The screening of a women’s rights documentary was shut down Wednesday by a mob of radical trans activists at the University of Edinburgh, in a repeat of events that occurred on campus in December.
The documentary Adult Human Female was set to be screened Wednesday night but the event was prevented from going ahead by a crowd of trans activists blocking the venue. This was the second time a screening of the film had been shut down on the university campus.
The BBC was fact-checked by Twitter Thursday after it called the women’s rights documentary a “trans film.”
The BBC covered the story with the headline “Trans film screening cancelled again at University of Edinburgh.” Twitter fact-checkers added context, informing users that the headline “misrepresents the facts - the film is not a ‘trans film’ but is a film about women called ‘Adult Human Female’.”
The documentary focuses on how women’s rights are impacted by the collision with gender ideology, but upon arrival, attendees once again discovered that a group of rainbow-festooned trans activists were blocking access and the film was cancelled due to safety concerns.
"It’s big and we’ve only just started. No to hate on campus #TransRightsAreHumanRights,” tweeted the University and College Union (UCU) Edinburgh.
This is a repeat of what happened in December when trans activists occupied the venue and prevented women from watching a film about women’s rights.
The documentary, made by independent filmmakers Deirdre O’Neill and Mike Wayne, is described as an “explainer about the issues, how far things have already changed for the worse for women and how difficult it has been to be heard, to be listened to.”
“There isn’t an iota of hatred in the film,” said the directors in a statement to the BBC. “The accusation that the film is transphobic is designed to shut down debate.”
“It is really important that [the] screening goes ahead, because universities must be a place where disagreements can be discussed and different ideas held up to scrutiny.”
“Privileged Edinburgh students don't want you to see this film. Watch it and share with everyone you know,” tweeted comedian and writer Graham Linehan.
“We are disappointed that again this event has not been able to go ahead,” said a University of Edinburgh spokesperson. “In line with our commitment to fostering an inclusive, supportive and safe environment for our whole community, we worked with the organisers and put measures in place to mitigate risks associated with the event.”
“However, with protesters restricting access to the venue, safety concerns were raised should the event proceed. It was therefore decided that the screening should not continue,” the spokesperson explained.
Dr. Kathleen Stock, author of Material Girls, called the UCU a “disgrace.” Stock was a professor of philosophy at Sussex University before being driven out by trans activists for her gender-critical beliefs such as women are female and there’s no such thing as a male lesbian.
“UCU Edinburgh, helping stop the screening of a film on their own campus. Academic freedom of thought is just of no interest to these people. They are a disgrace,” tweeted Stock.
Scottish National Party MP Joanna Cherry KC raised the issue in Parliament Thursday calling for a debate about how to prevent lesbian erasure and the intimidation of lesbians in civic life, including at universities. Lesbians argue that allowing males to self-identify as women and also as lesbians is harmful to their community.
