Good company
Remember Jonathan Ichikawa’s open letter to blame Kathleen Stock for everything? (Not literally. Literally it blamed her for being awarded an OBE, and not reciting the “trans women are women” oath 100 times every morning. Ok that last bit isn’t literal either. Just the first bit.)
There’s an open letter defending the idea that people can decide for themselves what they think.
A number of academic philosophers have taken the unusual step of publishing an “Open Letter Concerning Transphobia in Philosophy,” singling out Professor Kathleen Stock of the University of Sussex for condemnation. The reason? Professor Stock’s writing, speaking, and political activity regarding proposed changes to the UK Gender Recognition Act and more general issues of sex and gender.
The signatories dislike Professor Stock’s views and actions in this area, and that is their right. What disturbs us is that they think this sort of public singling out and vilification is an appropriate way of expressing their dislike. [It also appears that the writers got a number of things wrong about Professor Stock’s views, something others already have addressed in detail.]
The signatories suggest that this goes beyond disagreement with or a dislike of Professor Stock’s views. The letter implies that Professor Stock is one of those academics who are “using their academic status to further gender oppression”; that she is “harming” trans people; and that her work “contributes” to discrimination and violence directed towards trans people. No evidence of any kind is offered in support of these allegations. Undoubtedly, some people feel offended by what Professor Stock has written and said, but this is true of a great deal of what philosophers write and say. Many devout Christians will be offended by those arguing for abortion rights, and those who favor affirmative action are likely dismayed by arguments against it.
You can sign it if you want to.
(Please click here to add your signature)
They are getting a lot of signers and they have to check each one for fakery, so it takes some time for new signatures to appear.
Ooh, a battle of the Open Letters. How marvelously academic. Let’s see who can pile it higher and deeper; my money’s on the latter letter.
It will be interesting to follow this letter and see not only which academics are brave enough to stand up for the principles of their profession, but which institutions are so captured by the trans ideology that no professors dare sign.
It is a bit disappointing that they didn’t add any quotations or footnotes to the letter. I suggest the following, from Chesterton: