From: NewNowNext
Organizers of the equality conference of the University and College Union in England are being criticized for their decision to ban straight, white, able-bodied men from participating in debate at the conference because they do not have a “protected characteristic” that informs their opinions.
The Daily Mail reports the conference has four sections — for women, LGBT people, ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities.
Even though officers in attendance are elected by their union branches to attend and take part in the conference, all must declare they are one of the four “protected characteristics” in order to participate.
That means, according to the DM, that “reps would be barred from debates on areas they were not affected by, and a straight, white man who was not disabled would be unable to attend any.” This because organizers claim people without “protected characteristics” would violate the conference’s “safe space.”
But at least one member of the UCU equality committee, Emma-Jane Phillips, doesn’t agree.
“Equality reps are passionate about equality regardless of their own situation,” said Phillips. “To infer that someone does not understand someone’s situation just because you don’t tick a box is insulting.”
In an interview with Times Higher Education magazine, she added: “It is ridiculous that people who regard equality as their life can’t attend our equality conference.”
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