Oh irony, thy name is feminism.
According to Reason, the University of Manchester in the U.K. was preparing to hold a debate entitled, “From Liberation to Censorship: Does Modern Feminism Have a Problem with Free Speech?” but banned both speakers because they’re too politically incorrect for the school’s “safe space” rules.
Julie Bindel, a self described feminist activist, was one of those speakers that got the boot.
Yes, a feminist was banned from a debate if feminism has a problem with free speech–because she’s too politically incorrect.
“After reviewing the request in more detail, the Students’ Union has decided to deny this request based on Bindel’s views and comments towards trans people, which we believe could incite hatred towards and exclusion of our trans students,” the Student’s Union wrote in a statement on Tuesday.
Bindel’s written articles in the past like “Gender benders, beware” where she said men who undergo sex reassignment surgery should not be considered women and has referred to it as “unnecessary mutilation,” according to The International Business Times.
The following day the Student Union also banned Bindel’s intended debate opponent, Milo Yiannopoulos, a writer for Breitbart, for his politically incorrect statements in the past.
“We have been made aware of various comments lambasting rape survivors and trans* people, and as such we are concerned for the safety of our students on the topic of this event. He is a rape apologist and has repeatedly used derogatory and debasing ableist language when describing members of the trans* community….As we believe it is probable these views would be aired in this discussion should he be allowed to speak on campus, we have no choice but to ban him,” the Student Union said in a statement.
Yiannopoulos has written articles detailing how the smartest people in world are men and said “transgenderism is a psychiatric disorder.”
Despite both Yiannopoulos and Bidel’s opinion’s being outside the mainstream, they’re not calling for violence against any person or particular group–so why is there opinions too dangerous to be heard?
College campuses have a much bigger problem with free speech than feminism.
