A Group Of Students Really Don't Want 'Dangerous' Germaine Greer To Speak At Cardiff University

A Group Of Students Really Don't Want 'Dangerous' Germaine Greer To Speak At Cardiff University
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Germaine Greer speaks after she was presented with an Honorary Degree in the great hall of the Sydney University in Sydney, Australia Friday, Nov. 4, 2005. Greer, known for being an outspoken Australian feminist, was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)
ROB GRIFFITH/AP

Students are urging their university to cancel a lecture featuring prominent feminist Germaine Greer, as they say she is dangerous and transphobic.

Greer is due to speak at Cardiff University in November on 'Women and Power: The Lessons of the 20th Century', however some students say she should be no-platformed.

A petition on Change.org, started by the university's student women's officer Rachael Melhuish, says: "Greer has demonstrated time and time again her misogynistic views towards trans women, including continually misgendering trans women and denying the existence of transphobia altogether.

"Trans-exclusionary views should have no place in feminism or society. Such attitudes contribute to the high levels of stigma, hatred and violence towards trans people - particularly trans women - both in the UK and across the world.

"While debate in a University should be encouraged, hosting a speaker with such problematic and hateful views towards marginalised and vulnerable groups is dangerous. Allowing Greer a platform endorses her views, and by extension, the transmisogyny which she continues to perpetuate.

"Universities should prioritise the voices of the most vulnerable on their campuses, not invite speakers who seek to further marginalise them."

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The Change.org petition

Earlier this year, Greer spoke at Cambridge University Union, and said she did not know there was "such a thing [as transphobia]".

According to the student paper, Greer also opposed the medical procedures associated with transitioning as they were "unethical".

In 2009, Greer wrote a column saying the idea of being trans was a "delusion" and transwomen "seemed to us ghastly parodies".

Blogging on HuffPost UK, trans feminist activist Payton Quinn says: "If you're [not] on board [with the petition] it can be assumed that no matter how measured and reasoned my position on no-platforming is in this instance, you're not going to agree.

"Perhaps you are in the same camp as Greer and don't believe that transphobia exists despite there being plenty of hard evidence to the contrary."

Greer has been contacted by HuffPost UK but has yet to respond.