen in future.
