Pro-Trans Activists Give Lesson in Intimidation Tactics at Oxford

Michael Foran, an associate professor of law at Oxford University in England, scheduled a four-part lecture series related to his new book, “Sex, Gender Identity and the Law.” While the word “expert” is often applied too generously, it does accurately describe Foran, whose work has been cited by the United Kingdom’s supreme court. I had the pleasure of interacting with Foran occasionally while I was a graduate student at Oxford, and I would enthusiastically encourage anyone in the area to attend his public lectures, since I have full confidence his speeches would be richly insightful. But rather unfortunately, he canceled the series after two lectures as a result of “escalating disruptive protests” led by pro-transgender activists, who coordinated a brief demonstration at the first event and then a longer interruption for the second.

“Students shouldn’t face bullying or harassment when attending academic events,” Foran said on social media. He wrote in another post, “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.”

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Abigail Anthony

Abigail Anthony is a staff writer at National Review.

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Michael Foran, an associate professor of law at Oxford University in England, scheduled a four-part lecture series related to his new book, “Sex, Gender Identity and the Law.” While the word “expert” is often applied too generously, it does accurately describe Foran, whose work has been cited by the United Kingdom’s supreme court. I had the pleasure of interacting with Foran occasionally while I was a graduate student at Oxford, and I would enthusiastically encourage anyone in the area to attend his public lectures, since I have full confidence his speeches would be richly insightful. But rather unfortunately, he canceled the series after two lectures as a result of “escalating disruptive protests” led by pro-transgender activists, who coordinated a brief demonstration at the first event and then a longer interruption for the second.

“Students shouldn’t face bullying or harassment when attending academic events,” Foran said on social media. He wrote in another post, “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.”