Thread by @rizpossnett

This evening I glued my hand to the floor of the Oxford Union debating chamber, wearing a t-shirt which said “NO MORE DEAD TRANS KIDS”, in front of Kathleen Stock during her talk at the Union. Here’s why I felt I had to take this action:

Kathleen Stock is an academic known for her ideas around ‘gender ideology’. I respect Kathleen’s right to free speech, but I’m also painfully aware of the consequences of her anti-trans propaganda. Her career and image is built around misinformation and fear-mongering.

The consequences of Stock’s message and the broader media hate campaign are extensive. Trans people in the UK are stigmatised, threatened, and harassed. Life-saving gender-affirming healthcare is near impossible to access, and the process is consistently degrading.

Trans people are at higher risk of violence, and of sexual violence. Suicide rates in trans youth are extremely high. A student who organised Oxford Trans Pride, a peaceful protest in response to Stock’s arrival, received a death threat in their post.

Aware of the consequences of Stock’s speech, particularly affecting the wellbeing of trans students in Oxford, JCRs voted to condemn the Union’s invitation of her, as did the Student Union. Multiple democratic student votes were made to urge the Union to rescind the invitation.

I did not attempt to prevent Kathleen Stock from speaking. Whilst I believe her speech is dangerous and hateful, she is entitled to exercise her right to free speech. I chose to exercise my own Article 10 and 11 rights to peacefully protest this speech.

Trans lives and rights should not be up for ‘debate’, but the Union did not even provide that. My goal was to show the other side, to ensure everyone who listened to Stock’s talk also considered the dangerous consequences of those views for trans people, particularly trans youth.

Kathleen Stock is not welcome here. TERFs are not welcome here. We will resist hatred, and we will fight for trans rights. Trans people, including trans youth, deserve to live in peace, safe from bigotry and harassment, with access to life-saving gender-affirming healthcare.

We grieve for our trans siblings who have lost their lives on waiting lists, we grieve for those who have been murdered, and we grieve for those who died without ever having the freedom to live as their true selves. No more.

We will fight for trans rights and trans futures. We will not let the trans youth of the future suffer as we have. We will fight for justice for trans youth, healthcare for trans youth, dignity for trans youth, and joy for trans youth. No more dead trans kids.