Thread by @LibVoice4Women

We were disappointed to learn today that our motion to the Lib Dem Autumn Conference has been rejected.
liberalvoiceforwomen.org/policywomensvo…

Our motion addressed the issue of aggressive censorship of female academics, and the university sector's failure to uphold women's freedom of speech, and their rights to equality.

It cited @MForstater v CGD and the @akuareindorf Report, and asked conference to condemn the climate of violence, intimidation and abuse of gender critical academics.

We were told our motion could not be debated because it was a ‘trojan horse’ to discuss ‘other topics such as gender critical feminism’.

Here's the relevant paragraph:

We were surprised to see our motion thus characterised, as we had been explicit, from the title onward, that this is what it was about. The women whose voices are being suppressed in academia are gender critical feminists. This is only a secret to those who do not wish to know.

This is not the first time women have been accused by our colleagues of being devious and underhand for wanting to talk about their rights. @agcolehamilton described @JohannLamont ’s vital #sixwords amendment in the Forensic Services Bill in Scotland as a ‘stalking horse’.

The Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill, referenced in our motion, had its second reading in Parliament last night. Several MPs spoke powerfully on the exact issue we talk about in the motion. Namely:

Joanna Cherry @joannaccherry

Tonia Antoniazzi @ToniaAntoniazzi

And @RosieDuffield1

We have been disappointed to see Lib Dems dismissing women’s fundamental human rights as a ‘culture war’. We urge Lord Wallace to think again. libdemvoice.org/academic-freed…

Women in academia are being persecuted for their legally protected philosophical views.

For how long will our party continue to look the other way?

This is what we wrote about the subject back in May. liberalvoiceforwomen.org/blog/free-spee…