Sir, – I am grateful to William Reville for his column about academic freedom and freedom of speech (“Academic freedom the touchstone of rigorous debate”, Science and Climate, May 4th), in which he references my appearance to speak at the University of Limerick having been cancelled.
The cancellation, as he indicates, followed an accusation, from anonymous but vociferous persons, that I was a “transphobe”.
Such accusations – and falsehoods – were made without evidence, and the University of Limerick has not provided an opportunity to rebut these charges. So, for the record, I do so here.
I am not “transphobic”. I perfectly respect adult individuals who have chosen to change their gender identity.
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Over the course of my journalistic career, I met the transsexuals Jan Morris and April Ashley, both of whom made considerable personal sacrifices to undertake their decisions, and were impressive people. April Ashley conducted herself with dignity.
But yes, I have been critical of an ideology which would put young teenagers on a pathway to a life-changing operation. Helen Joyce’s book Trans and Hannah Barnes’s Time to Think: The Inside Story of the Collapse of the Tavistock’s Gender Service to Children are both important documents illuminating the dangers of uncritically accepting and implementing trans ideology. I also believe that allowing biologically-born males to compete alongside biological females in athletics or swimming is demonstrably unfair.
Others take a different view. That is what freedom of debate is all about – a principle which should surely be upheld in university life.
Shutting down debate and slandering individuals as “transphobes”, using anonymous sources, and without evidence, is damaging and malicious. – Yours, etc,
MARY KENNY,
Deal,
Kent, UK.