Backlash as Edinburgh University Rector accused of transphobia over tweet

Oct 16, 2018 by

from Herald Scotland:

The new Rector of Edinburgh University has been accused of transphobia, after retweeting details of a meeting to discuss changes to the Gender Recognition Act.

The university newspaper Student and Edinburgh University Students Association condemned the message, claiming the organisations behind the event were hate groups.

Edinburgh University said Ann Henderson, who officially became rector on October 6th, was tweeting in a personal capacity, and added that it the University’s position was one of “zero tolerance towards transphobia.”

However these comments have led to a backlash from feminist campaigners and academics, disputing that Ms Henderson’s actions were transphobic and warning of “McCarthyism”.

The event Ms Henderson, a long-standing Labour and feminist campaigner retweeted was a drop in meeting in Westminster this Tuesday titled “How will changes to the Gender Recognition Act [GRA] affect women’s rights?”

It gave the time and place for the event, inviting all MPs to drop in, and urged women with concerns about the legislation to contact their MP asking them to attend.

The meeting is promoted by the organisation A Woman’s Place UK, and supported by the groups Fair Play For Women and Transgender Trend, but Edinburgh Student accused all three of being transphobic.

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