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This time it’s Germaine Greer

Today, assorted branches of CUSU have united to comdemn the Cambridge Union for hosting Germaine Greer as a speaker.

Greer, a prominent feminist theorist, has previously been accused of transphobia. Most notably, she publically opposed appointing a trans woman to an academic position at Newnham.

Drama. Drama. DRAMA.

Drama. Drama. DRAMA.

CUSU Women’s Officer Amelia Horgan posted the following statement on the Facebook event:

“The CUSU Women’s Campaign would like to express concern over the invitation of Germaine Greer …to speak at the Cambridge Union. Greer’s transphobia has been demonstrated not only in her writing, but also in her actions. In 1996 she publicly opposed the appointment of a trans woman academic to a position within Newnham college, outing her in the process. As such, Greer’s invitation to speak within our University community is all the more worrying – is institutional memory really so terrifyingly limited when it comes to bigotry?

Greer does not represent feminism, and she does not represent us.”

Meanwhile, Dr Rachael Padman – the academic whose apointment was opposed by Greer – told Varsity today:

“While one might question some of Germaine’s judgements, particularly concerning trans women, there is no doubt that her writings inspired a generation of women, and a few men, coming of age in 1970s England and Australia…

“I hope the Union will give Germaine a fair hearing, but of course robustly interrogate her, as befits the academic community that is Cambridge.”

Despite Padman’s extremely admirable stance, the controversy rages on.

In what Get Real are calling, “the icing on the cis-supremacist cake”, LGBT+ drinks are due to take place at the Union on the same evening.

An artist's impression. Not pictured: cis supremacy.

Cake. Not pictured: cis supremacy.

The editor of Get Real, Hesham Mashhour wrote that:

“Though Get Real. is a completely neutral publication hoping to represent the views of all LGBT+ people at the University of Cambridge, the Editor wants it to be known that Get Real.‘s editorial staff will be boycotting the Union’s LGBT+ Drinks indefinitely.

The Editor would encourage all LGBT+ people and allies to do the same in support of trans people who have had their identity played with by the likes of Germaine Greer and the Cambridge Union Society.”

A dark day for editorial neutrality, and for all fans of reasonably priced and unreasonably strong cocktails.

Union President Amy Gregg gave The Tab the following statement this morning.

“The Union maintains its commitment to free speech and, as ever, rejects no platform policies. We neither condemn nor condone the viewpoints of any of our speakers, but provide a neutral forum where they may be questioned and challenged by our members. We respect the decision of CUSU LGBT+ to issue their statement condemning someone they believe to represent views contrary to their core aims, but our speaker program will remain unchanged.”

So I’m sure there’s no more to be said on the matter. Right guys?

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  • Good to know

    that this term we have a union president who actually understands the purpose of the institution. Well done Amy Gregg.

    • Tim Squirrell

      guys pls, i’m still here

      i still have feelings

      • Nothing personal

        but if you stand for Union President and then undermine the very principles for which the institution stands, you have to be prepared for some backlash.

        • Tim Squirrel

          Look, I had a very busy Michaelmas, I’m trying to sleep and now I’ve forgotten where I buried all my nuts. Give me a break.

  • Fresher

    The only thing I was consistently told about Cambridge before arriving was:
    “CUSU. Great access schemes. Should talk less”

    Now I understand.

  • a trans woman

    CUSU LGBT+ is doing a dreadful job of representing me this year. The only people they listen to are the extreme people shouting the loudest. And they’re being backed up all the way by CUSU Welfare arse Mr Jack “abuser and slanderer” Wright. What a disgrace. Can we deal with Jack and his actual criminal activity before we deal with Greer and her stupid words?

    • fresher

      “abuser and slanderer”? Do tell.

  • Hesham Mashhour.

    You’ve changed your tune.

