4th December 2021.
Dear Jeremy Cook, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Colleges and Student Experience),
We are writing to you to draw your attention to recent events at a South College formal, on the 3rd December.
A journalist, Rod Liddle, was invited by the South College Principal Tim Luckhurst to speak at a formal. This was not just any formal, but a Christmas formal, which had no indication of including any sorts of speakers. It would only take a quick Google to indicate that this speaker was not appropriate for any college formal environment, especially not a Christmas formal.
At the event itself, Rod Liddle proceeded to make numerous transphobic, sexist, racist and classist remarks. His unacceptable comments made numerous students uncomfortable and distressed. The events of that evening would be best described by those students in attendance. We include below anonymous testimonies from just some of those who attended this formal:
Testimony 1
I was on one of the tables that discussed a pre-planned* walkout upon realising that Rod Liddle would be speaking at our celebration. We sat together and read Mr Liddle’s history of comments towards a range of marginalised groups starting from 2005, all publicly available online, and concluded that this man does not stand for freedom, equality, and global citizenship-core values of South College. We didn’t know about what would be said in his speech on the night but we decided that we did not want to listen given his previous history.
To my knowledge, we weren’t given advance notice that he would be speaking nor give a speech, so this was not a matter of choosing to listen to Mr Liddle and then complaining. This was advertised as a Christmas celebration only. To be heckled by Tim Luckhurst as I left the hall on the announcement of Rod Liddle’s speech-may I add during the applause and not when he had started to speak-and branded ‘pathetic’ under the guise of freedom of speech stands against everything I believe in. To later be called an ‘inadequate’ on Dorothy Luckhurst’s twitter account for choosing not to listen to Mr Liddle’s speech was a hurtful remark, especially looking at the emotional impact that the speech had on various communities in South, in particular our transgender commmunity. I will not be insulted for being an ally and I will continue to stand with my college communities.
*NB: Walkouts were planned during the formal itself after people found out that Rod Liddle was speaking, as no-one knew prior to the formal.
Testimony 2:
Watching a video of Tim Luckhurst telling an LGBT student they don’t belong in Durham University for challenging Rod Liddle’s previous homophobic remarks has made me too question my place here. I have not felt this unwelcome, ostracised, and unsafe since arriving at the university. LGBT students shouldn’t be subjected to this treatment. Enabling homophobia enables hate crimes and discrimination. To see this from my college principal has sent a clear message: Durham is not a safe space for LBGT individuals such as myself. I’m furious that this was allowed to happen. If there is no apology or repercussions, I cannot see myself remaining here.
Testimony 3:
I had no idea who Rod Liddle was prior to last nights events, but perhaps I would have been given the chance to educate myself on his views beforehand if Tim Luckhurst had informed us of a guest speaker being present, as he has done on several other occasions. Those who had found out he was speaking had already planned a walk out at the beginning of his speech to save themselves from his harmful views. Upon their exit, our once very calmly spoken Principal began to scream at them, proclaiming them as “pathetic”. This is not the type of aggression you expect to be an audience of at what was meant to be a jolly Christmas formal. Myself and my peers then sat through what was a very painful, and uncomfortable speech. I don’t quite know what Liddle was trying to get across to us last night, but his speech consisted of a strong anti-left narrative, with sprinkles of sexism, homophobia, classism and transphobia: [TW - “those with an xy chromosome…are scientifically a man”, with a mention of “dangling penis[es]”. His speech was entirely inappropriate. Afterwards, the Principal thanked the speaker and addressed the remaining students with gratitude for staying. I will make it clear, myself and my friends did not stay out of respect of Liddle or interest in his comments, but for most of us, out of fear of the Principal and perhaps another outburst. Several students I spoke to last night were in distress due to Liddle’s comments, with many becoming emotional. Our students well-being should not be put on the line for our Principal who I once thought to be welcoming and progressive, to invite a “good friend” from his previous years, who has a very public controversial past. Luckhurst’s bias towards Liddle was at the detriment of our students welfare. As someone who was a pioneer for South College, and has worked closely with Tim, this has shocked and appalled me. I can securely say, that I am no longer proud of South College as an institution. Instead, I am proud of my peers and the college’s student body for standing up for what they believe in and not putting up with bigotry.
Testimony 4:
I am disgusted and also saddened by the manner in which our principal and his wife conducted themselves at the Christmas formal. The last formal of the academic term in which children were present, in which international students were experiencing their first British Christmas at a time where everyone wanted joy and some college patriotism. This was not the case. To even let Rod Liddle stand and speak with the prior knowledge that this would upset many students, yet this was considered “acceptable” under the codified law of free speech, was (1) not amusing, (2) hypocrtiical in its very nature. The fact our principal has defended this man in countless articles. Defending his opinions on child pornography and various transphobic ideologies is very telling of situations in which the freedom of speech has been prioritised over other codified human rights laws. Freedom of speech in itself includes the right to listen or not listen to the said speaker, the European Convention on Human Rights protects the rights of assembly and in this case disassembly. The principal has acted in a highly unprofessional highly political manner whilst preaching the right to speech has impeded upon many of his students rights. Southies have been left mentally scarred and some traumatised. This is unacceptable and must be acted upon now.
