hr equalities email about transphobic letter

All

In The Times this weekend, Dr Kathleen Stock had an open letter published that complained about universities’ relationships with various LGBT charities, including the Stonewall Diversity Champions programme. The letter complained that Universities are instigating “specialist trans policies” and are seeking to “outlaw transphobic teaching and research material.” The letter went on to say that “many of us would deny that pronouns refer to an inner feeling of gender identity and wish to say so.”

The letter went on to complain about Stonewall labelling female-attracted trans women with penises as “lesbians”, criticised the “affirmation model” for transgender children and complained about the social changes “caused by opening up women-only spaces to self-identifying women.”

The letter closes by asking universities to sever links with Stonewall.

The letter has been signed by two members of staff at the University of Edinburgh.

This has caused me a great deal of anxiety and concern. Can you:

1.	Confirm that the University fully supports trans women accessing women-only spaces including toilets and changing areas within University buildings.
2.	Whether signing such a letter published in the national press constitutes any breach of University policy.
3.	Whether HR intends to contact the staff members who have signed the letter either informally or formally.

I am feeling increasingly unsafe working here. I want to know that when staff take such public action to acclaim transphobic views in the national press, that the University of Edinburgh will take some kind of positive action first of all to ensure that all University policy is being properly adhered to AND to reassure trans members of staff that such views do not in any way represent the views of the University.

After the University has hosted an anti-trans event earlier this month and after actions taken by HR subsequently forced the Staff Pride Network Committee to resign en masse, I have to wonder what would happen if I was ever physically confronted in the building where I work – which is an open access building – by people who hold these views. Would my complaint be taken seriously or would I hear about how these people have a right to air their views? I have to ask because, more and more, it seems like these people can air these views with impunity within my workplace. Am I actually safe working here?

Yours
Hannah Johnstone