Written by Statement re: 16 October ‘Feminist Dilemmas, Feminist Hope’ event
Our ‘Feminist Dilemmas, Feminist Hope’ event on 16 October was disrupted by a member of the audience shouting hate-filled transphobic speech and repeatedly attempting to close down existing discussion. The majority of the audience left the lecture theatre in protest at this attack whilst security was brought in to remove the person responsible.
FSA and the GSRC strongly reiterate that we oppose and stand up against transphobia at our events, at other events, and in the wider feminist community. The FSA and the GSRC did not create our feminist space for this behavior. We strongly oppose any actions which exclude, marginalise, threaten and damage other feminists, including trans and non-binary people.
Thank you to those in the audience, and our speakers, for fighting against hate speech and the closing down of constructive discussion in the conference space – and for taking a positive stand against such actions.
In light of this event, both the FSA and the GSRC will create a code of conduct in order to try to prevent this from happening again at our events and put a strategy in place through which any similar disruptions can be dealt with swiftly and effectively.
We would like to note our sadness that this statement needs to be issued. We are a diverse body of feminists, but our feminism categorically does not subscribe to attacking trans people. It is a sad indictment of the times we are currently living in – at a moment when we are faced with so much oppression, injustice and inequality around the world – that this needs to be said.
We hope you agree that the powerful statement of opposition in the room demonstrated that feminist hope and solidarity is still very much alive, despite those who seek to undermine this. May this collective energy take us forward to fight against hate and support all of those who face abuse every day.
In solidarity,
FSA and GSRC