    #NoPlatformForPeopleHeshamDisagreesWith

    • 2014 calling…

      “It seems to be infinitely easier to boycott, protest and pressure than to attend an event and engage in meaningful debate and dialogue. By claiming that Daniel Taub would not be welcome in Cambridge, the Cambridge University Palestinian Society chose to speak on behalf of all Cambridge students. This is something that is inherently wrong. I for one, along with plenty other people attended the actual event and would have not appreciated it being cancelled. Thankfully, the Union made the right decision and did not bow down, choosing to carry on with Daniel Taub.”

      Hesham Mashour, October 2014.
      Source: http://www.varsity.co.uk/comment/7688#.VFDjKewoffA.twitter

      Replace as follows: Daniel Taub w/ Germaine Greer, University Palestinian Society w/ Union LGBT+.

      Tune in next term for another exciting instalment of: HESHAM CHANGES HIS MIND. Followed by a screening of education kids program, WHY CAN’T HESHAM WRITE.

      • BRAP BRAP BRAP

        SHOTS FIRED!!!!! BEEF ON THE GRILL!!!!!

  • WHY

    I don’t like how this is framed as CUSU / Get Real being unreasonable. They don’t “keep getting angry,” the Union keeps inviting anger-inducing people. Like does the fact that CUSU complain about fascists and transphobes supposedly reduces the badness of fascism and transphobia? UNION, IT’S REALLY NOT THAT HARD TO FIND INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKERS WHO AREN’T HUGE TRANSPHOBES / RACISTS / MISOGYNISTS.

    • Everyone.

      The Union has a blind, transgendered candidate for the Labour party coming this term.

      Shut up.

      • but

        again, you don’t counterbalance transphobes by inviting someone trans. that implies they have equal value. they don’t.

        • Everyone.

          I think you’re missed the point of a free speech society. People speak in it. Freely.

          As long as the Union is inviting a diverse range of speakers – then it is fulfilling it’s purpose.

    • A Sensitive Scholar

      When you say ‘anger-inducing people’, you actually mean people you just don’t like. Germaine Greer is a very popular writer and a very influential public intellectual, and I’m sure lots of Union members will be interested in hearing what she has to say.

  • Surely

    They should’ve had a much bigger problem with Peter Hitchens than Germain Greer? Like, Hitchens actually refused to speak alongside Stephen Fry…

    • A Sensitive Scholar

      Hitchens refused to speak alongside Stephen Fry because he (rightly) questions how sincerely he is committed to the position he is claiming to defend. On what grounds should anybody have a problem with his personal decision to pull out?

  • bowelwarrior1994

    Mashhour makes offensive gastronomative comments about cake that are literally smearing faeces in the face of gluten-intolerant minorities.

  • Gay as I am

    Well, this is something I did not expect. I did not expect to agree with some well known members of the Tab over CUSU LGBT+/Women/etc on an issue, especially over an issue concerning LGBT+.

    LGBT+/Women/etc. : If you feel outraged, good. Raise it at the debate. Maybe say that she is reducing women to uteri by that logic. There is plenty of space to ask the hard questions. Show her the flaws of that logic. A strong showing of LGBT+ and allies asking her the hard questions would be a better representation for me than childishly pretending she is not there.

    • .

      The idea of gender not being thing has already reduced people to their genitals because, apparently, anyone can be anything that they want to be; the only way to tell them apart is the balls (or lack thereof).

  • I’m sorry but

    why aren’t we listening to what trans* people say about this issue? Hesham and Amelia might be well intentioned, but wouldn’t it be better for them to direct you towards a trans* person that would be better positioned to discuss this? Surely Hesham, Amelia, CUSU etc should be facilitating the voices of marginalised trans* people instead of practically speaking on their behalf. Why are they being quoted/publicised – why isn’t the tab asking the CUSU LGBT+ president or, even better, the trans* rep? Getting Dr Padman’s view on the whole thing is a good start. This is not, of course, to say that one trans* person’s views represent everybody else’s, of course, but it seems sensible, when discussing the issue of transphobia, to get the opinions of those who it affects most -trans* people.

