University of Reading accused of 'platforming transphobia'

Campaigners from Reading Pride, the Support U charity and Club F.O.D have written an open letter to the university objecting to a  School of Law lecture held by Dr Holly Lawford-Smith, who was invited to the university by Professor Rosa Freedman.

The letter claims that Dr Lawford-Smith will use the talk to argue that bills to ban conversion therapy should be focused on banning the therapy for gay, lesbian and bisexual people.

The LGBT+ groups have claimed that her arguments exclude conversion therapy for transgender people.

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Fears have been raised that the talk ‘could actively challenge the identity and existence of trans people.’

The letter states: “Conversion therapy is a practice which is meant to target someone’s identity and erase it.

“It is a practice medical professionals agree causes harm and long term psychological damage.

“It is not therapy – it’s a treatment and one motivated by the needs of the person giving it and not the needs of the person receiving it.

“It has a pre-determined outcome – to fix what is perceived as broken. But we in the LGBT+ community are not broken. There is nothing to fix – except this dangerous culture war which sets out to divide us and which is being given a platform at the University of Reading.”

You can read the letter in full here:

Reading Pride, @clubfod and @SupportULGBT are disappointed to learn the @UniofReading intend to allow a lecture entitled ‘Who put the ‘GI’ in Sogi?’ where they will argue Conversion Therapy bills should be about sexual orientation alone. pic.twitter.com/UmUfDUS0mY

— Reading Pride (UK) (@Reading_Pride) April 23, 2022

The letter has been circulated by the Reading University Students Union.

The LGBT+ groups called for ‘consent’ for the lecture to be reconsidered, and for officials at the university to meet LGBT+ representatives ‘on and off campus’ to safeguard trans students.

However, the university has defended the lecture, and it is understood to have gone ahead at 2.30pm on Monday, April 25 in the Edith Morley Building.

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A university spokesperson said: “As a University, academic freedom is written into our Royal Charter, and we are committed to freedom of speech.

“We exist to allow people to further understanding, to explore ideas, and foster discussion, particularly in areas of contemporary relevance.

“Today’s internal academic seminar, organised by the School of Law, is focused on the development of new laws on the use of conversion therapy for sexual orientation and gender identity in Australia and the UK.

“The event has been reviewed against our external speaker policy, and those speaking will be obliged to abide by our code of conduct.

The University is committed to providing equal opportunities and non-discriminatory treatment for all, particularly with regards to gender reassignment, sex or sexual orientation.”

Dr Lawford-Smith’s decision to launch the website ‘No Conflict, They Said’ has proven controversial because it has attracted allegations that it is used as a platform for women to anonymously voice displeasure at the presence of transgender people in women only spaces.