Trans rights protesters interrupt discuss at Oxford Union by ‘gender-critical’ tutorial Kathleen Stock

Trans rights protesters have interrupted a chat being given on the Oxford Union by a feminist who campaigns for ladies’s single intercourse areas.

One appeared to have have glued herself to the ground in entrance of “gender-critical” tutorial Professor Kathleen Stock.

Two others emerged from the viewers waving rainbow flags and throwing leaflets, earlier than being drowned out by the group and eliminated by safety.

One viewers member instructed them: “We are here to listen” to (Prof Stock) whether or not they “like it or not”.

The former philosophy lecturer resigned from Sussex University in October 2021 after being accused of transphobia – an allegation she strenuously denies.

About 200 protesters gathered at Oxford’s Bonn Square, earlier than marching in direction of the 200-year-old debating society previous to Prof Stock’s arrival.

Speaking on the rally, Max Van Kleek, affiliate professor of human-computer interplay on the college, stated transgender college students suffered from “so much abuse” and had been “losing rights around the world”.

“Let us all unite in trans solidarity and show people we are not something to fear,” he stated.

Banners carried messages together with “Trans Rights Now” and “Our Existence Is Not A Debate”.

There had been additionally a lot of counter-protesters.

There has been a row over whether or not Prof Stock ought to seem in any respect, with the college’s LGBTQ+ society calling for her invitation to be rescinded, describing her as “transphobic and trans-exclusionary”.

But the college’s vice-chancellor has stated Prof Stock’s look is a matter of “freedom of speech”.

And Rishi Sunak, the prime minister, stated a “free society requires free debate” and other people ought to be “encouraged to engage respectfully with the ideas of others”.