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Student Faces Disciplinary Action Over Saying “Women Have Vaginas”
“Pointing out that women are born with reproductive organs is now something you cannot say.”
A law student shared her unhappiness with her university’s reactions to her free speech usage during a seminar. She hit back at them after receiving disciplinary actions ‘for pointing out that women are born with reproductive organs.’
29-year-old Lisa Keogh from Abertay University has to face disciplinary actions due to her wordings.
The woman was reported by her classmates for saying “women have vaginas” and that they are “not as strong as men.” These all happened during the time Lisa was speaking in a seminar on gender and feminism. She proceeded to explain how transwomen cannot be categorized along with women in mixed martial arts due to the difference in strength.
Lisa shared, “This has been hanging over me for over a month, and it’s been extremely stressful, particularly as it’s coincided with my final law exams.”
The issue had been under investigation since April 16. Lisa explained, “My comments in class weren’t intended to offend or discriminate against anyone.”
“I’m hopeful that I will be awarded the law degree that I’ve worked so hard for at the end of this ordeal, but the fact that it’s been allowed to drag on for such a long time sends a chilling message to other women who don’t go along with the prevailing campus orthodoxy.”
The fourth year student and mother-of-two is at risk of being expelled since her case had been handed over from Student Disciplinary Panel to the Student Disciplinary Board.
“I was just expressing what I thought of as a mainstream point of view and ultimately my opinion.”
She pointed out that Abertay had stated themselves as a place where free speech and opinions on controversial topics can always be expressed by students “without being penalized.” She continued, “Why, then, have I been put through this ordeal simply for stating my opinion?”
“Pointing out that women are born with reproductive organs is now something you cannot say because it’s thought to be discriminatory against men who identify as women,” she continued. Lisa understands that the university would have to investigate when the complaints were lodged.
However, she expected them to “exercise a bit of common sense and conclude there was no case to answer.”
A spokesperson of Abertay University has given his comment on this, “To be clear, all Abertay students are free to express their views on campus, as long as this is not done in an intolerant or abusive way which would breach our Code of Student Discipline.”
“Our Code of Student Discipline does not police freedom of speech or the nature of views put forward during classroom discussion or debate,” they continued, before proceeding to report that there have been inaccurate claims being circulated online.
“Scottish universities are required by law to investigate all complaints, whether by students, staff or members of the public.”
No specific explanations have been given as to why Lisa Keogh had been hold responsible for her speech during the seminar on gender, feminism, and law.
