A University of Oxford professor has cancelled a series of lectures discussing gender law after suffering abuse from pro-trans activists at the first two talks.
Michael Foran, an associate professor of law at the university, was interrupted by demonstrators while attempting to deliver the lectures at Keble College.
Dr Foran was using the lectures to discuss the themes in his new book ‘Sex, Gender Identity And The Law’, which looks at how the history of sex changed within the law and what this means for single-sex spaces, freedom of expression and privacy.
The first incident on May 29 saw two activists walk to the front of the lecture hall as Dr Foran prepared to begin, and address the audience in front of his lectern.
Video footage from the ‘How Sex Changed’ talk showed the man reading a statement claiming Dr Foran ‘masks his transphobia behind a thin veneer of academia’.
The protester added: ‘If you are here in a critical capacity to challenge his ideas… that is not the same as refusing to platform him. He will not be convinced by your arguments. Please join me in walking out and refusing to platform this bigot.’
The clips posted by feminist author Julie Bindel – who was sent them by a disgruntled student – show the same two activists disrupted a second lecture on ‘Single-Sex Spaces’ last Friday. But on this occasion, the audience shouted at them to leave.
After the duo had gone, two more protesters who seemed to have planted themselves in the audience stood up and carried on the demonstration before being escorted out.
Dr Foran, 32, delivered both talks despite the interruptions at the start – but has now decided to cancelled his remaining two lectures on ‘Gender Critical and Gender Identity Belief’ this Friday and ‘Sexual Assault by Deception’ on June 19.
Two pro-trans activists speak in front of Michael Foran’s lectern as he attempts to deliver a speech at the University of Oxford’s Keble College last Friday on ‘Single-Sex Spaces’
Michael Foran, an associate professor of law at the University of Oxford, delivers a speech at Keble College last Friday on ‘Single-Sex Spaces’ after a demonstration by pro-trans activists
The professor wrote on X yesterday: ‘Due to escalating disruptive protests, I have decided to cancel the remainder of these lectures.
‘This is deeply lamentable, but the disruption has undermined the academic nature of this series. Students shouldn’t face bullying or harassment when attending academic events.
‘It is unfortunate that these protesters have chosen disruption over genuine intellectual engagement grounded in academic charity and rigour.
‘In attempting to shame students into deplatforming these lectures, they manifest the antithesis of what a university stands for.
Dr Foran later shared a recording on X of the ‘Single-Sex Spaces’ lecture without the disruption.
He wrote: ‘Before this lecture, protesters disrupted the event for about 10 minutes. I’ve chosen not to include the recording of this disruption because it is my view that it distracts from the academic nature of the lecture series.
‘I have made the decision to cancel the remaining lectures in the series as I cannot guarantee for attendees, including students, that further disruption won’t occur.’
The events at Keble College’s HB Allen Lecture Theatre, which can seat up to 120 people, were open to students and the public.
Joan Smith, author and human rights campaigner, tweeted in response to the cancellations: ‘They are scared of you and the power of ideas, Michael. This is the behaviour of bullies and cowards.’
British sailing legend Tracy Edwards, an advocate for women-only categories in sports, added: ‘This is so disheartening. I thought we were past ‘no debate’.
Dr Foran has now cancelled his remaining two lectures in the series this Friday on June 19
‘Universities should be seats of learning, curiosity, critical thinking and debate not a place of stamping feet to get your own way. What are these young people going to do when they come face to face with reality?!’
Kate Barker, chief executive of LGB Alliance, told the Daily Mail: ‘This is yet another example of the intolerance at the heart of gender identity ideology, which seeks to infiltrate the LGB movement, redefine homosexuality, and shut down anyone who voices uncomfortable truths.
‘This is what comes of trans activists’ refusal to debate: they get overtaken by history and the law, leaving them with nothing but tired old slogans.’
Dr Emma Hilton, chair of the human rights charity Sex Matthews, added: ‘I thought we were past this in academia.
‘If you don’t agree with someone’s thesis, go, listen and challenge them. It’s part of what a university education is about. Academics, including Michael, welcome dialogue. It’s part of our job.’
A University of Oxford spokesperson told the Mail: ‘Freedom of speech and academic freedom are fundamental to the University of Oxford.
‘Members of our academic community must be able to teach, research, speak and debate within the law, including on issues that are controversial or strongly contested. Equally, we support the right to lawful protest and civil disagreement.
The lectures were held at Keble College’s HB Allen Lecture Theatre in Oxford (file picture)
‘Despite interruptions by protesters at the start, the first two talks in Professor Foran’s series proceeded and continued uninterrupted. We are concerned that the series will not now be completed as planned.
‘The talks were being delivered alongside the publication of Professor Foran’s recent book, and the university will work with him to explore how the remaining events can take place.
‘The university remains committed to freedom of speech, academic freedom and respectful debate.’
It comes after LGBT+ activists stormed a talk with feminist Kathleen Stock at the Oxford Union in 2023 before one of them glued themselves to the floor.
Hundreds of chanting protesters marched towards the debating society and Dr Stock spoke for around ten minutes before three protesters emerged from the audience of the packed hall, shouting ‘no more dead trans kids’.
In April last year, a landmark Supreme Court ruling said the words ‘woman’ and ‘sex’ in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex.
And last month, new guidance by the Equality and Human Rights Commission confirmed single-sex services must be on the basis of biological sex.
The code covers a range of scenarios from sport, where it states trans people should compete alongside others of their birth sex rather than gender identity, to hospital wards, which it says can lawfully exclude trans patients if single-sex.
