The Times - UK (2021-12-06)

the times | Monday December 6 2021 15

News

Charlotte Wace

The graphic used in Whitehall training

SWNS/PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

A Durham University college head
called students pathetic for walking out
when Rod Liddle was invited to speak at
a formal dinner.
The Sunday Times and Spectator col-
umnist was a guest speaker at South
College, but some students walked out
before his speech and others during it.
Professor Tim Luckhurst, the princi-
pal, shouted: “At South College we
value freedom of speech” and “pathet-
ic” as students left on Friday evening,
the student newspaper Palatinate re-
ported. The university later distanced
itself from remarks made by Liddle dur-
ing the speech, but defended his right to
share his views.
Liddle is understood to have started
by joking that he was disappointed not
to see any sex workers, in reference to

recent controversy over safety training
provided by the university to students
working in the sex industry. He also
said the left railed against the science of
pure facts over sex and gender issues,
that colonialism was not the main
cause of Africa’s problems and that the
underachievement of black pupils in
education had nothing to do with insti-
tutional or structural racism.
Liddle said anger about Britain’s
forced adoption policy between 1945
and 1975 did not take sufficient account
of the child’s mental health and eco-
nomic circumstances and that attitudes
now put the woman not the child first.
Durham’s Working Class Students’
Association called for the event to be
investigated by the university. “Trans-
phobia and racism cannot be defended
under the notion of ‘political views’ or
‘academic freedom’ and it has no place
on campus, where students are sup-

Students who staged

Liddle walkout are

pathetic, says head

posed to feel safe,” it said. Durham Uni-

versity Labour Club said: “Our univers-

ity doesn’t owe hate a platform.”

About a dozen students walked out

before Liddle’s after-dinner speech and

several left during it. Afterwards few

applauded the speech, and while proto-

col is to rise for the high table to process

out, nearly all students in the hall

stayed seated.

Both Luckhurst and the junior com-

mon room president, Sean Hannigan,

made speeches after Liddle had fin-

ished in which they defended his right

to express his views but Hannigan ex-

pressed disagreement with the speech.

In an email responding to a student

complaint, Luckhurst said: “My guest’s

topic was tolerance. He spoke about the

importance of listening to alternative

perspectives. He attacked nobody. We

have no right not to be offended, but

offence doesn’t harm us, and freedom

of speech means nothing unless it en-

compasses the right to say things with

which others disagree profoundly.”

The pair are understood to have

worked together previously at the BBC

and for the Labour Party.

In a statement yesterday, the univers-

ity said: “Durham University upholds

freedom of speech within the law. As

such we welcome diversity of opinions

from our students, staff and visitors.

Protection of the right to free speech

extends to discussion of issues that are

controversial, including the expression

of views which may shock, disturb or

offend others.

“The university categorically does

not agree with the comments reported

from a speech given by an external

speaker at this occasion, and is con-

cerned at reports that the behaviours

exhibited at the occasion fall short of

those that we expect.

“The exchange of ideas within the

university should at all times be con-

ducted in a tolerant manner. Every-

body has the right to live, work and

study in a respectful environment. We

are looking into this as a matter of ur-

gency, and an investigation into the cir-

cumstances is now under way.”

Nicola Woolcock Education Editor

N

Photo op A camera the size of a coarse grain of salt that can take full-colour images has been created by researchers

in America. It could transform how doctors diagnose and treat disease, removing the need for invasive endoscopies

Professor Tim

Luckhurst said

no one had a right

not be offended

Civil servants are being taught about
gender identity with a diagram of a
“Genderbread Person”.
The graphic, which teaches that gen-
der identity, sexual attraction and
biological sex are on a spec-
trum from 0 to 100, was
said to have been shown
in a video call of about
180 civil servants in
February. The meet-
ing is believed to
have been organised
by the trans and in-
tersex group a:gender
and the Civil Service
Race Forum.
The graphic has also
been used in other depart-
ments’ diversity meetings, The
Sunday Telegraph reported. It states
that gender is “how you, in your head,
experience and define your gender”.

‘Genderbread person’ teaches

civil servants about identity

Accompanying text reads: “Gender is

one of those things everyone thinks they

understand, but most people don’t. Gen-

der isn’t binary. It’s not either or. In many

cases it’s both/and. A bit of this, a dash of

that.”

Various public bodies, in-

cluding the House of Com-

mons, have become

partners with Global

Butterflies, a trans

lobby group, which

also uses the graph-

ic as part of its

training.

Campaigners

have voiced con-

cerns that the gov-

ernment is working

with groups similar to

Stonewall, which some

organisations including the

BBC have recently cut ties with.

Bev Jackson, director of the LGB Alli-

ance, said: “The civil service continues to

forge relationships with lobby groups

masquerading as training providers.”

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