Testimony 5:
At the South College Christmas formal last night, an event at which we were expecting to experience a heart-warming Christmas dinner, our college President Timothy Luckhurst invited Rod Liddle (an openly racist, homophobic, and transphobic journalist) to give a lecture to the room on his political ideology. Before the formal, some people had seen an article from Rod about child pornography and as he began to speak decided to walk out of the room. In response to this, Tim shouted ‘Pathetic!’ at them, because of their decision not to hear from an individual they knew was about to offend them. The speech opened with a joke about prostitution, was followed by inappropriate comments about ethnic minorities, transphobia in which Liddle tried to argue that science proves trans people not to exist, a claim that is fundamentally wrong, and a comment made about single parents not being capable of raising their children. At this point, more and more people including myself began to leave the room, as the speech was so offensive and uncomfortable, even driving some students to tears. Following the speech, the JCR president of South got up and combatted some of the claims made by Rod, clarifying that these are not views of the JCR and arguing that the Christmas formal was not the correct environment for them to be expressed at, which has since been re-enforced in an email sent to college residents today. Many people had returned to the hall to support the JCR president, and then we all left again. On the way out of the room, Rod and Tim were confronted by students who were appalled by the speech and questioning why the speech had been allowed to be given. In response to this, the college President argued that ‘freedom of speech’ must prevail, however, he did not account for the fact that most of the speech was hate speech, incredibly offensive, and that people had not paid for a Christmas formal to then be lectured on political ideology of the right wing. The President’s wife was labelling student ‘assholes’ and repeated the sentiment that trans people don’t exist. Since then the college has been quite shaken and the elitist and discriminatory reputation that Durham has as a University has been re-enforced.
Statement from South College JCR President Sean Hannigan (slightly condensed:
To clarify, last night (Friday 3rd) journalist Rod Liddle was invited to High Table for South College’s first Christmas formal since its establishment last year which was not bridged by extensive Covid restrictions. After a lovely meal courtesy of the catering staff, Rod was permitted to speak for several minutes. Many things were said and there was particular disagreement from students attending who, as you mentioned, left during his speech and spoke to him and the Principal after the meal. I did find it intriguing that Rod was given the privilege of speaking at the formal when just last week we had the editor of The Conversation visit us and he did not.
To question someone’s right to exist or their status as whoever they feel to be is not a matter of debate or that of free speech – it is that of human rights. If I were to question a woman’s right to vote or that we should have ‘separate elections’ for women under the guise of my freedom of speech and people should ‘debate the argument’, people would rightly be angry and we know what is really meant when certain controversial opinions are phrased as a freedom of speech issue. Successive waves of rights for women, LGBT+ people, black people, workers and so many others were not won by merely convincing the other side that they were wrong. Rights are taken, they are not given. Rod made many comments and the vast majority were so vague that they would be impossible to prove. Particular comments regarding X and Y chromosomes were not only deliberately inciteful but they are also factually incorrect. As many people are fond of saying, we must debate based on the facts and the evidence, but that was not what happened last night. As I again noted in my speech, chromosomes do not create the sex binary and sex is not equal to gender. These are the facts and people must be acquainted with them. For more information on this topic please inquire to Natalie Wynn.
It is up to the students whether or not they left and I know that alongside those who did leave there were many more who considered it. It is their right and their freedom to do so. Students came for a Christmas formal.
I will be speaking with the Principal next week as I feel that it got entirely out of hand. It is of course the Principal’s final decision who is invited to our college and who sits on High Table. The university also has ongoing issues with racism, homophobia, transphobia, misogyny (the list goes on) and I know there are many good people at Durham, from the SU and JCRs to student societies and the University Executive, doing their best to stamp it out. The university’s Equality, Diversity, & Inclusion training may need to be rolled out to every member of the university, both staff and students, and made compulsory at an accelerated rate. But such an event last night overshadows this and is further evidence of the work which must continue well beyond my term in office.
We also attach a thread of videos anonymously posted by students from the evening:
Two key themes stand out in these testimonies. The first, is the fact that Rod Liddle being chosen as a speaker and his proceeding comments are unacceptable. The second, is the disrespectful response to students walking out or asking for an apology by the Principal and his wife (as shown in the attached videos). Tim Luckhurst’s conduct was unprofessional in any environment, especially considering his role as Principal.
We hope that you can agree with us, and all the students who have signed this letter, that these comments and the responses show a complete disregard for student welfare. They show a disregard for trans students. They show a disregard for the principles of South College and the university. What is more, is that this incident could have been avoided if a more considered approach was taken when selecting a speaker.
Whilst we understand the importance of free speech and the value of academic speech, we firmly believe that this incident can be placed in the realm of hate speech. Such speech should not be tolerated in Durham University. Having looked at the university’s Equality and Diversity and Inclusion page, we would like to draw your attention to your commitment and duty to create an environment where…
In order to move forward, we have drafted some proposals for what students would like to see from College Principals moving forward.
We hope that you take these proposals seriously, and that you will share them with college principals across Durham. We look forward to your response.
Yours Sincerely,
Durham Intersectional Feminism Society
Durham LGBT+ Association
Durham University Labour Club
Durham Womxn’s Association
Signed by 1649:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Ri7XtlDKfTfZX4M_BQudLFBV_7hB2DMVpWGggU2kHVQ/edit?usp=sharing