    • Emma Travis

      I’m trans. I’m the comment editor for Get Real and I wrote the article in question. I don’t know why people are attacking Hesham over this. I aimed to reflect the views of the trans rep, Rob (who actually proof read the article before I published) and every member of the trans mailing list who had expressed anger and disappointment with the Union. Judging by the positive responses I’ve had from the mailing list and directly from other trans people, I have succeeded in doing so.

    • Emma Travis

      I agree with the question of why this article chooses not to actually mention my name, though. But then, that might rid them of some of the fun of bashing CUSU, Hesham, and everyone else. An actual trans person, not a CUSU LGBT+ committee member, speaks out in defense of other trans students? Shit, no, we can’t make fun of that without hiding the fact that we’re doing it.

      • I’m sorry but

        Hey Emma – agreed, the indiscriminate bashing of everybody’s opinion is irritating. It sounds great that you and Rob are doing such good work to reflect the views of the trans community in Cambridge, and I hope the student media engage with you more helpfully in future.

        • Emma Travis

          Thank you :)

  • A Loyal Subject and Student

    I think the real question is, WHY HASN’T THE UNION INVITED HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN? What a travesty. Germaine Greer? More like Germaine GRRR. More of a Judith Butler person, myself, but then again I do just mean my Butler, Judith. WHAT WHAT WHAT. I say, this ketamine is wasted on the horses.

    • Is this

      gonna be a regular thing? Has potential.

  • Emma Travis

    There might be no more to be said if The Tab had actually bothered to represent ANY trans students’ views in this article. My Get Real article was quoted without credit to the fact that I am actually trans (or, you know, my name, but whatever).
    35% of trans people attempt suicide because of views like Greer’s. I am friends with trans students at this university who are seriously vulnerable. I know that Hesham and plenty of the other LGBT+ welfare officers/reps have taken care of suicidal trans students.
    Hilarious though, right? Typical! Caring for the wellbeing of some of the university’s most vulnerable students! *indulgent tut and eyeroll*

    • Emma Travis

      Edit: I should say bothered to represent any /out/ trans students. It’s been pointed out to me that assuming everyone who is not out as trans to be automatically cis was problematic of me, and insensitive towards trans people who are not out, and I apologise profusely for having made the assumption.

      • Who cares…

        Is all this faffing about really necessary?

        • Emma Travis

          Not to cis people lmao

  • Burn Them Bras

    Can’t help but think the CUSU Women’s Campaign and GetReal could actually learn a thing or two about proactive protest from Greer rather than burying their heads in the sand and pretending people expressing views discordant with theirs do not exist. Engage in proper debate and discussion if you actually care about facilitating change. The unlikely headline “CUSU LGBT+ crush Greer in transphobia debate-off” is infinitely more impactful than “You’re wrong, I’m done. We’re not talking anymore. NO… SHUT IT!! You had your chance.”.

  • Concerned Feminist

    ‘She does not represent feminism’. I for one am worried by the way the that WC seems to be turning ‘feminism’ into a closed shop, excluding anyone or anything that does not map perfectly onto its own definition.

  • Amy Alkon

    Why should a speaker “represent” you or your views in order to be allowed to speak?

    A totally childish view — the view of entitled brats who see no danger in yanking the Enlightenment value of free speech.

    The answer to speech you don’t like is more speech, not squashing speech.

    It’s like people are pining for an Orwellian unfree society with all their outcry every time somebody whom they disagree with is going to give a talk. Pathetic and dangerous.

    • she doesn’t even go here

      do you even go to this school??

      • Amy Alkon

        Good one — if you can’t debate the arguments for free speech, attack the speaker for…lack of school enrollment?

      • gvanderleun

        You need to quite spewing your sewage here. Argue the merits not the enrollment. Remember, you are only at the school — if you are — because they take the mentally deranged.

  • Airwine

    Meanwhile out in the real world, the band plays on. Good show…

  • stevewfromford

    I gather Cambridge is completely filled with Trans and Non cis normative students from all the attention they seem to generate. How’d you folks manage to eliminate the non LGBT Queer Seeking portion of the population from the student body?

    • gvanderleun

      Cambridge is now full to gunwales with garbage.

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