Attacks on free speech in Scotland

Scotland is renowned as a seat of the Enlightenment and the Protestant Reformation — two seismic historical events that laid the groundwork for modern, liberal democracies and demonstrated the value of individual liberties including freedom of speech and free conscience. You probably wouldn’t guess this considering the illiberal goings-on in our nation’s capital of late.

Last month, we endured the embarrassing spectacle of Edinburgh University — one of the oldest and most prestigious educational institutions in Western Europe — cancelling the screening of a feminist film critiquing gender ideology. It’s the second time a screening of Adult Human Female has been halted at the university after angry protesting by flag-waving “progressives”.

The film’s detractors allege that it is “hateful” and “transphobic”. There’s nothing in it that would support such allegations. I’d suggest the real problem for opponents — and the source of their anger — is that the film is truthful. It utters an unforgivable heresy against gender dogma. Namely, that women are, in fact, adult human females and it is important to take account of this in law and policy. Given scientific consensus and public opinion supports material realities about womanhood, gender ideologues seek to force compliance with their views by browbeating, silencing and maligning critics. They cannot defend their ideas in the free air of debate, persuading others to their point of view by reasoned argument, so they try to shut up opponents instead.

The second illiberal event we’ve witnessed is the no-platforming of Joanna Cherry MP, an outspoken “gender critical” feminist, by the Edinburgh comedy club The Stand. Cherry was due to take part in an In conversation with event at the venue during the Fringe. Staff who don’t like her views objected and the event was cancelled by club bosses.

In rather the same vein as the women behind Adult Human Female, Cherry has been bullied out of a platform to discuss her ideas by individuals who lack the maturity to deal with hearing things they don’t like. She has a good case for discrimination on the grounds of philosophical belief, which she may yet choose to pursue. If she does, she’ll likely win.

I find the events surrounding Adult Human Female and Cherry troubling, but the former is particularly egregious. As Cherry has pointed out, she has the means to defend herself in court and a significant public profile to air her views. Others in Scotland depend on public institutions like universities offering a space for the free exchange of ideas.

Universities should be a space for free inquiry and robust debate. Yet, they are failing the public. “No-platforming” is a growing phenomenon. Academics are punished for ascribing to views outwith the parameters of political correctness. Students are barred from expressing their closely held beliefs. All of this is antithetical to the core purpose of higher education: education.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/b6bad03a-ecf7-11ed-87b0-716b9284a2b0?shareToken=e12c365f732ed67cac3c40a6f57c5846

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My other blogs. Main ones below:

http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)

http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)

http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)

http://australian-politics.blogspot.com/ (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)

http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM)

https://immigwatch.blogspot.com/ (IMMIGRATION WATCH)

https://awesternheart.blogspot.com/ (THE PSYCHOLOGIST)

http://jonjayray.com/blogall.html More blogs

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