Thursday, February 19, 2015
No free speech about transgender people in Britain
Mary Beard says she was left 'wanting to cry' after she was bombarded with abuse for speaking out in favour of free speech.
The celebrated academic joined other campaigners in calling on universities not to ban speakers perceived to be hostile to transgender people.
But just hours after a letter - signed by Professor Beard and many others including gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell - was published, she faced a torrent of abuse on Twitter.
The original letter claimed it was 'illiberal and undemocratic' for universities to ban lecturers and academics deemed 'transphobic', meaning prejudiced against transsexual people.
But the letter sparked an angry backlash from some in the transgender community and Professor Beard was later branded an 'unrepentant bigot' and Mr Tatchell was called a 'parasite'.
Mr Tatchell, 63, said he has received more than 5,000 messages attacking him since the letter was published, some of which, he said, were threatening.
He told the Independent: 'On Saturday night, after the first attacks started, I couldn't sleep. I was so upset about being misrepresented as an anti-trans bigot.
SOURCE
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Free Speech is incompatible with the Liberal agenda, and therefore must be squashed at the source. Those who disagree with the liberal philosophies must be coerced into silence, lest some small smidgen of logic or reason enter the discourse that might make their minions think.
Stan B has it right, er, correct. Liberals seem unable to defend their philosophy and turn instead to silencing any who voice a differing opinion. Why else would the liberal community be outraged at someone who stands up for the right of free speech for everyone?f
They insensitively insult, intimidate and slander the innocent for being so insensitive. Hmm.
The Rainbow Brownshirts
Post a Comment