Students at Leeds University demand staff include their gender pronouns when introducing themselves at meetings
- LGBT student groups signed a letter to vice-chancellor Simone Buitendijk
- They insisted she and other senior staff sign off emails with gender pronouns
- Accused university of having a ‘a deeply entrenched culture of transphobia’
Students and staff at Leeds University have demanded senior staff introduce themselves with gender pronouns in meetings.
They signed a letter insisting the university’s vice-chancellor Simone Buitendijk also includes her pronouns in email signatures to show solidarity with the transgender community.
LGBT staff and student groups accused the university of having ‘a deeply entrenched culture of transphobia’ in the letter sent in August — a month before Ms Buitendijk took up the job.
It called on her to ‘rapidly address and effectively rectify the current discriminatory situation’.
Students and staff at Leeds University (pictured) have demanded senior staff introduce themselves with gender pronouns in meetings
And it accused the university of being ‘a hostile environment for trans staff and students’, according to The Times, a claim the university denies.
The letter accused the university of storing transgender people’s ‘dead names’ — their pre-transition names — in computer systems.
They called for ‘a culture which encourages the sharing of pronouns when, for example, in meetings and seminars’.
The university said: ‘We strongly deny the assertion that we have created a “hostile environment” for transgender staff and students, but recognise that we need to do more to alleviate concerns that have been put to us and are working with our community to do so.
They signed a letter insisting the university’s vice-chancellor Simone Buitendijk also includes her pronouns in email signatures to show solidarity with the transgender community
‘We have a clear and unwavering commitment to ensuring equality, diversity and inclusion for all.
‘The use of pronouns — in emails or in meetings — is a personal choice. We do not have policies on this, but do provide support and resources to help inform that choice.’
It comes after a philosophy professor quit her job after being accused of transphobia.
Professor Kathleen Stock, 48, an expert in gender and sexual orientation, quit her job at the University of Sussex this week after a ‘bullying and harassment’ campaign labelled her a ‘transphobe’.
Professor Kathleen Stock, 48, an expert in gender and sexual orientation, quit this week after a ‘bullying and harassment’ campaign labelled her a ‘transphobe’
Professor Stock received death threats as a result of her ‘transphobia’ — an accusation she denies
Professor Stock received death threats as a result of her ‘transphobia’ — an accusation she denies.
The philosophy professor was at the centre of a blazing row — and a student-led protest — at the university after saying she believes gender identity does not outweigh biological sex ‘when it comes to law and policy’.
She also said that people cannot change their biological sex, sparking anger from protesters.
Professor Stock quit her job on Thursday, saying it had been ‘a difficult few years’ and that she hoped other universities could learn from what had happened.
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk