Bristol University proposes banning speakers questioning the transgender status of women

Bristol University's students union said it would seek to ban speakers who believe identifying as a woman is not the same as being born a woman.

As controversy grows over the stance by some universities to "no-platform" speakers who question the transgender status of women, if Bristol's proposals are finalised, it would be first blanket ban on such speakers.

The university's feminist society put forward the motion that Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminists (Terfs) should be barred from events taking place on university grounds and a committee will examine if speakers or groups have expressed 'Terf' views in the past.

One student at the meeting where the motion was passed, told the Telegraph that 'Terfs' are not a "hate group".

"They just have opinions that may be different to the opinions of students. It is a difference of opinion, not a matter of bigotry or head. There is no justification for banning a view just because you don't like it."

The motion followed an event discussing changes to the Gender Recognition Act which could see changing gender easier and remove rules for people to have medical checks.

The event invited people to discuss whether this could mean the end of single sex spaces and single sex services, among other issues, which were deemed by the university's feminist society as amounting to "hate speech".

It adds a new dimension to the controversial issue of free speech on campuses surrounding transgender rights. In 2015, students at Cardiff University tried to stop the feminist Germaine Greer from speaking at Cardiff University for her transgender views.

The esteemed feminist activist Linda Bellos was blocked from speaking at Cambridge University because she questioned trans politics.

Professor Nishan Canagarajah, Bristol University's pro-vice chancellor said in a blog post that the issue "presents an opportune time to affirm our commitment to freedom of speech and to the rights of all our students and staff to discuss difficult and sensitive topics."