The Unquestioning New Orthodoxies
"My [university] Chair was hoping that for the good of the department I would resign from my position.""I don't believe that any of the complaints came from students who actually took the class. Everyone really enjoyed it.""The university has taken the position that if you're not specifically covered by academic freedom, you can be fired.""I think that's terrifying. I think that's really horrible."Kathleen Lowrey, associate professor of anthropology, Faculty of Arts, University of Alberta
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| University of Alberta associate professor Kathleen Lowrey |
This university professor is tenured, so it isn't likely the university would attempt to relieve her entirely of her position, even for the horrible sin of defying the new conventions that confuse biological identity and kneel at the pedestal of gender diversity. Or, as Professor Kathleen Lowrey appears to have put it fittingly: men cannot become pregnant, lesbians are not equipped with penises, and the reality of biological sex is undeniable.
This is considered to be inappropriately hurtful, frightening for those who believe otherwise, poor things. Setting off panic attacks in these frail personalities is considered very bad form. Those who engage in 'triggering' uncertainty and fear in others are simply not game-players, and they are to be shunned as social knuckle-draggers.
And though unions are always quick to defend their members, in this particular instance it is highly unlikely Professor Lowrey's academic union will leap to her defence.
Someone or someones evidently lodged a complaint that a professor at University of Alberta who up-front explains to her students what her views are, and that she has no expectations that everyone will or should change their minds about the issue of transgenderism among other issues, simply because she is married to the odd conviction that people's biological birth recognizing their gender reflects their specific biology.
Dr.Lowrey served as the undergraduate programs chair as one of her duties at the Faculty of Arts. She was however, pressured to resign from the role, with no explanation given, and nothing in writing; simply the outcome of a number of meetings. She was left to speculate about the reason/s and concluded that her views on biological gender were involved. She refused to resign her position, so the university relieved her of it.
During the meetings Professor Lowrey was informed that the dean of students and the Office of Safe Disclosure and Human Rights had received complaints that students felt unsafe in her presence, given her outspoken position as a 'radical feminist' on LGBTQ2 issues. It had come to their attention, moreover, that she had made an effort to dissuade students from organizing Pride events, a claim she denied..
But because these complaints were considered to be 'informal', nothing could be divulged to her; from whom the complaints came, how many there were, anything specific about the nature of the complaints. In other words she was being victimized by those who consider themselves society's victims. The university was concerned that students were being driven from choosing anthropology as a major, as a result of her reputation.
She received a formal letter informing her as she could not continue effectively in the role assigned to her, it would be in the best interests of the department, should she leave. No reasons for her dismissal given. A university spokesperson hastened to assure that Professor Lowrey's "academic appointment has not changed", while nothing about the administrative role in which she was dismissed could be discussed for privacy reasons.
"People should be able to express their gender in whatever manner they wish (but) I don’t agree with biological sex being irrelevant. I think treating biological sex as irrelevant has some really serious policy implications. As an example, housing trans-identified men in women’s prisons is not fair to women prisoners and I think it puts women at risk.""I said on the first day of class we’re going to read material in this class that are currently out of fashion in academia, You certainly don’t have to agree with me. Since this is a university, I think it’s important to be exposed to — this is important literature they should be aware of.""If you’ve done something bad to students you’re supposed to have a hearing about it so you can answer what the charges are. If I’ve done something bad they should be able to say what it is. Or it is about my views? Which in that case that’s not so good because that’s really a violation of academic freedom.""The university has said it’s perfectly OK to fire people for doubting that men can get pregnant, for doubting lesbians can have penises. The implications are very dangerous because this is a live issue in our contemporary Canadian democracy."Kathleen Lowrey, associate professor of anthropology, Faculty of Arts, University of Alberta
Labels: Academia, Political Correctness, Professorial Discretion
posted by Pieface @ Friday, June 12, 2020
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