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| LGBT event with Peter Tatchell to go ahead despite free speech row | LGBT event with Peter Tatchell to go ahead despite free speech row |
| (7 months later) | |
| An event aimed at challenging prejudice against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people will go ahead despite a row over freedom of speech involving the renowned gay rights activist Peter Tatchell. | An event aimed at challenging prejudice against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people will go ahead despite a row over freedom of speech involving the renowned gay rights activist Peter Tatchell. |
| Organisers of the talk at Canterbury Christ Church University said on Monday they were disappointed at the decision of the National Union of Students’ LGBT representative, Fran Cowling, to pull out of the event. | Organisers of the talk at Canterbury Christ Church University said on Monday they were disappointed at the decision of the National Union of Students’ LGBT representative, Fran Cowling, to pull out of the event. |
| Cowling accused Tatchell of having been racist and transphobic and said she would not share a stage with him. | Cowling accused Tatchell of having been racist and transphobic and said she would not share a stage with him. |
| In an email to the event’s organisers, Cowling cited Tatchell’s signing of an open letter in the Observer against a growing trend for universities to “no-platform” people for holding views they disagree with, saying he had effectively supported people who were transphobic. | In an email to the event’s organisers, Cowling cited Tatchell’s signing of an open letter in the Observer against a growing trend for universities to “no-platform” people for holding views they disagree with, saying he had effectively supported people who were transphobic. |
| Organisers said they had received no other objections to Tatchell’s participation. | Organisers said they had received no other objections to Tatchell’s participation. |
| Neither Cowling nor the NUS were prepared to comment on the row or clarify her allegations when approached by the Guardian. | Neither Cowling nor the NUS were prepared to comment on the row or clarify her allegations when approached by the Guardian. |
| Other speakers at the event – including Sue Sanders, who organised LGBT history month, of which the talk is part – said they were happy to share a platform with Tatchell and were looking forward to the debate. | Other speakers at the event – including Sue Sanders, who organised LGBT history month, of which the talk is part – said they were happy to share a platform with Tatchell and were looking forward to the debate. |
| Sanders, professor emeritus of the Harvey Milk Institute and co-chair of Schools Out, called on Cowling to provide evidence to support her allegations. “I would always share a platform with Peter Tatchell. He has done the most sterling work for LGBT community and the black community. Fran Cowling’s remarks are problematic and I would like to see the evidence for them,” she said. | Sanders, professor emeritus of the Harvey Milk Institute and co-chair of Schools Out, called on Cowling to provide evidence to support her allegations. “I would always share a platform with Peter Tatchell. He has done the most sterling work for LGBT community and the black community. Fran Cowling’s remarks are problematic and I would like to see the evidence for them,” she said. |
| “As far as I’m concerned ‘no-platforming’ is not the way for universities to deal with something they don’t agree with. I would not want hate speech or speech inciting violence – clearly that should be stopped. But how are you going to learn to argue against those you disagree with if you don’t come into contact with them?” | “As far as I’m concerned ‘no-platforming’ is not the way for universities to deal with something they don’t agree with. I would not want hate speech or speech inciting violence – clearly that should be stopped. But how are you going to learn to argue against those you disagree with if you don’t come into contact with them?” |
| Professor Bee Scherer, founder of Queer Paradigms and a professor at the university who will speak alongside Tatchell, said: “I disagree with Fran on this. There’s a fine difference between giving somebody a platform who is transphobic or who has said hurtful things about the trans community, and giving someone a platform who is a trans ally and who has a different opinion of freedom of speech.” | Professor Bee Scherer, founder of Queer Paradigms and a professor at the university who will speak alongside Tatchell, said: “I disagree with Fran on this. There’s a fine difference between giving somebody a platform who is transphobic or who has said hurtful things about the trans community, and giving someone a platform who is a trans ally and who has a different opinion of freedom of speech.” |
| Tatchell said Cowling had a right to refuse to speak on the same platform, but not to make ungrounded allegations against him. “Fran and the NUS have refused point blank to engage with me,” he said. “They have turned down debating me on Newsnight. It seems she is willing to make accusations that have no foundation and then are not prepared to defend her position.” | Tatchell said Cowling had a right to refuse to speak on the same platform, but not to make ungrounded allegations against him. “Fran and the NUS have refused point blank to engage with me,” he said. “They have turned down debating me on Newsnight. It seems she is willing to make accusations that have no foundation and then are not prepared to defend her position.” |
| John Gilmore, organiser of the discussion called “re-radicalising queers”, said: “As a university, the student voice is very important, so we’re very disappointed that the NUS refused to come.” | John Gilmore, organiser of the discussion called “re-radicalising queers”, said: “As a university, the student voice is very important, so we’re very disappointed that the NUS refused to come.” |
| The event is aimed at debating whether equality and reform or social transformation promises the best way forward for the LGBT community. | The event is aimed at debating whether equality and reform or social transformation promises the best way forward for the LGBT community. |