Two government ministers have spoken out about the resignation of Sussex University professor Kathleen Stock after a campaign by trans rights activists.
One of them, Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch, is a Sussex graduate with a degree in computer systems engineering.
She told the Trevor Phillips on Sunday programme on Sky News that she was “appalled” by the treatment of Professor Stock.
She said: “I went to Sussex University and I tweeted when I saw the university statement backing her. Nobody should face bullying or harassment in the workplace.”
She added that while the government does not believe in gender self-identification for trans people, there should be a process for obtaining gender recognition certificates.
Yesterday (Monday 1 November) Education Minister Michelle Donelan said that she was “absolutely horrified” that Professor Stock had resigned as a result of the row about gender identity.
The minister, who is responsible for further and higher education, said that Professor Stock had faced “sustained harassment and bullying”.
During Education Questions, she told the Commons that the government’s proposed Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill would “ensure that universities not only protect free speech but promote free speech”.
She was responding to a question from the Conservative MP for Guildford, Angela Richardson, who asked: “Following the sustained campaign of bullying and harassment, I was very sad to see that Professor Kathleen Stock decided to step down from Sussex University.
“Can the minister outline how the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill will uphold freedom of speech in our higher education institutions?”
Ms Donelan replied: “I would like to put on the record that I too was absolutely horrified with what has happened in regards to Professor Stock who has had to resign due to harassment – sustained harassment and bullying.
“This cannot be tolerated on our campuses. That is why this government is delivering a free speech and academic freedom bill that will ensure that universities not only protect free speech but promote free speech.”
Professor Stock, a philosophy professor at Sussex, had faced calls to be sacked amid accusations of transphobia.
Last week she said that she would be leaving her job after “an absolutely horrible time” and “a very difficult few years”.
She tweeted her decision to resign on Thursday (28 October), saying: “This has been a very difficult few years but the leadership’s approach more recently has been admirable and decent. I hope that other institutions in similar situations can learn from this.
“Am particularly glad to see university emphasising that bullying and harassment of anyone for their legally held beliefs is unacceptable in their workplace.”
Professor Stock has previously said that she was “at odds” with many academics because she believed that gender identity was not more important than facts about biological sex, “particularly when it comes to law and policy”.
Her views led to a campaign, reportedly set up by students, calling for the professor to be sacked.
