University of Leeds gender identity row erupts after ‘TERF stand’ appears outside SU

A row over gender identity has erupted at the University of Leeds after a “TERF stand” appeared outside the Students’ Union.

Leeds student Connie Shaw set up a display on Monday 19th May outside Leeds University Union that has been described as a “TERF stand”, leading to vocal outrage and expressions of solidarity with transgender people on campus.

In a post on X, Connie, who was suspended from Leeds Student Radio in October following her production of gender-critical content, said that she and another woman would be seated outside the Students’ Union “with a display in support of the sex-based rights of women, lesbians and gay people”.

The tweet continued: “We hope to incite open discussion and debate from passers-by, be they students, faculty members, or the general public.”

A later post on X alleges that the pair were “shouted at, sworn at, insulted, called names and more”. It also claims that their signs and flag were torn down and stolen, but that they had “many great conversations”.

The display erected outside the Students’ Union via X

In response, a number of students and student societies posted on their Instagram Stories denouncing the display and expressing their solidarity with transgender people. On Friday 23rd May, a joint statement from over 90 student societies and staff organisations was posted on the LGBTQ+ Society’s Instagram.

It expressed that “trans people are welcome” on campus, saying “trans people will always exist and our lives are joyous with trans people in them.”

Leeds University Union also posted an Instagram Story saying it didn’t authorise the stall, with the equalities and liberations officer encouraging concerned or affected students to put in a complaint about the stand.

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However, Connie told The Leeds Tab that claiming “permission is needed to host a stall encouraging open discussion and debate reflects the authoritarian nature of university campus, and attitudes towards gender- critical views.”

“Stalls are often set up by socialist students who give out leaflets, for example. At one such stall, I asked a student if he had asked for permission – he said no. Where was the outrage?” she added.

Whilst Connie’s display was up, students chalked on the floor outside the union, drawing transgender flags and writing messages such as: “I LOVE MY TRANS FRIENDS”, “TRANS RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS” and “YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A TRANS PERSON TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY”.

A group of students further stuck up a transgender flag and an A4 piece of paper which read “TRANS WOMEN ARE WOMEN” on a bench near the stall.

Responding to these comments, Connie told The Leeds Tab that the reaction reflects “what is already known about student consciousness, including a misunderstanding of speech and equality law.”

She continued: “Opinions are equated with violence, there is a perceived right to not encounter anything you disagree with, people should face ‘consequences’ for their legal speech, and silencing views is an appropriate way of dealing with those you disagree with.”

Students responded by chalking on the precinct and displaying trans flags nearby

People with gender-critical views, like Connie, are concerned that diminishing the significance of biological sex, especially in legal and policy matters, risks undermining women’s rights.

In line with gender-critical beliefs, sex is perceived as immutable and not to be conflated with gender identity. Gender-critical views are protected under the UK’s Equality Act 2010.

However, some LGBTQ+ activists perceive the emphasis on biological sex as transphobic. They maintain that while biological sex is real, focusing on it too heavily undermines the nuances of gender identity.

They may also argue that transgender individuals should have the right to privacy over their birth-assigned sex, and be critical of the recent Supreme Court’s ruling, which defines “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 as biological sex.

Many students expressed anger at “TERF” views being promoted on campus. TERF stands for Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist, which means a feminist whose advocacy of women’s rights is thought to exclude the rights of transgender women. More generally, it can be used to describe a person whose views on gender identity are considered hostile towards transgender people, or who opposes social and political policies designed to be inclusive of transgender people.

Connie told The Leeds Tab that TERF “is a derogatory term used against women who believe in women’s sex-based rights and the right to female-only spaces.”

Some of the signs that formed part of Connie’s display outside the Students’ Union via X

“Men who identify as women have never had the right to enter female-only spaces, as the Supreme Court’s ruling confirmed,” she added.

The student further accused the university of acting unlawfully by continuing to permit “men into women’s spaces despite the ruling.”

The Leeds Tab asked students to share their perspectives on the stall and Felix, who is transgender, said the atmosphere was “extremely tense and uncomfortable”. However, he chose not to engage with Connie because he said he “didn’t want to provide her with the opportunity to spread any more transphobia or misinformation.”

Felix added that expressions of support for transgender people from students in the campus community have been “lovely”.

Although, he did express disappointment at the university’s perceived lack of follow-up interventions: “It feels disappointing to walk through campus knowing that the university hasn’t taken any physical action in protecting me and many of my friends when it comes to how we identify.”

Charlie, whose name has been changed, told The Leeds Tab the sign hanging above the bench “unsettled” them, and whilst they didn’t recognise Connie, they were aware of her views and the controversy surrounding her LSR suspension.

Charlie also chose not to engage, and when asked why, they said it was because they “truly believe [Connie] feeds off attention”.

They perceive Connie’s ability to set up the stall as countering her claims of censorship, but added: “Free speech […] isn’t free of consequences and doesn’t give her the right to dismiss communities of people that just want to live.”

What has been described as the ‘aftermath’ of the stand, with Connie’s signs stolen and replaced by transgender flags via X

Charlie found the campus community’s reaction “reassuring”, saying: “I’m in awe at the blue, white and pink chalk that floods the precinct. The groups with trans flags and posters gave me hope that not everything is currently fuelled by hate.”

They added: “I’d rather share a bathroom with trans women than share one with Connie Shaw.”

Responding to these comments, Connie said: “I heard many unsettling things on Monday, including a male student who said ‘I like being a girl with a dick.’ I believe this statement to be a denial of biological reality, yet I respect the right to express it.

“I also appreciate that my feelings do not negate the rights of others to express their views. This is not something that I feel many students we spoke with are, as yet, able to appreciate.”

Billy, a Leeds student whose name has been changed, has a trans brother, and that experience has shaped their understanding of trans rights activism.

They decided to engage in conversation with Connie, but described their communication as “relentless” and “boring”, alleging this was because of her “extreme” views which denied basic empathy to trans people.

Billy spoke to The Leeds Tab about instances of bullying directed towards their brother when the pair were at school together, saying: “I’m no stranger for sticking up for my brother and for transgender people.”

Referencing Connie’s suspension from LSR, Billy argued that Connie’s position as head of LGBTQ+ Hour jeopardised trans students’ safety.

“By having those opinions and directly being in contact with the people that you’re saying you don’t agree with ideologically, and you’re meant to represent them and be a person of power to them, that causes such an unsafe power dynamic,” they said.

The student claimed it was “ironic” to support the safety of women in single-sex spaces, whilst overlooking the safety of the team when comments made publicly could negatively impact those students.

Billy added: “Maybe there were people who agreed with them, but they definitely were not as outspoken as the people who did not.”

Responding to these comments, Connie claimed many people agreed with them, thanked them “and told [them] that [they] are ‘brave’”.

“Ironically, it does not occur to Billy that the reason why those who agreed with us were not outspoken might be due to the ‘consequences’ of expressing such views, and therefore chose to self-censor,” she added.

The University of Leeds and Leeds University Union have not yet responded to requests for comment.

Featured image via X